Regional Economic Modeling with Social Accounting Matrices

Understanding how industries, households, and government policies interact is crucial for effective regional planning and economic development. This text-based course introduces you to Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs), the foundational framework used to model these complex economic interdependencies. You will transition from understanding basic economic flows to building, balancing, and interpreting SAMs, enabling you to perform structural analyses that reveal the true economic, social, and environmental impacts of regional policies. What you'll learn: - Understand the foundational concepts of Social Accounting Matrices and how they map economic transactions. - Construct and balance a basic SAM using regional economic data and modern matrix techniques. - Calculate economic multipliers to estimate the ripple effects of policy interventions and investment shocks. - Apply environmental and social multipliers to assess sustainability and distributional impacts. - Analyze regional economic structures to identify key driver industries and structural bottlenecks. - Interpret modeling results to inform urban planning and regional development strategies. The course begins with core economic definitions and accounting principles before moving step-by-step through matrix construction, multiplier calculations, and practical policy simulation scenarios. You will work through structured written explanations and data-modeling examples to build your analytical confidence. Designed for beginners in urban planning, regional economics, and policy analysis, this course requires no prior experience with matrix algebra. Start reading today to master the tools of regional economic impact analysis.