Economic performance provides a vital research area for social science encompassing major social, cultural and political issues. Economic performance underpins wealth creation, and people's quality of life and wellbeing.
This theme promotes new research into economic growth and stability, focusing on such issues as the role of risk and trust in market transactions and people's behaviour, and how such concepts are introduced into economic analysis.
Public policy in economic matters is an important research area which raises issues concerning intergenerational equity, the distribution of wealth, and the boundaries between the state, the economy and the private sector.
At the international level there are important questions about the ability of national governments to control emerging global events, including stability of financial and currency markets.
The issues covered by this theme are of major public concern challenging the social sciences to address the impact of economic activity on the social and cultural aspects of our lives, and how these in turn influence the growth and stability of economies.