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Research Topics & Ideas: Finance

120+ Finance Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

If you’re just starting out exploring potential research topics for your finance-related dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research topic ideation process by providing a hearty list of finance-centric research topics and ideas.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . To develop a suitable education-related research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Finance Research Topics

• Corporate finance topics
• Investment banking topics
• Private equity & VC
• Asset management
• Hedge funds
• Financial planning & advisory
• Quantitative finance
• Treasury management
• Financial technology (FinTech)
• Commercial banking
• International finance

Corporate Finance

These research topic ideas explore a breadth of issues ranging from the examination of capital structure to the exploration of financial strategies in mergers and acquisitions.

• Evaluating the impact of capital structure on firm performance across different industries
• Assessing the effectiveness of financial management practices in emerging markets
• A comparative analysis of the cost of capital and financial structure in multinational corporations across different regulatory environments
• Examining how integrating sustainability and CSR initiatives affect a corporation’s financial performance and brand reputation
• Analysing how rigorous financial analysis informs strategic decisions and contributes to corporate growth
• Examining the relationship between corporate governance structures and financial performance
• A comparative analysis of financing strategies among mergers and acquisitions
• Evaluating the importance of financial transparency and its impact on investor relations and trust
• Investigating the role of financial flexibility in strategic investment decisions during economic downturns
• Investigating how different dividend policies affect shareholder value and the firm’s financial performance

Investment Banking

The list below presents a series of research topics exploring the multifaceted dimensions of investment banking, with a particular focus on its evolution following the 2008 financial crisis.

• Analysing the evolution and impact of regulatory frameworks in investment banking post-2008 financial crisis
• Investigating the challenges and opportunities associated with cross-border M&As facilitated by investment banks.
• Evaluating the role of investment banks in facilitating mergers and acquisitions in emerging markets
• Analysing the transformation brought about by digital technologies in the delivery of investment banking services and its effects on efficiency and client satisfaction.
• Evaluating the role of investment banks in promoting sustainable finance and the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in investment decisions.
• Assessing the impact of technology on the efficiency and effectiveness of investment banking services
• Examining the effectiveness of investment banks in pricing and marketing IPOs, and the subsequent performance of these IPOs in the stock market.
• A comparative analysis of different risk management strategies employed by investment banks
• Examining the relationship between investment banking fees and corporate performance
• A comparative analysis of competitive strategies employed by leading investment banks and their impact on market share and profitability

Private Equity & Venture Capital (VC)

These research topic ideas are centred on venture capital and private equity investments, with a focus on their impact on technological startups, emerging technologies, and broader economic ecosystems.

• Investigating the determinants of successful venture capital investments in tech startups
• Analysing the trends and outcomes of venture capital funding in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, or clean energy
• Assessing the performance and return on investment of different exit strategies employed by venture capital firms
• Assessing the impact of private equity investments on the financial performance of SMEs
• Analysing the role of venture capital in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship
• Evaluating the exit strategies of private equity firms: A comparative analysis
• Exploring the ethical considerations in private equity and venture capital financing
• Investigating how private equity ownership influences operational efficiency and overall business performance
• Evaluating the effectiveness of corporate governance structures in companies backed by private equity investments
• Examining how the regulatory environment in different regions affects the operations, investments and performance of private equity and venture capital firms

Asset Management

This list includes a range of research topic ideas focused on asset management, probing into the effectiveness of various strategies, the integration of technology, and the alignment with ethical principles among other key dimensions.

• Analysing the effectiveness of different asset allocation strategies in diverse economic environments
• Analysing the methodologies and effectiveness of performance attribution in asset management firms
• Assessing the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria on fund performance
• Examining the role of robo-advisors in modern asset management
• Evaluating how advancements in technology are reshaping portfolio management strategies within asset management firms
• Evaluating the performance persistence of mutual funds and hedge funds
• Investigating the long-term performance of portfolios managed with ethical or socially responsible investing principles
• Investigating the behavioural biases in individual and institutional investment decisions
• Examining the asset allocation strategies employed by pension funds and their impact on long-term fund performance
• Assessing the operational efficiency of asset management firms and its correlation with fund performance

Hedge Funds

Here we explore research topics related to hedge fund operations and strategies, including their implications on corporate governance, financial market stability, and regulatory compliance among other critical facets.

• Assessing the impact of hedge fund activism on corporate governance and financial performance
• Analysing the effectiveness and implications of market-neutral strategies employed by hedge funds
• Investigating how different fee structures impact the performance and investor attraction to hedge funds
• Evaluating the contribution of hedge funds to financial market liquidity and the implications for market stability
• Analysing the risk-return profile of hedge fund strategies during financial crises
• Evaluating the influence of regulatory changes on hedge fund operations and performance
• Examining the level of transparency and disclosure practices in the hedge fund industry and its impact on investor trust and regulatory compliance
• Assessing the contribution of hedge funds to systemic risk in financial markets, and the effectiveness of regulatory measures in mitigating such risks
• Examining the role of hedge funds in financial market stability
• Investigating the determinants of hedge fund success: A comparative analysis

Financial Planning and Advisory

This list explores various research topic ideas related to financial planning, focusing on the effects of financial literacy, the adoption of digital tools, taxation policies, and the role of financial advisors.

• Evaluating the impact of financial literacy on individual financial planning effectiveness
• Analysing how different taxation policies influence financial planning strategies among individuals and businesses
• Evaluating the effectiveness and user adoption of digital tools in modern financial planning practices
• Investigating the adequacy of long-term financial planning strategies in ensuring retirement security
• Assessing the role of financial education in shaping financial planning behaviour among different demographic groups
• Examining the impact of psychological biases on financial planning and decision-making, and strategies to mitigate these biases
• Assessing the behavioural factors influencing financial planning decisions
• Examining the role of financial advisors in managing retirement savings
• A comparative analysis of traditional versus robo-advisory in financial planning
• Investigating the ethics of financial advisory practices

The following list delves into research topics within the insurance sector, touching on the technological transformations, regulatory shifts, and evolving consumer behaviours among other pivotal aspects.

• Analysing the impact of technology adoption on insurance pricing and risk management
• Analysing the influence of Insurtech innovations on the competitive dynamics and consumer choices in insurance markets
• Investigating the factors affecting consumer behaviour in insurance product selection and the role of digital channels in influencing decisions
• Assessing the effect of regulatory changes on insurance product offerings
• Examining the determinants of insurance penetration in emerging markets
• Evaluating the operational efficiency of claims management processes in insurance companies and its impact on customer satisfaction
• Examining the evolution and effectiveness of risk assessment models used in insurance underwriting and their impact on pricing and coverage
• Evaluating the role of insurance in financial stability and economic development
• Investigating the impact of climate change on insurance models and products
• Exploring the challenges and opportunities in underwriting cyber insurance in the face of evolving cyber threats and regulations

Quantitative Finance

These topic ideas span the development of asset pricing models, evaluation of machine learning algorithms, and the exploration of ethical implications among other pivotal areas.

• Developing and testing new quantitative models for asset pricing
• Analysing the effectiveness and limitations of machine learning algorithms in predicting financial market movements
• Assessing the effectiveness of various risk management techniques in quantitative finance
• Evaluating the advancements in portfolio optimisation techniques and their impact on risk-adjusted returns
• Evaluating the impact of high-frequency trading on market efficiency and stability
• Investigating the influence of algorithmic trading strategies on market efficiency and liquidity
• Examining the risk parity approach in asset allocation and its effectiveness in different market conditions
• Examining the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence in quantitative financial analysis
• Investigating the ethical implications of quantitative financial innovations
• Assessing the profitability and market impact of statistical arbitrage strategies considering different market microstructures

Treasury Management

The following topic ideas explore treasury management, focusing on modernisation through technological advancements, the impact on firm liquidity, and the intertwined relationship with corporate governance among other crucial areas.

• Analysing the impact of treasury management practices on firm liquidity and profitability
• Analysing the role of automation in enhancing operational efficiency and strategic decision-making in treasury management
• Evaluating the effectiveness of various cash management strategies in multinational corporations
• Investigating the potential of blockchain technology in streamlining treasury operations and enhancing transparency
• Examining the role of treasury management in mitigating financial risks
• Evaluating the accuracy and effectiveness of various cash flow forecasting techniques employed in treasury management
• Assessing the impact of technological advancements on treasury management operations
• Examining the effectiveness of different foreign exchange risk management strategies employed by treasury managers in multinational corporations
• Assessing the impact of regulatory compliance requirements on the operational and strategic aspects of treasury management
• Investigating the relationship between treasury management and corporate governance

Financial Technology (FinTech)

The following research topic ideas explore the transformative potential of blockchain, the rise of open banking, and the burgeoning landscape of peer-to-peer lending among other focal areas.

• Evaluating the impact of blockchain technology on financial services
• Investigating the implications of open banking on consumer data privacy and financial services competition
• Assessing the role of FinTech in financial inclusion in emerging markets
• Analysing the role of peer-to-peer lending platforms in promoting financial inclusion and their impact on traditional banking systems
• Examining the cybersecurity challenges faced by FinTech firms and the regulatory measures to ensure data protection and financial stability
• Examining the regulatory challenges and opportunities in the FinTech ecosystem
• Assessing the impact of artificial intelligence on the delivery of financial services, customer experience, and operational efficiency within FinTech firms
• Analysing the adoption and impact of cryptocurrencies on traditional financial systems
• Investigating the determinants of success for FinTech startups

Commercial Banking

These topic ideas span commercial banking, encompassing digital transformation, support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the evolving regulatory and competitive landscape among other key themes.

• Assessing the impact of digital transformation on commercial banking services and competitiveness
• Analysing the impact of digital transformation on customer experience and operational efficiency in commercial banking
• Evaluating the role of commercial banks in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Investigating the effectiveness of credit risk management practices and their impact on bank profitability and financial stability
• Examining the relationship between commercial banking practices and financial stability
• Evaluating the implications of open banking frameworks on the competitive landscape and service innovation in commercial banking
• Assessing how regulatory changes affect lending practices and risk appetite of commercial banks
• Examining how commercial banks are adapting their strategies in response to competition from FinTech firms and changing consumer preferences
• Analysing the impact of regulatory compliance on commercial banking operations
• Investigating the determinants of customer satisfaction and loyalty in commercial banking

International Finance

The folowing research topic ideas are centred around international finance and global economic dynamics, delving into aspects like exchange rate fluctuations, international financial regulations, and the role of international financial institutions among other pivotal areas.

• Analysing the determinants of exchange rate fluctuations and their impact on international trade
• Analysing the influence of global trade agreements on international financial flows and foreign direct investments
• Evaluating the effectiveness of international portfolio diversification strategies in mitigating risks and enhancing returns
• Evaluating the role of international financial institutions in global financial stability
• Investigating the role and implications of offshore financial centres on international financial stability and regulatory harmonisation
• Examining the impact of global financial crises on emerging market economies
• Examining the challenges and regulatory frameworks associated with cross-border banking operations
• Assessing the effectiveness of international financial regulations
• Investigating the challenges and opportunities of cross-border mergers and acquisitions

Choosing A Research Topic

These finance-related research topic ideas are starting points to guide your thinking. They are intentionally very broad and open-ended. By engaging with the currently literature in your field of interest, you’ll be able to narrow down your focus to a specific research gap .

When choosing a topic , you’ll need to take into account its originality, relevance, feasibility, and the resources you have at your disposal. Make sure to align your interest and expertise in the subject with your university program’s specific requirements. Always consult your academic advisor to ensure that your chosen topic not only meets the academic criteria but also provides a valuable contribution to the field. 

If you need a helping hand, feel free to check out our private coaching service here.

thank you for suggest those topic, I want to ask you about the subjects related to the fintech, can i measure it and how?

Please guide me on selecting research titles

I am doing financial engineering. , can you please help me choose a dissertation topic?

I’m studying Banking and finance (MBA) please guide me on to choose a good research topic.

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Financial Research Paper Topics: Interesting Finance Questions to Uncover

Are you having trouble thinking of a good topic for your finance research paper? Believe it or not, you are not alone. It might be difficult to find the perfect financial research topic time and time again. After all, picking the right subject is crucial to your financial field. Whether you’re putting together a presentation, penning an essay, or doing research papers, your choice of subject is of critical significance.

To aid you in overcoming this obstacle, we have compiled a detailed list of organized finance topics for research papers. If you want to be sure you choose the right subject for your financial management efforts, we’ve provided a concise guide with crucial advice.

How to Choose Topics for a Finance Research Paper?

If you need assistance deciding on a subject for your finance research paper, here are some pointers. But before we get into those pointers, it’s important to keep in mind that custom writing services may be a great resource for choosing finance topics for your research paper. You may save yourself time and effort by relying on their staff of seasoned writers to help you choose a subject that is both interesting and applicable to your assignment. The following are three guidelines for deciding on a subject for a finance research paper:

• Find Unanswered Questions : Try to pinpoint issues that haven’t received enough attention so far in financial research. You may add to the corpus of knowledge already available by identifying information gaps. Investigate financial management, traditional finance, corporate finance, personal finance and similar topics in order to develop a workable solution or to provide novel ideas.
• Review Existing Literature : Gaining familiarity with the state of the art in finance research requires reading theses and academic articles. Doing so will aid you in pinpointing certain niches in which you may excel. Search the literature for broad perspectives or recurring themes that might help you zero in on a particular issue.
• Stay Updated and Seek Input : Conduct internet research to keep up with the latest financial concerns. Investigate pressing concerns in the industry, such as the effects of the global financial crisis or new developments in the financial markets. You should also talk about your topic with others who have written research papers, such as your friends, classmates, or professors. Getting their thoughts might help you hone your subject and provide vital information.

Where to Get Data for Finance Papers?

It is crucial to get accurate and up-to-date information while conducting studies in the financial sector. One efficient method is to pay for papers or to hire a finance researcher and analysts to do the work for you, especially when it comes to personal finance.

• ProQuest is a significant tool since it provides access to scholarly literature from every field of study in the form of periodicals, newspapers, industry reports, dissertations, and profiles of prominent businesses.
• Scopus and Web of Science provide a plethora of resources, including journals, books, and conference proceedings, that provide comprehensive coverage across academic subjects.
• Global Financial Data (GFD) is one such database that caters only to finance research, and its extensive research has a wealth of data on various asset classes, prices, indexes, and currency exchange rates.
• Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters Datastream, and WRDS provide faculty and researchers with institutional access to a plethora of financial data and tools. This includes real-time market data, financial statements, economic indicators, and personal finance topics to write about.

List of Finance Research Topics

This exhaustive list covers everything you need, whether you’re an MBA student, a finance management professional, or a college student. Explore the exciting field of finance research, delving into areas like healthcare financing, the latest developments in the field, corporate finance, and the aftereffects of the global financial crisis. The finance research papers” in this volume will keep you interested and well-informed.

Finance Research Topics for MBA

Investment analysis, financial management, and personal finance are just a few of the many disciplines that fall under the umbrella of finance research subjects for MBA students. Such topics in finance are essential because they provide MBA students with a solid grounding in financial theory and practice. Here are a few suggestions for MBA students looking for research topics in finance:

• Risk Management Strategies in Financial Institutions.
• Behavioral Finance in Investment Decision-Making.
• Financial Inclusion and Economic Development.
• Comparative Analysis of IFRS Adoption and Financial Reporting Quality.
• Impact of Financial Technology (Fintech) on Traditional Banking.

Finance Management Research Topics

Finance management topics include a broad spectrum of areas that dive into the complexities of managing financial resources in different contexts. Investment analysis, risk management, financial markets, and corporate finance all fall under finance management. Writing a finance research paper helps you understand financial decision-making, develop effective strategies, and advance the field. Before commencing your research paper, consider the following finance research paper ideas:

• Corporate Risk Management Strategies On Firm Performance.
• Benefit Investment Management Practices In Pension Funds.
• Assessing Financial Risks And Mitigation Techniques In Developing Market Multinationals.
• Electronic Banking And Financial Inclusion In Developed And Developing Nations.
• An Empirical Study Of Investor Behavior And Global Finance Data.

Healthcare Finance Research Topics

Explore the application of financial theory to the healthcare sector while writing about finance research paper topics. This financial research is essential for expanding our knowledge of healthcare economics, investment strategies, cost control, and healthcare policy. Finance researchers may also investigate intricate monetary systems to enhance healthcare services and the health of patients. Some healthcare finance topics might include the following:

• Impact Of Healthcare Policy On Financial Sustainability.
• Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Healthcare Interventions.
• Healthcare Reimbursement Models And Their Impact On Healthcare Providers.
• Economic Evaluation Of Preventive Healthcare Programs.
• Healthcare Financing And Access To Care For Underserved Populations.

Interesting Finance Dissertation Topics

For the purposes of writing finance research papers and finishing a dissertation, investigating interesting finance topics is essential. You can gain a more thorough comprehension of economic principles and their real-world applications. In order to have a high-quality research paper done quickly and with no effort, it’s a good idea to look into help with dissertation writing services. For your next research paper, you can consider the following interesting financial topics:

• The banking sector and digital transformation: customer experience and operational effectiveness.
• Corporate risk management strategies in the banking industry: Traditional vs. developing risk management procedures.
• A case study of emerging nations and how well-functioning financial systems foster economic progress.
• Financial aid programs in promoting access to higher education
• A post-pandemic examination of banking institutions’ resilience and regulatory measures’ systemic risk mitigation.

Current Research Topics in Finance

Examining current finance research paper topics is essential due to the dynamic nature of the financial industry. By digging into current financial topics to write about, you learn more about the market, investing methods, risk management, and more. This financial research supports decision-making, policy-making, and the development of new financial solutions. Here are a few lists of subjects to consider if you are looking for current financial topics to write about.

• Financial Statement Analysis And Investment Decisions In Different Industries.
• Exploring The Effectiveness Of Machine Learning Algorithms In Predicting Financial Asset Prices.
• The Role Of Financial Derivatives In Managing Risk And Enhancing Returns In The Business Sector.
• Corporate Governance Practices On Financial Performance And Asset Valuation.
• Sustainable Finance Projects In Promoting Environmental, Social, And Governance (ESG) Goals.

Best Finance Research Topics

A finance research paper topic requires the identification of intriguing subjects for extensive research. The best financial research opens the door to explorations of many facets of finance, including investing tactics and the stock market. As you start to write research papers on finance topics, you’ll open up opportunities for self-discovery, theory-building, and prudent decision-making. You’ll also help them become better researchers and writers, leading to better articles.

• Artificial Intelligence and Financial Decision-Making.
• Financial Risk Management in the Age of Cryptocurrencies.
• Behavioral Finance and Investment Decision-Making.
• The Effectiveness of Financial Regulations in Preventing Market Manipulation.
• The Role of Fintech in Financial Inclusion: Case Studies from the United States.

Interesting Finance Topics for College Students

Among the many subsets that make up the umbrella term finance topics for college students are financial research and finance topics for paper. Financial research topics are important because they help students learn the fundamentals of finance, get them ready for the issues they’ll face in the real world, and develop the analytical thinking they’ll need to make sound judgments in the future. Here are a few examples of finance topics to talk about among college students:

• A Comparative Study of E-commerce on Traditional Retail Banking.
• Comparing Interest Rate Changes with Stock Market Volatility in Developed and Emerging Markets.
• The Effectiveness of Microfinance Institutions in Alleviating Poverty.
• Financial Education Programs and College Students’ Financial Decision-Making.
• Initial Public Offering (IPO) Underpricing: Comparative Study of Developed and Developing Markets.

Finance Research Paper Topics for University Students

Investing, banking, corporate finance, and other areas fall under the umbrella of finance-related topics for the purposes of a university research paper. Because it deepens their knowledge, sparks new ideas, and helps the financial sector expand, topics in finance are more important for college students to study. Students who buy custom assignments benefit from individualized attention, time savings, and the insight of subject matter experts. Check out our extensive finance research topic list to uncover interesting topics for your next paper.

• Interest Rate Changes On Corporate Borrowing And Investment Decisions.
• Financial Literacy And Investment Behavior Among University Students.
• Impact Of International Trade And Globalization On Financial Markets.
• Factors Influencing Mergers And Acquisitions In The Financial Industry.
• Financial Derivatives In Managing Risk In The Stock Market.

Public Finance Research Topics

Research Topics in Public Finance include a broad spectrum of questions concerning fiscal and monetary policy at the national, state, and local levels of government. Understanding the effects of government spending and fiscal policies on GDP growth, income distribution, and social welfare is essential, which is why studies in this field are so important. Policymakers can do better for the world when they have access to information on financial research paper topics to read about.

• The potential of digital currencies as financial assets in public finance management.
• Impact of Tax Policy on Economic Growth: A Comparative Study.
• Government Debt and its Implications on Fiscal Sustainability.
• Public-Private Partnerships in Infrastructure Development.
• Effectiveness of Fiscal Stimulus Packages in Times of Economic Crisis.

Corporate Finance Research Topics

Corporate Finance Research explores various financial management topics within businesses. Conducting research in this area is crucial for understanding financial decision-making, risk management, capital structure, and valuation. It helps companies optimize their financial strategies, make informed investment decisions, and enhance overall financial performance.

• Corporate Governance and Financial Performance: An Industry Comparison.
• Debt Financing in Manufacturing Sector Corporate Investment Decisions.
• Corporate Taxation and Capital Structure Decisions: A Comparative Study of Countries.
• Corporate Venture Capital and Startup Financing: A Comparative Analysis.
• Corporate Governance Mechanisms and Capital Allocation Efficiency: Emerging Markets.

Business Finance Research Topics

Subjects that fall under the umbrella of business finance topics include any and all discussions of how businesses handle their money, from budgeting to investing to making important business decisions. Researching business finance is essential since it reveals new tendencies, aids in the creation of cutting-edge tactics, and boosts monetary output. It helps companies maintain competitiveness in a fast-paced industry and make well-informed choices. These samples can assist you whether you are looking for financial research paper topics or investment research paper ideas.

• Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance.
• Exchange Rate Fluctuations on International Business Transactions.
• Financial Innovation and SME Financing.
• Financial Markets in Economic Development.
• Financial Leverage and Firm Value in Different Industries.

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Research Papers in Economics and Finance

About the journal.

The Research Papers in Economics and Finance (REF, ISSN 2543-6430) is a professional, peer reviewed, e-journal of economics and finance. REF is published by the Poznan University of Economics and Business, which is one of the few academic institutions in Poland to invariably receive a top rank (category 1) from the State Committee for Scientific Research.

REF covers economics and finance. In the field of economics the submitted papers should focus on particular topics, such as micro and macroeconomic policy, the theory of economics, development, growth, fluctuations in the economy or in various sectors, functioning of the markets, spatial economics. In the field of finance the papers should examine all phenomena related to the financial sphere of the economy, analyse the causes and effects of the flow of capital, identify motives and criteria for economic decisions. The research area of these papers may include: a) in terms of the subject matter: public finance, corporate finance, personal finance and households, financial institutions (including banks, insurance companies, investment fund companies and pension funds), international finance; b) in functional terms: investing (especially when the aim is to obtain financial income), raising capital, financial markets, financial policy, analysis and transfer of financial risk, redistribution of financial resources (e.g. through the tax system). All submitted papers are expected to formulate hypotheses and build models for the relationships between real and monetary variables in the economy, as well as to verify them using empirical tests.

Research Papers in Economics and Finance is indexed and distributed in: BazEkon Citations, CEJSH: The Central European Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, C.E.E.O.L.: Central and Eastern European Online Library GmbH, EBSCO Publishing Inc., ERIH Plus, Library of Science: ICM UW, Index Copernicus: ICI Journals Master List 2022: 89.44, Norwegian Register for Scientific Journals, Series and Publishers, PKP Index, The National Library Digital Repository.

Current Issue

Dear Readers, Welcome to the eighth volume, first issue of Research Papers in Economics and Finance. In this edition, we present a collection of articles that address significant economic and financial issues from various perspectives. The contributions in this issue are diverse, covering topics from fiscal policy and financial fraud to digitalisation and income inequality. Each paper offers valuable insights and contributes to the ongoing academic discourse in its respective field. Two papers in this issue of the journal are related to the VI scientific conference within the series entitled Institutions in Theory and Practice. The initiators of this series were three scientific centres, i.e. Poznań University of Economics and Business, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and Wroclaw University of Economics and Business. The conference meetings have become a place for the exchange of experience and cooperation among Polish institutionalists. The event presents the results of research in institutional economics and its relationship to other theories and economic practice. The scope of the event includes, among other things, the importance of institutions in economics and law, their role in economic development and the management of organisations, as well as methodological problems related to the study of institutions. (...)  (Piotr Lis).

Assessment of Poland’s fiscal position in the European Union in the face of crisis conditions

How institutions are related to agriculture systematic literature review, financial frauds throughout the years – literature review, financial performance and cash flow: evidence from the us banking industry, forecasting foreign exchange rate volatility using deep learning: case of us dollar/algerian dinar during the covid-19 pandemic, institutional differences and threats to international tourists from the perspective of new institutional economics, application of a single-equation sarima model for short-term conditional forecast (projection) of cpi price dynamics in poland, digitalisation and income inequality in central and eastern european countries, stock market return and merger and acquisition activity in poland.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE : Research Papers in Economics and Finance is an open access journal. The journal papers are freely available on the journal website.

INDEXING : Research Papers in Economics and Finance is indexed, abstracted and distributed in: BazEkon Citations, CEJSH: The Central European Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, C.E.E.O.L.: Central and Eastern European Online Library GmbH, EBSCO Publishing Inc., ERIH PLUS, Index Copernicus: ICI Journals Master List 2020: 92,68, Library of Science ICM UW, PKP Index,  The National Library Digital Repository.

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• Financial frauds throughout the years – literature review 140
• Assessment of Poland’s fiscal position in the European Union in the face of crisis conditions 81
• How institutions are related to agriculture? Systematic literature review 78
• Financial performance and cash flow: Evidence from the US banking industry 54
• The weak-form efficiency of cryptocurrencies 50

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250+ Finance Research Paper Topics & Ideas for Your Project

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Have you ever found yourself angling for the perfect finance topic, only to be caught in the net of confusion? Well, reel in your worries, because this blog is your golden fish! We've curated 250 distinct finance research topics tailored to any taste. 

Need a nudge in the right direction? Or maybe you're after a whole new financial perspective? Whatever it is, our research paper writing service has got you covered. Dive into this assortment of finance research paper topics and choose an idea that speaks to you.

What Are Finance Research Topics?

finance is all about how money works – how it's made, how it's managed, and how it's spent. It essentially oversees the process of allocating resources and assets over time. This domain is fundamental for the smooth functioning of economies, businesses, and personal lives.

With this in mind, financial research topics are the subjects that explore how finances are managed. These subjects can range from anything from figuring out how Bitcoin affects the stock market to examining how a country's economy recovers after a recession.

Features of Good Finance Research Paper Topics

Now that you understand what a finance domain is all about, let’s discuss what makes finance research paper topics worthwhile. Before you pick any topic, make sure it fills the boxes of these requirements:

• Contemporary relevance Your topic should be connected to current issues or trends in finance.
• Focused scope Your topic should be specific enough to allow a deep analysis. For example, rather than exploring "Global finance," you might examine "The impact of cryptocurrency on global finance."
• Data accessibility Ensure you can find enough information about your topic to base your research on.
• Fresh perspective There are many aspects that have already been covered by other scholars. Make sure your topic offers fresh insights or explores a matter from a new angle.
• Personal engagement If you're excited about your study, that's a good sign you've picked a winning topic.

How to Choose a Finance Research Paper Topic?

Choosing a finance research topic idea is like going on a treasure hunt. But don’t be afraid. Our online essay writer team has  shared guidelines to help you find that 'X' marks the spot!

• Explore possible directions Read articles, watch videos, listen to podcasts. As you search for topics, jot down interesting ideas that capture your attention.
• Prioritize your interests Reflect on what really interests you. You might be fascinated by investment strategies or passionate about sustainable finance.
• Uncover the gaps Look for questions that are yet unanswered or try to recognize unique angles.
• Check for information Now, you need to ensure you have enough equipment and credible sources to work with.
• Take a leap Once you've done all your groundwork, go ahead and pick a theme that resonates with your goals.

Now that you have a clue how to spot decent finance research topic ideas, let’s move one to the actual list of suggestions.

Finance Research Topics List

Get ready to navigate through our collection of finance research paper topic ideas! We've mapped out these suggestions to explore. Each of these topics can be further divided into subtopics for a more in-depth analysis.

• Cryptocurrency's impact on traditional banking.
• Sustainable investment practices and implications.
• Unveiling the role of artificial intelligence in market predictions.
• Microloans and their role in alleviating poverty.
• Behavioral finance: Understanding investor psychology.
• Making a case for teaching money management in schools.
• The rise of fintech startups: Disruption or evolution?
• Entering the era of digital wallets: What's next?
• Exploring the balance between profit and social responsibility in impact investing.
• Success of crowdfunding campaigns.
• Securing our online vaults: The importance of cybersecurity in banking.
• Strategies for recovery after an economic downturn.
• Central banks and their contribution to economic stability.
• Blockchain technology: A new era of transaction processing.
• Robo-advisors in investment management.

Interesting Finance Research Topics

Fasten your seatbelts, scholars! We're about to take off on another round of academic adventure with interesting finance topics. With these ideas at hand, you are sure to find a captivating topic for your financial project.

• How does pandemic affect the global economy?
• Cryptocurrency: A bubble or new standard?
• Influence of artificial intelligence on credit scoring systems.
• Evolution and significance of green bonds.
• Correlation between investor psychology and stock market volatility.
• Impact of educational initiatives on personal money management.
• Fintech startups and traditional banking: Rivals or collaborators?
• Mobile wallets: Balancing convenience and security.
• Is social responsibility becoming a decisive factor in investment choices?
• Success factors in crowdfunding campaigns.
• Prioritizing cybersecurity in the age of digital transactions.
• Strategic approaches to post-recession recovery.
• What role do central banks play in navigating economic turbulence?
• Applications of blockchain beyond cryptocurrency.
• Automated advisors and their impact on investment management.

Easy Finance Research Topics

Finance can be a tough nut to crack. But worry not, we've sifted through the complexities to bring you easy finance research papers topics. They'll help you find the right direction without overwhelming you. Are you ready to take the plunge?

• Understanding credit scores: What makes them rise and fall?
• Basics of personal budgeting.
• An overview of stock market investing.
• The rise and implications of mobile banking.
• Microloans and their impact on small businesses.
• Cryptocurrency: Hype or a game-changer?
• Retirement planning: A critical component of personal finance.
• What are financial regulations?
• A closer look at online payment systems.
• How does crowdfunding work?
• Ethics in finance.
• Emergency fund creation: Its significance in financial planning.
• Tax planning: Exploring strategies and impacts on personal wealth.
• Exploring e-commerce business models.
• Insurance policies and their role in financial risk management.

Great Finance Research Paper Topics

The finance world is a goldmine of great research avenues waiting to be explored. Below we've collected fantastic research topics in finance to inspire your work. Now, all you need to do is take your pick and start investigating.

• Exploring mergers and acquisitions in global corporations.
• Is venture capital a catalyst for startup success?
• Public fiscal policy across nations.
• Insider trading: Unethical advantage or strategic insight?
• Unpacking the intricacies of derivatives and risk management.
• How digital transformation is reshaping banking services.
• Harnessing mathematics for modeling in quantitative disciplines.
• Investigating corporate social responsibility in multinational institutions.
• Unraveling the role of AI in fraud prevention.
• Are microcredit initiatives a key to broader financial inclusion?
• Psychology that drives economic decisions.
• How do credit rating agencies influence market dynamics?
• Ripple effects of inflation on investment portfolios.
• What role does forensic accounting play in unveiling fraud?
• Balance between debt and equity in capital structuring.

Popular Finance Research Topics

Are you wondering what's trending in the world of finance? Consider these popular financial topics to write about and choose one for your project. Don't forget to check if your professor has additional guidelines before you get started! If you have unique requirements and want to obtain a top-quality work tailored to your needs, consider  buying research papers from our experts.

• Machine learning in credit risk modeling: A new frontier?
• Can businesses strike a balance between sustainability and profit?
• Peer-to-peer lending: Revolutionizing or destabilizing finance?
• Microfinancing in developing nations: An analysis of success factors.
• The growth of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing.
• Global economic impact of sovereign debt crises.
• How are trends in corporate governance shaping businesses?
• Impact of globalization on investment strategies.
• Examining the rise and implications of neobanks.
• Fiscal policy responses to climate change: A global overview.
• Role of behavioral biases in investment decision-making.
• Economic fallout of pandemics: A case study of COVID-19
• Evaluating the ethics of high-frequency trading.
• Internet of Things (IoT) and its implications for financial services.
• Impact of FinTech innovations on traditional banking.

Current Research Topics in Finance

Keeping pace with the latest trends is crucial in research, and finance is no exception. We've therefore rounded up current finance topics for a research paper, designed to resonate with the here and now.

• Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs): A new era in finance?
• Sustainable finance: Navigating the path to greener economies.
• Tech giants entering financial services: Disruption or evolution?
• Exploring the implications of Brexit on global trade and finance.
• Regulation of fintech in the era of digital currencies.
• Influence of geopolitical conflicts on global fiscal markets.
• Influence of political stability on stock market performance.
• Data privacy in financial market.
• Implications of quantum computing for financial cryptography.
• Ethical implications of AI in finance.
• Effects of trade wars on currency markets.
• COVID-19 and the shift towards a cashless society.
• Evaluating the stability of cryptocurrency markets.
• Impact of remote work trends on global economies.
• Leveraging big data for predictive analysis in finance.

>> Read more: Economics Research Paper Topics

Best Finance Research Topics

When it comes to research, not all topics are created equal. To bring out your best, we've curated a selection of the finest finance research topic list. These topics offer a blend of depth, relevance, and originality.

• Financial implications of demographic shifts in developed economies.
• Challenges of regulating emerging financial technologies.
• Big data and its transformative role in credit risk management.
• Comparative analysis of traditional banks and digital-only banks.
• The rise of ethical investing: Fad or future of finance?
• Financial resilience in the face of global crises.
• Space economy: Financial prospects and challenges.
• Financing strategies for small to medium enterprises in emerging markets.
• Impact of policy changes on financial planning strategies.
• Rise of smart contracts.
• Global economic impacts of aging populations.
• Assessing the financial viability of renewable energy projects.
• Influence of machine learning on investment portfolio management.
• The future of cash: An outdated concept or an enduring necessity?
• Financial implications of autonomous vehicles.

Unique Financial Research Topics

Originality is the currency of academic research, and in finance, it's no different. To help you make your mark, we've compiled a list of truly unique finance paper topics. These topics were selected for their potential to bring fresh perspectives.

• Finance in promoting circular economies.
• Emerging finance strategies for carbon capture and storage.
• Leveraging data analytics to predict market crashes.
• Role of financial regulation in preventing tech monopolies.
• Financing deep-sea exploration: Opportunities and challenges.
• How are finance and agri-tech interrelated?
• The cost of data breaches.
• How do artificial intelligence laws affect fintech?
• Exploring financial strategies for preserving biodiversity.
• Fiscal strategies for promoting urban farming.
• What role does financial policy play in addressing income inequality?
• Financial modeling in the age of quantum computing.
• Use of predictive analytics in insurance underwriting.
• Role of finance in achieving zero-waste economies.
• Financial dynamics of eSports.

Finance Research Topic Ideas for Presentation

Creating a lasting presentation can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve gathered some of the most interesting financial topics that you can use for your next classroom or workplace presentation.

• Tales of Wall Street: Lessons from the biggest fiscal scandals.
• Economic meltdowns: Causes and lessons learned.
• Gender disparity in wealth accumulation..
• Sustainability and finance: The role of green investments.
• Economic indicators: Predicting financial trends.
• Power of budgeting: Key to financial success.
• Venture capital's role in fostering innovation.
• Microfinance's impact on poverty reduction.
• Forensic accounting.
• Wealth disparity: Analyzing the growing economic divide.
• Inflation and interest: A balancing act.
• Pension crisis in different countries.
• Understanding financial derivatives: Beyond the basics.
• Implications of tax evasion: A global perspective.
• Impact of electronic payment systems on consumer behavior.

Finance Research Paper Topic Ideas for Students

Below we've handpicked a compilation of the best finance research paper topics perfect for budding scholars. To tailor to your academic level, we've meticulously sorted these themes, ensuring they resonate with your knowledge and challenge your critical thinking skills. Whether you're an undergraduate or a postgraduate seeking finance topics to write about, we've got you covered.

Finance Research Topics for College Students

College students majoring in finance should demonstrate solid critical analysis and problem-solving skills. Unlike high school, college provides a platform to delve deeper into complex issues and challenge existing theories. Finance projects for students in college should push beyond surface-level knowledge. With these requirements in mind, we've assembled a set of finance related research paper topics tailored to college students.

• Algorithmic trading: A boon or a bane?
• Financial literacy and student loan debt: Is there a connection?
• Does social media influence stock market trends?
• Effect of corporate scandals on stock prices.
• Role of financial planning in achieving life goals.
• Micro-financing in developing economies.
• Sustainable investing: A look into its effectiveness.
• Role of finance in promoting social entrepreneurship.
• Impact of fiscal policy changes on small businesses.
• Exploring the world of impact investing.
• Personal finance: Comparing self-taught vs. formally educated approaches.
• A comparative study of banking systems across the globe.
• Financial planning: Analysis of gender-specific approaches.
• Impact of economic sanctions on financial markets.
• The dynamics of stock market bubbles.

Finance Research Paper Topics for University Students

University students should exhibit a higher degree of critical thinking and research, as compared to college students. Projects conducted at university level should be ambitious and focused on making an impact in the field of finance. To support your endeavors, we've provided a list of financial research topics for university students.

• Financial management in non-profit organizations.
• How do cultural factors influence investment decisions?
• What significance does microfinancing have in women's empowerment?
• Financial aftermath of natural disasters.
• How do exchange rates affect the tourism industry?
• Financial implications of deepfake technology.
• Challenges and opportunities of financial decentralization.
• Dissecting the financial fallout of global pandemics.
• Strategies in the age of the sharing economy.
• A comparative analysis of Eastern and Western investment philosophies.
• Investigating the correlation between economic freedom and prosperity.
• Role of finance in curbing wildlife trafficking.
• Finance strategies to combat global water scarcity.
• Economic resilience: Lessons from small island nations.
• Analyzing fiscal challenges in the healthcare industry.

Finance Research Paper Topics for MBA

MBA students must showcase a deep understanding of finance principles and an aptitude for critical thinking. To ensure you stay ahead in the game, we've compiled a list of MBA finance topics for a paper to research.

• Role of finance in the transition to clean energy.
• Impact of intergenerational wealth transfer on the global economy.
• Fiscal planning in global corporations.
• Leadership and its impact on financial decision-making.
• Role of finance in driving corporate digital transformation.
• Venture capital investment strategies in emerging markets.
• Implications of corporate restructuring.
• Financial strategies for fostering corporate diversity and inclusion.
• The future of finance in a post-fossil fuel world.
• Risk management strategies in the era of FinTech disruption.
• Developing fiscal strategies for business resilience post-pandemic.
• How does extended reality (XR) impact the business world?
• Effective pension fund management.
• The use of blockchain technology in tracking funds and resources.
• How do venture capitalists assess start-up risks?

Finance Research Topics by Subject

Finance is a vast field with many branches under its umbrella. To make it easier to browse through these research topic ideas for finance, we've organized them according to subject matter. Take a look at the following themes and find a fitting idea!

International Finance Research Paper Topics

The monetary landscape is constantly expanding. To keep up with these changes, many universities are now offering majors in international finance. For those interested in exploring the field on a global scale, here are some relevant international finance research topics.

• Macroeconomic policies across different countries.
• What role does foreign direct investment play in global economies?
• Implications of capital flows on exchange rates.
• Impact of international monetary systems on global financial stability.
• Challenges and opportunities in cross-border investments.
• Trade deficits and their effect on financial markets.
• What is the role of financial institutions in global development?
• Effects of currency manipulation.
• Political and economic risks of investing abroad.
• What impact do tariffs have on international finance?
• Exploring the potential of Islamic Banking as an alternative system.
• International taxation systems.
• Financial education in promoting economic growth in developing countries.
• Trade agreements in facilitating economic integration.
• Foreign exchange risk management strategies.

Public Finance Research Topics

Public finance is a field of study that explores the use and redistribution of resources in the public sector. Below we prepared public finance topics to talk about.

• Public-private partnership in infrastructure development.
• Taxation policies for financial inclusion and reduced income inequality.
• Public debt and economic growth: Evidence from developing countries.
• Successful municipal bond issuance.
• Public finance reforms: Enhancing transparency and accountability.
• Public expenditure efficiency in achieving economic development goals.
• Government spending in education and long-term economic growth.
• Corruption's impact on public finance management.
• Fiscal austerity measures.
• Key factors influencing sovereign credit ratings.
• Budget deficits in developed countries.
• Comparing public and private pension systems.
• Alternative revenue sources for governments.
• The impact of international aid on developing countries.
• Charity tax incentives and their effect on donations.

Corporate Finance Research Topics

Corporate finance is an important area of study that covers a variety of topics related to corporate investments, financial management, and stock market analysis. If you are unsure where to begin, look through these research topics in corporate finance.

• Ethical investing's impact on company monetary strategies.
• Fiscal management in achieving gender pay equality in firms.
• Assessing 'greenwashing' in corporations from a monetary perspective.
• Tax policy implications on business fiscal decisions.
• Optimizing financial resources in multidivisional organizations.
• Investment in cybersecurity: An essential aspect of business economics.
• Transparency in corporate fiscal activities in the digital age.
• Economic recessions and counteracting business monetary strategies.
• How automation and AI transform company monetary management?
• Corporate social responsibility's influence on fiscal strategies.
• Short-term versus long-term financial planning in businesses.
• Effects of international trade agreements on company monetary policies.
• Mitigating supply chain risks through smart fiscal management.
• Implications of corporate rebranding.
• Inflation's effects on budgeting and forecasting in corporations.

Business Finance Research Topics

Business finance is a field of study that examines the allocation of capital within an organization. This subject involves understanding all aspects of financial management, from budgeting to risk assessment. Here are some business finance research topics you can explore.

• Assessing financial health of startups: Metrics that matter.
• Role of venture capitalists in boosting business growth.
• Challenges of monetary management in family-owned businesses.
• How effective is crowdfunding for startup financing?
• Strategies for risk mitigation in retail business.
• Artificial intelligence in business budgeting and forecasting.
• Credit management in small to medium enterprises (SMEs).
• Profitability analysis in manufacturing businesses.
• Fiscal planning in business expansion.
• Effects of global economic changes on business budget management.
• Influence of e-commerce on financial strategies of retail businesses.
• Corporate governance: A comparative analysis.
• Private equity investment strategies.
• Shareholder activism in today’s markets.
• Portfolio management strategies for institutional investors.

>> Read more: Business Research Paper Topics

Personal Finance Research Topics

Personal finance focuses on understanding and managing your money to achieve financial security. Research in this area covers a wide array of aspects, from budgeting and saving to investment decisions and retirement planning. Here are some ideas for personal finance research topics:

• Psychology of spending: Are we programmed to save or spend?
• Retirement planning: How early is too early?
• Impact of financial education on money management habits.
• Role of technology in individual budgeting and saving.
• Is debt an inevitable part of our life?
• Investing for the future: Stocks vs real estate.
• Healthcare costs and their impact on individual economic stability.
• Millennials and money.
• How does inflation impact our day-to-day budgeting?
• Role of emergency funds in financial security.
• Economic recessions on retirement planning.
• Estate planning and wealth transfer.
• Credit scores: Their significance in personal economic health.
• Role of government policies in shaping individual investment strategies.
• Balancing personal spending and saving.

Healthcare Finance Research Paper Topics

Healthcare finance is a specialized field of study that focuses on the financial management of healthcare organizations. It requires an understanding of both financial and healthcare-specific topics, such as reimbursement policies, budgeting and forecasting models, and population health management. Here are some research paper topics related to healthcare finance.

• Budgeting challenges in public health institutions.
• Role of telehealth in reducing healthcare costs.
• Financing strategies for rare diseases treatments.
• Impact of the aging population on healthcare expenditures.
• Population health management and its monetary burdens.
• Impact of COVID-19 on the financial stability of healthcare systems.
• Value-based care: Monetary rewards or challenges?
• Analyzing the costs of electronic health records implementation.
• Cost-effectiveness of preventive care: An exploration.
• Reimbursement policies and their effect on medical practices.
• Influence of pharmaceutical pricing on healthcare costs.
• Out-of-pocket costs: Barrier to healthcare access?
• Role of financial management in healthcare mergers and acquisitions.
• Medical bankruptcy: An unspoken reality?
• Forecasting models for healthcare expenditures: A comparative study.

>> View more: Health Research Topics

Bottom Line on Finance Research Papers Topics

Hopefully, this list of finance research paper topics has given you some great ideas for your next project. Remember, the best way to make sure you write a good finance paper is to start with an interesting and informative topic. If you need any help with the writing process, don’t hesitate to contact our college paper writers .

Let our skilled team take care of your project! We guarantee high-quality papers delivered right on time, giving you peace of mind and extra time to focus on your other responsibilities. Say ‘ write my term pape r’ and have your project handled by an expert.

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Global Hegemony and Exorbitant Privilege

We present a dynamic two-country model in which military spending, geopolitical risk, and government bond prices are jointly determined. The model is consistent with three empirical facts: hegemons have a funding advantage, this advantage rises with geopolitical tensions, and war losers suffer from higher debt devaluation than victors. Even though higher debt capacity increases the military and financial advantage of the exogenously stronger country, it also gives rise to equilibrium multiplicity and the possibility that the weaker country overwhelms the stronger country with support from financial markets. For intermediate debt capacity, transitional dynamics exhibit geopolitical hysteresis, with dominance determined by initial conditions, unless war is realized and induces a hegemonic transition. For high debt capacity, transitional dynamics exhibit geopolitical fragility, where bond market expectations drive unpredictable transitions in dominance, and hegemonic transitions occur even in the absence of war.

• Carolin Pflueger

50+ Best Finance Dissertation Topics For Research Students

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Finance Dissertation Made Easier!

Embarking on your dissertation adventure? Look no further! Choosing the right finance dissertation topics is like laying the foundation for your research journey in finance, and we're here to light up your path. In this article, we will be diving deep into why dissertation topics in finance matter so much. We've got some golden writing tips to share with you! We're also unveiling the secret recipe for structuring a stellar finance dissertation and exploring intriguing topics across various finance sub-fields. Our buffet of finance dissertation topics will surely set your research spirit on fire!

What is a Finance Dissertation?

Finance dissertations are academic papers that delve into specific finance topics chosen by students, covering areas such as stock markets, banking, risk management, and healthcare finance. These dissertations require extensive research to create a compelling report and contribute to the student's confidence and satisfaction in the field of finance. Now, let's understand why these dissertations are so important and why choosing the right finance dissertation topics is crucial!

Why are Finance Dissertation Topics Important?

Choosing the dissertation topics for finance students is essential as it will influence the course of your research. It determines the direction and scope of your study. You must make sure that the finance dissertation topics you choose are relevant to your field of interest. Here are a few reasons why finance thesis topics are important:

1. Relevance

Opting for relevant finance thesis topics ensures that your research contributes to the existing body of knowledge and addresses contemporary issues in finance. Choosing a dissertation topic relevant to the industry can make a meaningful impact and advance understanding in your chosen area.

2. Personal Interest

Selecting finance dissertation topics that align with your interests and career goals is vital. When genuinely passionate about your research area, you are more likely to stay motivated during the dissertation process. Your interest will drive you to explore the subject thoroughly and produce high-quality work.

3. Future Opportunities

Well-chosen finance dissertation topics can open doors to various future opportunities. They can enhance your employability by showcasing your expertise in a specific finance area. They may also lead to potential research collaborations and invitations to conferences in your field of interest.

4. Academic Supervision

Your choice of topics for dissertation in finance also influences the availability of academic supervisors with expertise in your chosen area. Selecting a well-defined research area increases the likelihood of finding a supervisor to guide you effectively throughout the dissertation. Their knowledge and guidance will greatly contribute to the success of your research.

Writing Tips for Finance Dissertation

Writing a dissertation requires a lot of planning, formatting, and structuring. It starts with deciding on topics for a dissertation in finance, conducting tons of research, deciding on methods, and so on. Below are some tips to assist you along the way, and here is a blog on the 10 tips on writing a dissertation that can give you more information, should you need it!

1. Select a Manageable Topic

It is important to choose finance research topics within the given timeframe and resources. Select a research area that interests you and aligns with your career goals. This will help you stay inspired throughout the dissertation process.

2. Conduct a Thorough Literature Review

A comprehensive literature review forms the backbone of your research. After choosing the finance dissertation topics, dive deep into academic papers, books, and industry reports. Gain a solid understanding of your chosen area to identify research gaps and establish the significance of your study.

3. Define Clear Research Objectives

Clearly define your dissertation's research questions and objectives. It will provide a clear direction for your research and guide your data collection, analysis, and overall structure. Ensure your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

4. Collect and Analyse Data

Depending on your research methodology and your finance dissertation topics, collect and analyse relevant data to support your findings. It may involve conducting surveys, interviews, experiments, and analysing existing datasets. Choose appropriate statistical techniques and qualitative methods to derive meaningful insights from your data.

5. Structure and Organization

Pay attention to the structure and organisation of your dissertation. Follow a logical progression of chapters and sections, ensuring that each chapter contributes to the overall coherence of your study. Use headings, subheadings, and clear signposts to guide the reader through your work.

6. Proofread and Edit

Once you have completed the writing process, take the time to proofread and edit your dissertation carefully. Check for clarity, coherence, and proper grammar. Ensure that your arguments are well-supported, and eliminate any inconsistencies or repetitions. Pay attention to formatting, citation styles, and consistency in referencing throughout your dissertation.

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Finance Dissertation Topics

Now that you know what a finance dissertation is and why they are important, it's time to have a look at some of the best finance dissertation topics. For your convenience, we have segregated these topics into categories, including cryptocurrency, risk management, internet banking, and so many more. So, let's dive right in and explore the best finance dissertation topics:

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Cryptocurrency

1. The Impact of Regulatory Frameworks on the Volatility and Liquidity of Cryptocurrencies.

2. Exploring the Factors Influencing Cryptocurrency Adoption: A Comparative Study.

3. Assessing the Efficiency and Market Integration of Cryptocurrency Exchanges.

4. An Analysis of the Relationship between Cryptocurrency Prices and Macroeconomic Factors.

5. The Role of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) in Financing Startups: Opportunities and Challenges.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Risk Management

1. The Effectiveness of Different Risk Management Strategies in Mitigating Financial Risks in Banking Institutions.

2. The Role of Derivatives in Hedging Financial Risks: A Comparative Study.

3. Analysing the Impact of Risk Management Practices on Firm Performance: A Case Study of a Specific Industry.

4. The Use of Stress Testing in Evaluating Systemic Risk: Lessons from the Global Financial Crisis.

5. Assessing the Relationship between Corporate Governance and Risk Management in Financial Institutions.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Internet Banking

1. Customer Adoption of Internet Banking: An Empirical Study on Factors Influencing Usage.

Enhancing Security in Internet Banking: Exploring Biometric Authentication Technologies.

2. The Impact of Mobile Banking Applications on Customer Engagement and Satisfaction.

3. Evaluating the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Internet Banking Services in Emerging Markets.

4. The Role of Social Media in Shaping Customer Perception and Adoption of Internet Banking.

5. Fraud and Identity Theft are Accomplished via Internet Banking.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Microfinance

1. The Impact of Microfinance on Poverty Alleviation: A Comparative Study of Different Models.

2. Exploring the Role of Microfinance in Empowering Women Entrepreneurs.

3. Assessing the Financial Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions in Developing Countries.

4. The Effectiveness of Microfinance in Promoting Rural Development: Evidence from a Specific Region.

5. Analysing the Relationship between Microfinance and Entrepreneurial Success: A Longitudinal Study.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Retail and Commercial Banking

1. The Impact of Digital Transformation on Retail and Commercial Banking: A Case Study of a Specific Bank.

2. Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Retail Banking: An Analysis of Service Quality Dimensions.

3. Analysing the Relationship between Bank Branch Expansion and Financial Performance.

4. The Role of Fintech Startups in Disrupting Retail and Commercial Banking: Opportunities and Challenges.

5. Assessing the Impact of Mergers and Acquisitions on the Performance of Retail and Commercial Banks.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Alternative Investment

1. The Performance and Risk Characteristics of Hedge Funds: A Comparative Analysis.

2. Exploring the Role of Private Equity in Financing and Growing Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

3. Analysing the Relationship between Real Estate Investments and Portfolio Diversification.

4. The Potential of Impact Investing: Evaluating the Social and Financial Returns.

5. Assessing the Risk-Return Tradeoff in Cryptocurrency Investments: A Comparative Study.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to International Affairs

1. The Impact of Exchange Rate Volatility on International Trade: A Case Study of a Specific Industry.

2. Analysing the Effectiveness of Capital Controls in Managing Financial Crises: Comparative Study of Different Countries.

3. The Role of International Financial Institutions in Promoting Economic Development in Developing Countries.

4. Evaluating the Implications of Trade Wars on Global Financial Markets.

5. Assessing the Role of Central Banks in Managing Financial Stability in a Globalised Economy.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Sustainable Finance

1. The Impact of Sustainable Investing on Financial Performance.

2. The Role of Green Bonds in Financing Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation.

3. The Development of Carbon Markets.

4. The Use of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Factors in Investment Decision-Making.

5. The Challenges and Opportunities of Sustainable Finance in Emerging Markets.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Investment Banking

1. The Valuation of Distressed Assets.

2. The Pricing of Derivatives.

3. The Risk Management of Financial Institutions.

4. The Regulation of Investment Banks.

5. The Impact of Technology on the Investment Banking Industry.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Actuarial Science

1. The Development of New Actuarial Models for Pricing Insurance Products.

2. The Use of Big Data in Actuarial Analysis.

3. The Impact of Climate Change on Insurance Risk.

4. The Design of Pension Plans That Are Sustainable in the Long Term.

5. The Use of Actuarial Science to Manage Risk in Other Industries, Such as Healthcare and Finance.

Dissertation topics in Finance related to Corporate Finance

1. Study the Relations Between Corporate Governance Structures and Financial Performance

2. Testing the Effects of Capital Structure on Firm Performance Across Different Industries

3. Effectiveness of Financial Management Practices in Emerging Markets

4. Integrating Sustainability and CSR Initiatives Impacts a Corporation’s Financial Performance and Enhances its Brand Reputation.

5. A Comparative Study of the Financing Strategies Employed in Mergers and Acquisitions.

Tips To Find Good Finance Dissertation Topics 

Embarking on a dissertation report on finance topics journey requires careful consideration of various factors. Your choice of topic in finance research topics is pivotal, as it sets the stage for the entire research process. We suggest the following tips that can help you pick the perfect dissertation topic:

1. Identify your interests and strengths 

2. Check for current relevance

3. Feedback from your superiors

4. Finalise the research methods

5. Gather the data

6. Work on the outline of your dissertation

7. Make a draft and proofread it

Lastly, we have discussed the importance of finance thesis topics and provided valuable writing tips and tips for finding the right topic. We have also presented a list of thesis topics for finance students within various subfields. With this, we hope you have great ideas for finance dissertations. Good luck with your finance research journey!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i choose a dissertation topic in finance, what is the best topic for a thesis in finance, where can i find a dissertation topic in finance, what is the recommended length for a finance dissertation, how do you write a dissertation in finance.

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• v.4(12); 2018 Dec

Topics and methods in economics, finance, and business journals: A content analysis enquiry ☆

Jorge camargo.

a School of Mathematics and Engineering, Konrad Lorenz University, Bogotá, Colombia

Maximiliano González

b School of Management, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia

Alexander Guzmán

c CESA School of Business, Bogotá, Colombia

Enrique ter Horst

María–andrea trujillo.

This study analyzes the abstracts and titles of 33,454 business finance, economics, management, and business articles published in ISI (frequently cited) journals during 2013–14. The sample represents 46.4 percent of all papers published in ISI journals in those years, and 52.7 percent of the articles published in the selected categories. The journals were ranked in four Q categories according to their impact factors. The analysis revealed that some topics persisted in all Q groups, but others gained frequency by Q, which suggests that Q1 journals (those with higher impact factors) create trends that are followed by other publications. All Q groups have a methodological approach that is predominantly empirical rather than theoretical. In addition, while the business and management categories privileged case studies, economics studies emphasized panel data analyses. Finally, our study confirms the relevance of the English language in academia.

1. Introduction

All over the world, researchers are facing increasing pressure to “publish or perish”, and their preferences in terms of what to publish and where are weighed against the interests and trends of the academic editorial market. It has long been reported that journal editors influence the dissemination of certain ideas and trend topics (e.g., Hamelman and Mazze, 1974 ; Silverman, 1984 ; Chan et al., 2005 ; Bradbury, 2012 ). Our study shows how recent technological developments could help researchers undertake projects in their fields' preferred subjects of interest. This is important because the proliferation of academic journals hinders researchers' ability to choose the most appropriate place for their work. Moreover, in many institutions, tenure and promotion committees have trouble assessing a professor's academic contribution when analyzing his or her research output ( Weston, 1994 ).

While there are thousands of journals in all academic areas, the competition to be published in the leading ones remains as fierce as ever. Acceptance rates below 5 percent are common in top journals. Danielson and Heck (2010) demonstrated that, in a set of 15 high-impact accounting journals, a relatively small number of authors have published a disproportionate share of the articles. Using data for Ph.D. holders from over 25 years, Zivney and Bertin (1992) determined that less than 5 percent of the sample had published just one article per annum in finance, accounting, economics, and business.

Diamond (1986) , Gomez-Mejia and Balkin (1992) , Moore et al. (1998) , Leahey (2007) and Hamermesh (2018) demonstrated the economic impact of citations for scholars; the better the outlet where they publish, the higher the number of expected citations. Even though the citation data can be biased ( Haddad et al., 2014 ), they are still the main way to capture the influence and value of a research piece. Studies have long reported the link between publication rates and promotion and academic mobility ( Skeels and Fairbanks, 1968 ; Kenny and Studley, 1995 ; Sabatier et al., 2006 ; Zeng et al., 2017 ). Swidler and Goldreyer (1998) went even further and calculated that the present value of an article in a top finance journal ranged between $19,493 and $33,754, with additional returns for subsequent publications.

Given the small odds of publishing in top journals in any field, Danielson and Heck (2014) suggest gaining a better understanding of the “next-best” journals so that both novice and established authors may make more informed decisions about where to submit their academic manuscripts. Through these and other findings ( Borokhovich et al., 1995 , 1998 , 2000 ), researchers may become aware of prevailing and emerging topics in the literature and align their research agenda accordingly. Following Faria (2003) , assistant professors applying for tenure could balance their publication portfolios toward maximizing the number of papers published (influence), while tenured faculty may gear their publication effort toward the relevance of their papers (profusion).

There has been a rapid growth of bibliometric studies in areas such as medicine ( Xianliang and Hongying, 2012 ), big data analysis ( Akoka et al., 2017 ), environmental impact ( Geng et al., 2017 ), engineering ( Franceschini and Maisano, 2010 ), software engineering ( Garousi and Mantyla, 2016 ), and groundwater research ( Niu et al., 2014 ), among many other fields. Within a wider topic-review framework, Chen et al. (2016) applied co-word analysis on projects of China's National Natural Science Foundation, revealing “hot” topics such as game theory, supply chain management, and data mining. These studies use different methods to perform the analysis, such as counting key words frequency and publications, aggregating the h index of authors or the journal papers, or elaborating a systematic mapping of existence research. In this paper, we are not just counting or aggregating existing information. A simple word count for each category under analysis assumes independence among the different categories a priori. Instead, and as we explain in the methodology section, we calculate probabilities that are further modeled in a hierarchical manner that allows borrowing information from each category in order to have dependence among the four different categories (in our study, impact factor categories: Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4).

All in all, progress in what is called the “science of science” and a better understanding of the scientific output of any field will significantly affect promotion, tenure and recruitment decisions in academia, as well as the allocation of resources to high-impact research ( Zeng et al., 2017 ). Although there is general agreement that the key factor in publication is contributing something new and interesting to the literature, it is also true that finding an appropriate outlet is not the easy task that young researchers often take for granted.

This study reveals topics and methodological aspects in the finance, economics, management, and business literature during 2013–14. We analyzed the abstracts and titles of 33,454 papers published in 395 ISI journals under four categories: business (68 journals), business finance (61 journals), management (98 journals), and economics (168 journals). Our study reveals that some of the most frequent topics are present in all the Q groups (journal impact factors), but other topics gain frequency by Q groups.

Although we recognize that a trend represents a long-term phenomenon, our results suggest that Q1 journals attract researchers' attention and create trends that are followed by Q2, Q3, and Q4 publications. Moreover, all Q groups feature topics that also appear frequently in media and other outlets (e.g., financial crisis in finance and economics outlets; job satisfaction in business and management). This helps researchers keep abreast of issues in their disciplines and fosters dialogue between scholars and practitioners. As for methodology, our analysis found more empirical than theoretical studies in business and finance in all Q groups. Case studies predominate in business and management, but not in finance and economics. The latter features panel data analysis. As expected, most papers were published in English, confirmation of the relevance of this language in academia.

Even though our inquiry focused on four areas and a particular time period, it could be replicated in other fields and for any time horizon. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows: first, we present a review of the literature regarding the publication process; we then explain our research methodology and subsequently report and discuss our results. We close with some conclusions.

2. Background

Why is it so difficult to publish in academic journals? The main reason of course could well be not finding interesting and novel questions to work on. However, other factors might also intervene, such as not being able to find the best outlet for a research piece. Through an opinion survey and content analysis, Bradbury (2012) explored the editorial policies of top accounting and finance journals. He analyzed 66 reviews of 33 manuscripts submitted to the journals and concluded that many papers were submitted prematurely to the wrong journals and were lacking a proper flow of ideas and contributions. Indeed, an important part of the research process is choosing the correct journal, and “selling” the contribution in appropriate ways.

Macdonald and Kam (2007) have argued that the pressure to publish has changed the “unit of measurement” of the quality of a paper in terms of, not what to publish in terms of contribution to knowledge but where is publish. Flagg et al. (2011) find that Ph.D. candidates outside the top ranked universities can signal their future research productivity by publishing or having revisions in top-tier journals while still enrolled in the Ph.D. program. Therefore, getting published or having research projects of interest to the academic editorial markets is of high importance even in the very first steps of an academic career. Even as far back as in Hamelman and Mazze (1974) , there is a general call to make sense of the huge number of scientific publications in terms of the quality and utility. Back then, the main approach was to ask experts in each field to provide a “score” about the merit of a set of journals. Later, researchers used citation indexes to rank journals, and measure the concentration of citations across journals and across disciplines.

Journal editors play an important role in the scientific community as moderators of the scientific “conversation” among scholars. They decide which papers and related topics get published and which do not. Therefore, it is crucial that young researchers be aware of the types of conversations going on in their fields ( Silverman, 1984 ) so that they may balance their interests with those of their peers.

The publication outlet is not only relevant for researchers but also for higher education institutions. For example, Manning and Barrette (2005) state that business schools' accreditation agencies, such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and EQUIS, use measurements of research quality in their accreditation processes. Consequently, some business schools have implemented bonuses and other incentives to push not only the quantity but also the quality of the research output of their faculty, where traditional measures about the research quality is the journal ranking ( Theoharakis and Hirst, 2002 ).

The scientific analysis of journals' impact has become a discipline in itself (the science of science) and researchers have developed methods to address the importance of papers and journals. For example, Everett and Pecotich (1991) modeled the importance, similarity, and influence of journals using Poisson and Loglinear models to generate a “map” of journals' relative characteristics and configurations. In addition, Tahai and Rigsby (1998) study the “durability” journals analyzing the patterns of citations through the years and using this information to rank journals.

Currie and Pandher (2011) divide the methods to classify journals quality into two groups: the publication citation-based and the peer assessment methods. The Active Scholar Assessment (ASA) methods they proposed ask scholar to provide relative rankings as an endogenous function of perception of quality and awareness for each journal. They also compare their journal ranking with other sources (e.g., the ISI Citation Report) and found a more monotone and less steep descent in both quality and importance after the top ranked journals.

Baden-Fuller et al. (2000) point out a circularity issue when trying to define what a “quality journal” is. For instance, scholars from top universities publish their research in “top” journals, but the classification of “top” universities usually relays where they publish their work. In the same vein, Johnson and Podsakoff (1994) , argue that of course high quality papers appear in high quality journals, but they are considered high quality papers because they were published in high quality journals.

The evaluation of academic productivity in terms of publication is the main driving force to hiring, promoting and compensating academics. Faria (2003) posits a method to classify economists into two groups: those who seek quality (influence) and those whose aim is quantity (profusion). The quality factor was measured by the number of citations, the quantity factor by the number of publications. Given the difficulty and ever-increasing competition in the publication market, researchers tend to diversify their research portfolio. In Faria (2005) the same issue is tackled, but the economists are deciding whether to publish in international or national journals. In the theoretical models of these papers, the best strategy is to find a balance between quality and quantity, and national versus international journals.

In the case of finance, given the diversity of this research field, there is no consensus on how to measure journal quality. Oltheten et al. (2005) analyze 862 survey responses by finance academics worldwide and find no major variations regarding perceptions of the top four finance journals. However, using a probit model specification, these authors find that journal quality perceptions for journals other than the top four exhibit significant differences across geographical regions, research interests, level of seniority, and journal affiliation. These findings demonstrate that it is not an easy task to select research outputs outside of the very top journals.

Borokhovich et al. (1998) report that high-quality finance journals favor certain areas or topics, and young researchers' awareness of these highly influences their tenure achievement. In this vein, the authors found that articles about corporate finance were more likely to be published in better-quality journals than papers on financial institutions. Borokhovich et al. (2000) reached similar conclusions when they ranked the quality of papers by using the SSCI's (Social Sciences Citation Index) impact factors. Papers citing other papers outside the finance field exhibited higher impact factors than those which did not.

Also in the area of finance, but applicable to other fields, Armstrong and Sperry (1994) found a strong link between the ranking of business schools and the quality of their financial research in terms of citations and journal status. Moreover, in their analysis of journal-quality measures, Borokhovich et al. (1995) observed that 20 percent of the institutions accounted for more than 76 percent of the total influence in terms of citations. Although there is theoretical and empirical evidence of the differences in the quantity and quality of research outputs by discipline ( Swanson, 2004 ), the above-mentioned finding could be extrapolated to researchers and research teams that promote given topics not only in finance but in economics and business as well ( Zeng et al., 2017 ). In addition, tools such as the Hirsch spectrum are recently being used to assess the academic quality and reputation of journals, authors, and papers ( Franceschini and Maisano, 2010 ). According to Franceschini and Maisano, their paper “introduces the Hirsch spectrum (h-spectrum) for analyzing the academic reputation of a scientific journal. h-Spectrum is a novel tool based on the Hirsch (h) index. It is easy to construct: considering a specific journal in a specific interval of time, h-spectrum is defined as the distribution representing the h-indexes associated with the authors of the journal articles. This tool allows defining a reference profile of the typical author of a journal, comparison of different journals within the same scientific field, and a rough indication of prestige/reputation of a journal in the scientific community. h-Spectrum can be associated to every journal” ( 2010 , pg. 66).

In terms of citational analysis, many fields have listed the most influential journals and authors. In finance, Alexander and Mabry (1994) produce a list of the fifty most influential articles and authors, and identify topical trends in the finance research agenda. The citational analysis is also important to study the influence of certain disciplines on others. For example, Chandy and Williams (1994) show that management, economics, marketing, and finance disciplines had great influence in the international business disciplines. These analyses can be extended even further to show how individual scholars can influence a research agenda in a given field.

Related discussions also emerge in the management and business studies field. For example, Pierce and Garven (1995) argue that the proliferation of research outputs leads business researchers to deal with the necessity to develop a publishing strategy to achieve an appropriate and timely publication of their papers. Moreover, these authors argue that a low acceptance rate can be seen as a signal of journal quality. In addition, according to Macdonald and Kam (2007) , management departments usually create a list of “quality” journals. However, these lists are created using as a benchmark other lists from other management departments, resulting in an endogenous relationship between the journal list and the quality of the journal: are the lists composed of “quality” journals, or is a journal of high “quality” because is on the list? And yet, these lists allow researchers, especially young researchers from lower-rated institutions, to make informed decisions when deciding where to submit their work ( Geary et al., 2004 ).

According to Manning and Barrette (2005) the lists of ranked journals developed by prestigious business schools are followed by others. However, in business schools, due to the inherent diversity in research subjects and methods, there is no generally accepted ranking of journals to measure research quality. Moreover, the diversity present in business and management fields are not restricted to topics and research interest. There is also great diversity in terms of languages, cultures, countries, and, more importantly, research methodologies. For example, management fields use survey-based research more than in the finance field ( Baker and Mukherjee, 2007 ).

Another empirical regularity observed in the discussion of the quantity and quality of research output in the management field is the concentration of articles from universities and individuals. As stated in Swanson et al. (2007) higher concentration occurs when journals acquire goods, in this case research articles, from fewer suppliers, which in this case are universities and individual researchers. Using the Herfindahl-Hirschman indices, Swanson finds that privately sponsored journals are more concentrated by school than association-sponsored journals. For the case of the main 14 business journals, 10 association-sponsor journals are less concentrated than any of the four privately sponsored journal. Much of the higher concentration in the privately sponsored journals arises from faculty members at private schools publishing a high proportion of the journal articles. These findings are important because in business areas the high concentration found could imply that faculty at many schools find it very difficult to produce a research output comparable to their peers in other disciplines.

For those researchers who are not part of editorial boards, it is even more difficult to find an appropriate outlet for their research. For example, Chan et al. (2005) rank schools with an international business orientation using as a predictor the presence of faculty on the editorial boards of the leading international business journals. Among their findings, the top institutions share characteristics such as faculty getting published in top ranked journals.

Regarding trend topics in the literature, Danielson and Heck (2014) showed that authors in the highest productivity percentile were most likely to publish their latest articles in journals that had recently raised their impact factors. In the case of finance and business finance, they found that top academics were publishing in relatively new journals, such as Financial Management and the Financial Analysts Journal , and in new specialized publications such as the Journal of Financial Markets , the Journal of Corporate Finance , and the Journal of Financial Intermediation .

Literature reviews are another method widely used in the academic community to identify possible trends and areas for new contributions. For example, Lu (2003) reviews the strategic management literature and highlight areas in which key contributions are made and, more importantly, where new research questions could be pushed forward. Lu also identify the main institutions and researchers and examines the diversity of contributions in management research.

Some authors ( Griffith et al., 2008 ) use Delphi study (panel of experts) to determine the future research agenda in the field of international business. With this methodology, experts in the field respond to the main problems to be addressed and the most important empirical regularities to be explained. This in part could move the field to address specific topics and create research trends.

Bibliometric studies represent another methodology that has been used to target the most prolific and influential articles, authors and trends. For example, Pasadeos et al. (1999) used this process to find the most important authors and most cited papers in the public relations scholarly literature. Moreover, with this method they can also identify and measure paradigms and topical diversity. Bibliometric studies can also be of interest to find how certain areas of knowledge are organized around topics and paradigms ( Vieira and Teixeira, 2010 ). Badua et al. (2011) use bibliometric analysis to describe the evolution in terms of content in the field of accounting. Using this methodology, they were able to understand better the evolution of content and context of this literature. Issa (2016) uses bibliometric studies together with semi-structured interviews with editors, editorial boards, and selected authors to show that research in economics, finance, and entrepreneurship has an important influence on the published research for emerging economies, finding a small percentage of papers tackling theoretical issues and many having a quantitative approach. Overall, new technological developments, such as the one we present in this paper, could be of help for scholars in developing a publication strategy in the publish and perish environment.

3. Methodology

3.1. data collection.

We developed a set of Python scripts to build the data set through a crawling process. Some journals offer an API (Application Programming Interface) which allows downloading of metadata related to each paper from the publishers' web sites. These APIs offer various search services using key words, time spans, and other fields, through certain filters. However, since not all journals provide APIs, we had to build specific scripts to download the information for those lacking APIs.

We run our Python scripts in a Linux virtual machine provided by Amazon Web Services (cloud platform). The Linux machine had 32GB of RAM, 2 virtual cores, and 30GB of solid-state disk (SSD).

3.2. Data set

We defined as the unit of analysis 72,129 abstracts and article titles that represent the universe of all papers published during 2013–14 in ISI journals. The four different categories covered business (120 journals), business finance (94 journals), management (192 journals), and economics (344 journals). However, because of the API restrictions mentioned above, it was impossible to collect this full corpus.

Using the crawling process, we collected 33,454 abstracts and titles, or approximately 46.4 percent of the full target data set. Table 1 shows the distribution and coverage of sample journals by category; Table 2 shows the distribution of the sample papers by publisher; and Table 3 shows the distribution of sample papers by category.

Distribution and coverage of sample journals by category.

Distribution of sample papers by publisher.

Distribution of sample papers by category.

We structured all the abstracts and titles as a corpus in a single text document, removing special characters such as HTML tags, punctuation marks, and mentions. These elements were tokenized in English bigrams (the most frequent two-word combinations). Then, we built a “bigram matrix” equivalent to a “term-document matrix,” where each abstract for a given journal category (business, economics, business finance, and management) was considered a “document.” The entries in each cell of this matrix corresponded to the presence/absence of each specific bigram in each journal abstract.

The journals were ranked in quartiles that reflected the statistical distribution of their impact factors. We then applied the Multinomial Inverse Regression (MNIR) method, described by Taddy (2013) , modeling the journal impact factors corresponding to the abstracts. As Taddy mentions, the journal impact factor is a variable that proxies importance, and therefore it is directly linked to the abstract's content.

Content analysis is not new. It has been widely explored methodologically, employing regressions, support vector machines, and neural networks ( Pang and Lee, 2008 ) in various disciplinary contexts, including the tracing of ideology in political texts ( Yu et al., 2008 ), or of negative/positive nuances in economics and finance ( Tetlock, 2007 ; Loughran and McDonald, 2011 ). For additional details on the MNIR method, and its R package, and for insight on related methodological drawbacks, see Taddy (2013) .

3.3. Analysis procedure: a Bayesian approach

Jurafsky and Martin (2008) analyze each document (abstract or title) as an exchangeable set of tokens (uni-grams or, more generally, n-grams). When dealing with text corpora, tokens can be understood as regular stemmed words. For example, the words “taxation”, “taxes”, and “taxing” all become “tax”. For consistency, we use the same notation as in Taddy (2013) , where the vector x i = ( x i 1 , … , x i p ) ' is the vector of counts of the p possible tokens, or in our case of the bigrams. We define the empirical frequencies f i = x i / m i where m i = ∑ j = 1 p x i j . Each of the possible n documents (33,454 abstracts or titles) will be related to a content variable y i which can be ordered into discrete increasing categories. Modeling the conditional distribution of y i | x i can be computationally prohibitive. The approach in Taddy (2013) allows the collapse of token counts as x y = ∑ i : y i = y x i for every content category y ∈ Y . The basic multinomial inverse regression (MNIR) can then be written as in Taddy (2013) :

where x y is a p-dimensional multinomial distribution with size parameter vector m y = ∑ i : y i = y m i and probabilities q y = [ q y 1 , … , q y p ] ' . The Sufficient Reduction Score z i defined by Taddy (2013) is computed as z i = ψ f i . Intuitively the text sentiment variable z i gives the “average” factor loading contribution of document i .

Therefore, the text content score reduction variable z i is computed as the inner product between the multinomial inverse regression factor loadings ψ = ( ψ 1 , … , ψ p ) ' from each token (or n-gram counts) and the empirical frequencies f i from the token counts ( Taddy, 2013 ). This reduction score is similar in philosophy to Altman's z score, which gives a quantification of a company's credit quality that results in a credit rating or scoring ( Altman, 1968 ). The higher the z score, the higher the contents of bigrams with large factor loadings ( ψ ) . We select the most important bigrams on the basis of their decreasing order of probability of appearance, as in Eq. (1) of Taddy (2013) .

It is worthwhile to highlight that a simple word count for each category assumes independence among the different categories a priori. As suggested in Taddy (2013) , a more promising strategy is to use text-specific dimension reduction based on the multinomial implied by exchangeability of token counts. As shown in Taddy, a topic model treats documents as drawn from a multinomial distribution with probabilities arising as a weighted combination of “topic” factors. These probabilities are further modeled in a hierarchical manner that allows borrowing information from each category in order to have dependence among the four different impact factor categories (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4). A previous method that is similar in spirit is the one proposed by Blei et al. (2003) , used during Trump's political campaign ( Gautrais et al., 2017 ).

The abstract bigrams collected from all Q journals were ordered from the most to the least frequent. We had a total of 2,942 bigrams for business finance journals, 2,280 for economics journals, 3,667 for management journals, and 4,879 for business journals. For the Q1 journals, we then determined the first 31 bigrams that referred to topics and methodological approaches. We chose 31 bigrams as a cutoff point to be able to collect at least the 20 most frequent bigrams regarding topics published in business finance, economics, management, and business. We consider this spectrum of topics wide enough for the reader to have a global appreciation of the most important topics discussed in each of the fields we study.

Subsequently, we looked for those bigrams in Q2, Q3, and Q4 journals and found that some were consistently present among those most frequent in all categories. For instance, in business finance, the bigram financial crisis was the most frequent in Q1, Q2, and Q3 journals, and it was the 5 th most frequent in the Q4 journals. We categorized topics in Q2, Q3, and Q4 journals as persistent when their number was close to that of the bigram in the Q1 rank (less than 10 numbers in difference).

Some bigrams gained frequency from the Q4 to the Q1 journals. For example, in the economics category, health care was the 257 th most frequent bigram in Q4 journals; 57 th in the Q3 journals; 15 th in the Q2 journals; and 2 nd in the Q1 journals. Table 4 lists the persistent topics and the topics that gained presence as the journal quality increased. It also displays bigrams associated with methodological issues such as empirical evidence, case study , panel data , and structural equations, among others.

Most frequent topics and methodology bigrams in abstracts of papers of Q1 journals by category.

Tables ​ Tables5, 5 , ​ ,6, 6 , ​ ,7, 7 , and ​ and8 8 show the most frequent bigrams for Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 papers in the business finance, economics, management, and business categories, respectively. For each Q1 bigram, we compared its respective frequency in Q2, Q3, and Q4 papers.

Most frequent bigrams in abstracts for Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 papers in business finance.

Most frequent bigrams in abstracts for Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 papers in economics.

Most frequent bigrams in abstracts for Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 papers in management.

Most frequent bigrams in abstracts for Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 papers in business.

4.1. Topic patterns

Some of the most frequent topics persist in all Q groups, but others lose frequency by category, which suggests that Q1 and Q2 journals attract researchers' attention and create trends that are followed by Q3 and Q4 publications. For example, in the business finance category, we found 10 persistent topics within the 22 most frequent Q1 bigrams: financial crisis, stock market, exchange rates, corporate governance, earning management, stock returns, interest rates, stock price, cash flow, and information asymmetry . For the same set of journals, the 10 topics within the 22 most frequent Q1 bigrams that lost frequency in Q2, Q3, and Q4 journals were: monetary policy, risk management, financial reporting, credit risk, systematic risk, accounting research, integrated reporting, banking sectors, financial market, and management accounting . For instance, systematic risk, which is the 11 th most frequent Q1 bigram in the business finance journals, ranks only 21 st in the Q2 journals, 73 rd in Q3 journals, and 300 th in Q4 publications ( Table 5 ).

These topic patterns occurred in the economics category as well. There, the 11 persistent topics within the 31 most frequent bigrams for Q1 publications were: financial crisis, economic growth, labor market, human capital, monetary policy, exchange rates, developing countries, stock market, business cycle, interest rate, and economic development . For the same set of journals, the 9 topics out of the 31 most frequent bigrams that lost frequency by Q category were: health care, United States, European Union, climate change, health insurance, risk aversion, oil price, stock returns, and credit risk. For example, European Union is the 8 th most frequent bigram in the Q1 journals, ranks 21 st in the Q2 journals, 50 th in Q3 publications, and 182 nd in the Q4 papers ( Table 6 ).

In the management category, 10 topics persisted within the 26 most frequent Q1 bigrams: supply chain, firm performance, new product, social capital, job satisfaction, human resource, resource management, decision making, product development, and business model. As was the case for business finance and economics journals, the frequency of some bigrams decreased from Q1 to Q4 publications. The 10 topics which showed that tendency within the 26 most frequent Q1 bigrams were: ERP environment, human capital, financial performance, corporate social, performance measurements, project management, strategic management, competitive advantages, social responsibility, and product innovation. For example, human capital, ranked 7 th in Q1 journals, 12 th in Q2 journals, 46 th in Q3 publications, and 165 th in Q4 papers ( Table 7 ).

In the business category, there were only 5 persistent topics within the 26 most frequent Q1 bigrams: new product, firm performance, product development, business model, and value creation. Unlike the more focused categories, of the 26 most frequent Q1 bigrams, 15 registered decreasing frequencies in Q2, Q3, and Q4 journals: supply chain, ERP environment, family firms, corporate social, chain management, human capital, social capital, social responsibility, financial performance, social media, job satisfaction, product innovation, small-medium sized, strategic management, and customer satisfaction ( Table 8 ).

These results indicate the persistence of some topics and the emergence of others, which could help scholars align their research agenda with the trends in their fields. In this regard, assistant professors applying for tenure and aspiring to publish in top journals could redirect their efforts to finding alternative publication outlets, while tenured professors could become aware of new topics of interest and relevance vis-à-vis journal impact factors (Qs); and business, finance, and economics practitioners could keep abreast of their disciplines' knowledge frontiers.

Furthermore, our findings reveal that certain topics and issues that are discussed in the media and other public outlets are also present in the academic literature. For instance, financial crisis and themes related to corporate scandals such as earnings management, integrated reporting, and corporate governance are topics within the business finance and economics categories and are persistently covered in media, while corporate social responsibility, job satisfaction, human capital, new products, and product development are the kind of topics found in the business and management fields. Thus the academic literature reacts to issues of public concern, creating a two-way dialogue between scholars and practitioners.

4.2. Methodological approaches and other issues

Our content analysis inquiry also revealed certain patterns of methodological approach. In the business finance category, bigrams such as find evidence, empirical evidence, empirical results, and data set suggest a preference for empirical research that is common to all Q ranks.

The economics category also displays a consistent preference for empirical research in all Q groups, as revealed by bigrams such as using data, find evidence, data set, and empirical results. Furthermore, these category abstracts provide more methodological details by including the bigrams panel data, per capita, general equilibrium, time series, statistical significant, and empirical analysis among the most frequent bigrams.

In the management category, the third bigram in all Q ranks is case study, indicating the prevalence of this methodology within the field. Moreover, the frequencies of bigrams such as data collected, structural equation, using data, and empirical evidence further confirm a preference for empirical studies. The business category displays a similar pattern. Case studies represent the most frequent research methodology, and bigrams such as empirical evidence, structural equation, data collected, and using data confirm an inclination for empirical inquiry, as was the case in all the other categories. Overall, methodological approaches in our sample of abstracts tend to be centered in empirical research; however, some categories show particularities.

Even though our full sample of abstracts leaned toward empirical research, the various field categories showed certain specificities. While the economics studies employed panel data sets and time series, management and business studies developed case studies. Interestingly, we found no bigram evidence of theoretical research. Finally, an expected higher frequency of papers written in the English language validates the relevance of this language in academic research.

These findings are useful to faculty facing tenure-track challenges and pressures to publish or perish because they reveal the methodological approaches most likely to be published. Theory-oriented scholars could realize their harder path to publication, while young management and business researchers could undertake case studies to increase their publishing possibilities. In addition, across all fields, authors would understand the academic relevance of the English language.

4.3. Analysis of title bigrams

We complemented our analysis by examining the presence of bigrams in papers' titles. In general, we found consistent results in terms of the topics and their Q rankings. For example, bigrams such as corporate governance , financial crisis , and exchange rate were among the most frequent for titles in the business finance journal set, and they remained persistent in all Q categories.

As for the bigrams that gained frequency from Q4 to Q1 publications, we determined that health care, oil price, and health insurance reflected this tendency in the economics journals, as had been the case in the abstracts' data set. In addition, we found methodological bigrams in some titles, such as panel data in economics, case study in management, and literature review in business, although with less frequency.

Although our findings for the titles data set were, in general, consistent, we determined that six bigram topics gained frequency and remained persistent in all Q ranks. These were: financial reporting, credit risk, and global financial in business finance journals; and corporate social responsibility, and family firm in business journals.

The analysis also revealed new high-frequency bigram topics in all categories, including emerging market, mutual fund , and hedge fund in the business finance journals; crude oil, systematic risk, and climate change in economics journals; corporate governance, sustainable development, and venture capital in management journals; and, socioemotional wealth, top management, and corporate governance in business journals. Table 9 lists the 20 most frequent title bigrams per category.

Most frequent topics and methodology bigrams in paper titles of Q1 journals by category.

5. Discussion & conclusion

What should I research? What is of interest to editors? What is the most appropriate methodology for a given project or research question? What are my peers publishing? What are the current hot topics in the literature? Which subjects are Q1 and Q2 journals publishing? Are there any subject differences between the Q1, Q2 publications and the Q3, Q4 ones? These are some of the questions that research-oriented professors must consider at some point in their academic career. In many cases, the answers are left to imagination or trusted to intuition, albeit they represent relevant decisions for academic productivity and professional development. The methodology we use in this paper, which departs from the most traditional surveys and expert opinions, could support researchers in answering this set of questions in any field and not only the ones under analysis in our study.

For the period under analysis, our study determines topics present in all ISI journals and Q ranks and suggests their consolidation as pertinent subjects within the fields. Moreover, it shows how certain topics gain frequency by Qs, which suggests that Q1 and Q2 journals raise awareness of emerging and relevant topics, and set trends that are followed by editors and authors in Q3 and Q4 publications. Our findings also stress the relevance and predominance of certain methodologies. Business, finance, and economics favor empirical research over theoretical inquiries, making it easier to publish the former. And while many economists employ panel data in their research, business and management scholars formulate structural equations and develop case studies.

These findings are valuable for different reasons. For example, they could support young doctoral students (and their supervisors), and young scholars in streamlining their research agenda from a broad set of possible topics of interest, to those topics with more visibility and likelihood of publication. This is not only relevant in terms of subjects, but also in terms of methodological issues. For instance, following our results, a young researcher in the economics field will know that publishing theoretical work will be more difficult to publish than empirical-oriented papers.

The previous reasoning leads us to another contribution of this methodology, which is to help scholars develop their research and publications agenda in a more conscious and strategic way. A proper research and publication strategy allows professors to concentrate their research efforts around subjects and methodologies according to their visibility and impact aims. Furthermore, more established researchers could also find this kind of methodology useful in order to validate their beliefs regarding where academic discussions are focusing. That is, which topics are consolidated and which are emerging as new in their field. They also can do a similar assessment regarding applicable methodologies for their work.

Even the editors of Q3 and Q4 journals could find this methodology and analysis useful in terms of gearing their journals toward certain topics being published by Q1 and Q2 journals. This could help the journals gain a better positioning among researchers in their fields. Overall, our paper shows the relevance of content analysis to help researchers face the challenges of their academic career and help editors in better editorial management.

Lastly, our analysis raises venues for future research. For example, it could be interesting to analyze the research outlets of professors after they get tenure to identify possible changes in terms of quantity and influence of their publications. Another valuable analysis would be to perform this study in the same fields and same methodology we apply, with the aim of identifying time patterns with a time horizon of 5 or 10 years, a period long enough to identify changes in methodologies, topics and trends in these fields. Finally, this method could be used to find regional or geographical analysis with the aim of identifying differences in terms of topics and methods for several research fields.

Declarations

Author contribution statement.

Jorge Camargo, Maximiliano González, Alexander Guzmán, Enrique ter Horst, María–Andrea Trujillo: Conceived and designed the analysis; Analyzed and interpreted the data; Contributed analysis tools or data; Wrote the paper.

Funding statement

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

No additional information is available for this paper.

☆ Authors are in alphabetical order and contributed equally to this work.

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Taxation and Revenue Research Paper Topics

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• Assessing the impact of public debt on intergenerational equity and future generations
• The role of financial innovation in public debt management and risk mitigation

Public-Private Partnerships Research Paper Topics

• Assessing the benefits and challenges of public-private partnerships in infrastructure development
• Analyzing the role of public-private partnerships in healthcare provision
• Evaluating the efficiency of public-private partnerships in education
• Exploring the impact of public-private partnerships on service quality and affordability
• The role of government regulations and policies in fostering successful public-private partnerships
• Analyzing the risks and rewards of public-private partnerships for both parties involved
• Assessing the economic and social outcomes of public-private partnerships in transportation
• Exploring the role of public-private partnerships in fostering innovation and technological advancements
• Evaluating the impact of public-private partnerships on job creation and economic growth
• Analyzing the accountability and transparency mechanisms in public-private partnerships

Economic Growth and Development Research Paper Topics

• Investigating the relationship between public investment and economic growth
• Analyzing the impact of government policies on regional development disparities
• Exploring the role of foreign aid in promoting economic development
• Assessing the effects of trade liberalization on economic growth and income distribution
• Analyzing the impact of corruption on economic development and foreign direct investment
• Evaluating the effectiveness of industrial policies in fostering economic diversification
• Exploring the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in economic growth
• Assessing the impact of infrastructure development on economic competitiveness
• The role of human capital formation in sustainable economic development
• Analyzing the effects of natural resource abundance on economic growth and governance

Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development Research Paper Topics

• Evaluating the effectiveness of environmental taxation in reducing pollution
• Analyzing the economic consequences of climate change policies
• Exploring the role of economic incentives in promoting sustainable development
• Assessing the impact of environmental regulations on firm behavior and competitiveness
• The economic implications of renewable energy adoption and energy transition
• Analyzing the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation
• Evaluating the effectiveness of international agreements and protocols in addressing environmental challenges
• Exploring the role of market-based instruments in environmental conservation
• Assessing the economic costs and benefits of biodiversity conservation efforts
• The role of behavioral economics in promoting pro-environmental behavior

Public Finance and Public Administration Research Paper Topics

• Assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of public budgeting processes
• Analyzing the impact of public finance reforms on government transparency
• Exploring the role of public finance in supporting public service delivery
• Evaluating the effects of decentralization on fiscal management and accountability
• The role of performance-based budgeting in improving public sector performance
• Analyzing the challenges and opportunities of digitalization in public finance management
• Assessing the impact of political factors on public finance decision-making
• Exploring the role of public finance in promoting social welfare and equality
• Evaluating the effects of corruption on public finance and governance
• The role of public finance in supporting economic development in developing countries

Behavioral Economics and Public Finance Research Paper Topics

• Examining the behavioral biases in taxation decisions
• Analyzing the impact of social norms on tax compliance behavior
• Exploring the role of behavioral economics in designing public finance policies
• Evaluating the effectiveness of nudges in promoting desirable fiscal behaviors
• The role of framing and perception in public finance decision-making
• Analyzing the impact of financial literacy on personal finance management
• Exploring the behavioral aspects of saving and investment decisions
• Assessing the effects of income inequality on individual well-being and economic outcomes
• The role of behavioral economics in understanding public attitudes towards taxation
• Analyzing the behavioral determinants of charitable giving and philanthropy

International Public Finance Research Paper Topics

• Evaluating the role of international financial institutions in supporting developing countries
• Analyzing the impact of global economic integration on fiscal policy autonomy
• Exploring the challenges of tax evasion and avoidance in the global economy
• Assessing the implications of foreign aid and debt on economic sovereignty
• The role of international taxation agreements in promoting tax fairness
• Analyzing the effects of capital flows and exchange rate volatility on public finance
• Evaluating the role of international trade agreements in shaping fiscal policies
• Exploring the impact of global financial crises on public finance management
• Assessing the effectiveness of international cooperation in addressing tax havens
• The role of international organizations in promoting fiscal transparency and accountability

The topics provided are intended to serve as a starting point for your research journey in public finance. Feel free to modify or refine these topics according to your specific interests and research objectives. Conducting thorough literature reviews and engaging in discussions with your professors and peers will further guide you in narrowing down and refining your research topic.

Public Finance Research Paper Topics Guide

Welcome to the world of public finance research papers! As a student of economics, you are well aware of the significance of public finance in shaping the economic landscape of countries. Public finance encompasses the study of government revenue, expenditure, and fiscal policies, which have far-reaching implications on economic growth, income distribution, and public welfare.

Writing a research paper in public finance provides an opportunity to explore and analyze various aspects of government finance, while developing critical thinking, research, and analytical skills. It allows you to delve deep into specific topics of interest within the realm of public finance and contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the field.

The purpose of this page is to provide you with a comprehensive guide to public finance research paper topics, expert advice on choosing the right topic, and essential insights on crafting an outstanding research paper. Whether you are a novice researcher or an experienced economics student, this page will serve as a valuable resource to enhance your understanding and improve your research and writing abilities.

Throughout this page, you will find a diverse range of public finance research paper topics divided into 10 categories. These categories cover a wide spectrum of subtopics within the field of public finance, allowing you to explore areas such as taxation and revenue, public expenditure, fiscal policy, public debt, public-private partnerships, economic growth and development, environmental economics, public finance and public administration, behavioral economics, and international public finance.

In addition to the comprehensive list of topics, we will provide expert advice on how to choose the most suitable topic for your research paper. We understand the challenges of selecting from the multitude of options, and our tips will help you navigate through the process, considering factors such as relevance, interest, feasibility, and the availability of literature and research gaps.

Furthermore, we will guide you through the essential steps of writing a compelling public finance research paper. From conducting a thorough literature review and gathering relevant data to structuring your paper and presenting your analysis, our insights will ensure that your research paper is well-organized, coherent, and academically sound.

To further assist you in your academic journey, iResearchNet offers custom writing services tailored to your needs. Our team of expert degree-holding writers is dedicated to providing you with top-quality, custom-written research papers. We conduct in-depth research, adhere to custom formatting styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard, and deliver timely solutions to meet your deadlines.

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Now, let’s explore the captivating world of public finance research paper topics, sharpen your research skills, and create impactful research papers that contribute to the field of economics. Let this page be your guide to unlocking your research potential and achieving excellence in public finance research.

Tips on Choosing a Public Finance Topic

Selecting a suitable research paper topic is a crucial step in the process of writing an engaging and impactful paper in the field of public finance. With the multitude of potential topics available, it can be overwhelming to make a decision. To assist you in this endeavor, we offer expert advice on how to choose the most appropriate public finance research paper topic for your study:

• Identify your interests : Start by considering areas within public finance that genuinely interest you. Exploring topics that align with your passions will not only make the research process more enjoyable but also enhance your motivation and engagement with the subject matter.
• Consider current debates and trends : Stay informed about the latest developments, debates, and emerging trends in public finance. Topics that are currently generating discussions and controversies provide fertile ground for conducting meaningful research and contributing to the ongoing discourse.
• Narrow down your scope : Public finance is a vast field with numerous sub-areas and specializations. To select a manageable topic, narrow down your focus to a specific aspect or subfield of public finance. This will enable you to delve deeper into the subject matter and provide a more comprehensive analysis.
• Conduct a literature review : Before finalizing your research topic, conduct a thorough literature review to explore existing research and identify research gaps. This will help you understand the existing knowledge landscape and identify areas where your study can contribute new insights or offer a fresh perspective.
• Consider the availability of data : Evaluate the availability and accessibility of relevant data sources for your chosen topic. Adequate data is essential for conducting empirical research and supporting your arguments and findings. Ensure that you can access reliable data to support your research objectives.
• Assess feasibility and scope : Assess the feasibility of your research topic in terms of time, resources, and scope. Consider the available research materials, potential access to experts or practitioners, and the required methodologies. A topic that is too broad or requires extensive resources may not be suitable for a research paper.
• Consult with your professors and peers : Seek guidance from your professors, advisors, or peers who have expertise in public finance. Discuss your research interests and proposed topics with them to gain valuable insights and suggestions. They can provide guidance on refining your topic and offer valuable recommendations based on their experience.
• Consider policy relevance : Public finance research often has practical implications for policymakers and governments. Consider topics that have real-world policy relevance and can contribute to informed decision-making in the realm of public finance. This will add significance and value to your research.
• Brainstorm and refine : Engage in brainstorming sessions to generate ideas and refine your research topic. Reflect on the potential research questions, objectives, and outcomes of your study. Consider the potential impact and contribution of your research to the field of public finance.
• Stay open to adjustments : As you progress in your research, be open to adjusting and refining your topic based on emerging insights and findings. Research is an iterative process, and you may discover new angles or aspects that warrant modifications to your initial topic.

By following these expert tips, you can choose a compelling and relevant research paper topic in the field of public finance. Remember that selecting a topic is just the first step, and conducting thorough research, organizing your findings, and presenting your analysis in a coherent and persuasive manner are equally important. With the right topic and a systematic approach, you can produce an outstanding research paper in public finance that contributes to the body of knowledge in the field.

How to Write a Public Finance Research Paper

Writing a research paper in the field of public finance requires a systematic and well-structured approach. To guide you through the process, we have outlined the essential steps to follow when writing a public finance research paper:

• Understand the research question : Begin by thoroughly understanding the research question or objective of your study. Clarify the scope and purpose of your research, ensuring that it aligns with the chosen topic and contributes to the field of public finance.
• Conduct a literature review : Before diving into your own research, conduct a comprehensive literature review to understand the existing knowledge and debates related to your topic. Identify relevant theories, concepts, empirical studies, and policy discussions that will inform and support your research.
• Develop a research framework : Based on your research question and the literature review, develop a clear research framework that outlines the theoretical foundations, hypotheses or research questions, and the methodology you will employ. This framework will serve as a roadmap for your research paper.
• Collect and analyze data : Depending on the nature of your research, collect relevant data using appropriate research methods. This may involve conducting surveys, interviews, analyzing existing datasets, or applying economic modeling techniques. Ensure that your data collection methods align with your research objectives.
• Organize your paper : Structure your research paper in a logical and coherent manner. Typically, a public finance research paper consists of an introduction, literature review, research methodology, findings and analysis, discussion, and conclusion. Ensure that each section flows smoothly and supports the overall argument of your paper.
• Write a compelling introduction : Begin your paper with a concise and engaging introduction that provides background information on the topic, presents the research question, and highlights the significance of your study. Clearly articulate the objectives and scope of your research.
• Conduct a rigorous analysis : In the findings and analysis section, present your research findings in a clear and concise manner. Use appropriate tables, charts, and graphs to present the data effectively. Analyze the results and relate them to the research question, providing insightful interpretations and implications.
• Discuss the implications : In the discussion section, interpret your findings and relate them to the existing literature. Discuss the implications of your research, highlight any limitations or constraints, and propose areas for further research. Engage critically with the findings and offer meaningful insights.
• Draw a conclusion : Summarize the key findings and arguments of your research in the conclusion section. Restate the research question and objectives, highlight the main contributions of your study, and discuss the policy or practical implications of your research.
• Revise and proofread : After completing the initial draft, revise and edit your paper for clarity, coherence, and grammar. Pay attention to the overall structure, flow of ideas, and citation accuracy. Proofread the final version to ensure it is free of errors and adheres to the required formatting style (e.g., APA, MLA).
• Include proper citations and references : Throughout your paper, provide proper citations and references to acknowledge the sources of your information and ideas. Follow the appropriate citation style guidelines to maintain consistency and academic integrity.
• Seek feedback and revise : Share your research paper with your peers, professors, or academic mentors to gather feedback and suggestions for improvement. Revise your paper based on their input, addressing any areas of concern or recommendations for further refinement.

By following these steps and maintaining a disciplined approach, you can produce a high-quality research paper in the field of public finance. Remember to allocate sufficient time for each stage of the research process, as conducting thorough research, thoughtful analysis, and clear writing are key to creating a successful public finance research paper.

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Social Interaction Intensity and Investor Behavior

We document a causal effect of social interactions on investor behavior using the number of local soccer games as a measure of social interaction intensity. Social transmission is identifiable in buy but not sell trades. The effect of Social Interaction Intensity (SII) on the sensitivity of buying to past buys is greater for riskier and high-return stocks. Social interactions cause an extremity shift wherein existing shareholders increase their positions, especially within demographically homogeneous communities. There is suggestive evidence that investor mood may modulate the effectiveness of transmission. Higher social interaction intensity increases the sensitivity of investors' trading volume, and portfolio riskiness to past trades. SII also increases the sensitivity of stock trading volume and retail ownership percentage to past buys.

We thank Tom Chang and Chris Jones for their helpful comments. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

MARC RIS BibTeΧ

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