In recent years, the global economy has been affected by a number of supply-side forces. One such force is structural developments. These include, to name but a few, the intensification of digitalisation, automation and robotisation; the acceleration of decarbonisation; and ongoing deglobalisation/regionalisation, driven by the search for greater supply chain resilience as well as heightened geopolitical tensions and resurgent protectionism.

All of these developments are expected to impact the behaviour of firms, shape their productivity and affect their market power or price-setting activity. Moreover, firm responses in these areas may be extremely heterogeneous. This heterogeneity should be well documented, understood and, subsequently, integrated into macroeconomic models in order to support the design of relevant, targeted policies.

The results of several new studies on these objects will be presented at the conference. Eleven teams of Belgian and international researchers will set out their findings, each time followed by a discussion with international experts. Our keynote speakers will be Mar Reguant (Northwestern University and CSIC-IAE), Pol Antras (Harvard University) and Antonin Bergeaud (HEC Paris).