Sebastian joined the department for the first time in late 2008, and for the second time in March 2010 after having been on leave as an Acting Professor in Germany. He received a PhD from the University of Göttingen, Germany, and studied Agricultural Economics in Göttingen and at the University of California in Davis. Outside Academia, Sebastian has worked as a policy consultant.

Research area

Future agricultural- and food markets are going to be increasingly knowledge-based, service-oriented and innovation-driven. This poses new challenges for political and private-corporation decision makers. Sebastian works on the development of empirical economic models that function in this respect as advisory tools; ongoing projects consider the horizontal and vertical specialization of the northern European meat industry, the interaction of agricultural markets with politics and the media, the spatial supply of horse-based leisure services, and the econometric modeling of regional agricultural accounts. Sebastian is familiar with methods of applied econometrics, meta-analysis, and simulations in applied CGEs.

Teaching

Quantitative Methods, Intermediate Microeconomics, International Trade, Agricultural Policy, Global Issues.

Selected publications

Scientific:

Lagerkvist, C., Okello, J., Karanja, N., Hess, S., Ngigi, M, (2012). Choice of market for fresh vegetables by developing-country urban consumers: The case of kale consumers in Nairobi, Kenya. European Journal of Development Research. (Accepted).

Hess, S., von Cramon-Taubadel, S., Zschache, U., Theuvsen, L., Kleinschmit, D, (2012). Explaining the Puzzling Persistence of Restrictions on Seasonal Farm Labor in Germany. European Review of Agricultural Economics. (Accepted).

Lagerkvist, C., Hansson, H., Hess, S., Hoffman, R., (2011). Provision of Farm Animal Welfare: Integrating Productivity and Non-Use values. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy. (Accepted).

Lagerkvist, C. J., Hess, S. (2011). A Meta-Analysis of Consumer Willingness to Pay for Farm Animal Welfare. European Review of Agricultural Economics 38 (1): 55-78.

Brümmer, B. und Hess, S. (2010). Die GAP, Subsidiarität und öffentliche Güter: Marktversagen, Politik-versagen, Bürokratieversagen. LandInForm spezial, I/2010. 

Hess, S., Kleinschmit, D., Theuvsen, L., von Cramon-Taubadel, S., U. Zschache, (2010). Explaining Path Dependence through Discourse Analysis: The Case of Seasonal Farm Workers in Germany”. In Schreyögg, G., J. Sydow (eds.): The Hidden Dynamics of Path Dependency: Institutions and Organisations. Palgrave Macmillan.

Hess. S. (2009). The Economics of Production (Second Edition). European Review of Agricultural Economics 36: 458-460 (Book Review).

Hess, S. and von Cramon-Taubadel, S., (2008) Doha Round Outcomes: Meta-Analysis of General and Partial Equilibrium Simulations. The World Economy 31(6):804-841

Holst, C., Hess, S. and von Cramon-Taubadel, S., (2008). Observations on the Seasonal Labour Force Offer in German Agriculture. Berichte über Landwirtschaft. Vol. 86(3):1-36.

Hess, S. and von Cramon-Taubadel, S., (2008). Agricultural Trade Policy Modelling: Insights from a Meta-Analysis of Doha Development Agenda Outcomes. Canadian Agricultural Trade Policy Network (CATPRN) Commissioned Paper Publication Series.

Hess, S., (2008). Meta-Analyse angewandter Gleichgewichtsmodelle des internationalen Agrarhandels. CeGE Schriftenreihe Nr.15. Verlag Peter Lang, Hamburg. ISBN: 978-3631577189

Hess, S., von Cramon-Taubadel, S., (2007). Meta-Analysis of General and Partial Equilibrium Simulations of Doha Round Outcomes. Agricultural Economics, Vol. 37: 281-286

Hess, S., (2006). The Demand for Seasonal Farm Labor from Central- and Eastern European Countries in German Agriculture. Agricultural Engineering International: The CIGR Ejournal. Vol. VIII. May

Hess, S. (2004). The Employment of Seasonal Farm Workers from Central- and Eastern European Countries in German Agriculture. Berichte über Landwirtschaft, Vol. 82(4): 602-627.

Policy Papers:

Brümmer, B., Hess, S. (2010). Öffentliche Güter in der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik und Ländlichen Entwicklung“, Agrar Europe (German). Vol. 30. p.8-11.

von Cramon-Taubadel, S., Hess, S., Brummer, B. (2010). A preliminary analysis of the impact of a Ukraine-EU free trade agreement on agriculture,". World Bank Policy Research Working Paper Series Vol 5264

Hess, S., Voget, B., Kuznetsova, A., 2009. EU Meat Market- Real Opportunities for Ukraine? Policy Paper Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting- German-Ukrainian Policy Dialogue in Agriculture. www.ier.kiev.ua/English/papers/papers_eng.phtml 

Ryshkova, M, Hess, S. and Voget, B., 2008. EU Dairy Markets- Real Opportunities for Ukraine?“. Policy Paper. Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting-German-Ukrainian Policy Dialogue in Agriculture. www.ier.kiev.ua/English/papers/papers_eng.phtml 

Miscellaneous

Sebastian Hess is referee for European Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Economics, German Journal of Agricultural Economics- Agrarwirtschaft, African Journal of Agricultural Research, EAAE International Congress 2011 in Zürich. Between 2005-2007 he was member of the Editorial Board CIGR- Ejournal.