We discuss some challenges presented by trending data in time series econometrics. To the empirical economist there is little guidance from theory about the source of trend behavior and even less guidance about practical formulations. Moreover, recent proximity theorems [W. Ploberger, P.C.B....

The aim of this paper is that of giving a finer insight into the analytic foundations of vector autoregressive models (VAR) in comparison with classical econometric models. To this end we show the links between the techniques of structural and VAR model building on the one hand, and the...

This essay reviews progress in empirical economics since Leamer's (1983) critique. Leamer highlighted the benefits of sensitivity analysis, a procedure in which researchers show how their results change with changes in specification or functional form. Sensitivity analysis has had a salutary but...

This is a fine, useful book on the history and structure of macroeconometric models. Its perspective is “applied” and has a “positivistic bias”. It gives a good (or not so good) picture of the state of the art. The problems of the now “Big Science” deserve more attention than the...