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Jan SvejnarCzech-American economist
Date of Birth: 02.10.1952
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Content:
- Jan Svejnar: Czech-American Economist and Policy Advisor
- Academic Career
- Research Interests
- Publications
- Political Involvement
- Personal Life
Jan Svejnar: Czech-American Economist and Policy Advisor
Early Life and EducationJan Svejnar was born on October 2, 1952, in Prague, Czechoslovakia. In 1970, at the age of 17, he fled communist Czechoslovakia to the United States, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University and a PhD in economics from Princeton University.
Academic Career
Svejnar is a Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He is also the Director of the International Policy Center at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Additionally, he is the Founder and Chairman of CERGE-EI, a research and educational institution in Prague.
Research Interests
Svejnar's research focuses on economic development and transition, labor economics, and firm strategy. He investigates the determinants and consequences of government policies on firms, labor and capital markets, corporate and public governance, productivity, and entrepreneurship.
Publications
Svejnar has authored and edited numerous books and has published extensively in academic, policy, and practitioner-oriented journals in both developed and emerging market economies. His work has appeared in top journals such as American Economic Review, European Economic Review, Econometrica, Economics of Transition, and Journal of Development Economics.
Political Involvement
In December 2007, Svejnar announced his candidacy for President of the Czech Republic. He was supported by members of parliament from the Czech Social Democratic Party and the Green Party. He pledged to renounce his American citizenship if elected. However, he lost the election in February 2008 to incumbent President Václav Klaus.
Personal Life
Svejnar was married to Katherine Terrell, a former professor at the University of Michigan’s Business School. They had two children, Laura and Daniel. Terrell passed away in 2011.
