Paul Kattuman

Professor of Economics

Director of Studies in Management and Fellow of Corpus Christi College

BA, MA (Calicut University), MPhil, PhD (University of Cambridge)

My research centres on econometric methods, industrial organisation, and the Indian economy. I was previously an economist in the Indian civil service and served as a senior expert in the EC-Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the pandemic, I contributed statistical analysis and forecasts to support COVID-19 operations in the UK and India, and support the UK Health Security Agency in a consultant role. I am a member of the Economics and Policy subject group at Cambridge Judge Business School.

My details

Academic area

Economics and Policy

Professional experience

Professor Kattuman was an economist in the Indian civil service prior to beginning his academic career. He served as a senior expert in the EC-Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina (2008-2009) and in the EU public financial management programme for the Republic of Moldova (2016-2018). Since the beginning of the pandemic he has worked with Public Health England East of England, NHS Improvement East of England, and the Governments of Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states in India, contributing statistical analysis and forecasts to support COVID-19 (coronavirus) operations and management.

Previous appointments

Professor Kattuman has been a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge Department of Applied Economics, and a Lecturer in Economics at Durham. He has held Visiting Professorships at Université Paris 12 / Paris-Est Créteil, and was appointed Grupo Santander Visiting Professor at Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He was appointed a Visiting Faculty Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School (2007-2008), the Department of Statistics at Harvard (2011) and Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (2022). In 2022 he was also appointed Visiting Fellow at The Harvard Data Science Initiative.

Publications

Selected publications

Journal articles

  • Herzog, J.O., Munir, K.A. and Kattuman, P. (2013) “The King and I: monarchies and the performance of business groups.” Cambridge Journal of Economics, 37(1): 171-185 (DOI: 10.1093/cje/bes032)
  • Ibragimov, M., Ibragimov, R. and Kattuman P. (2013) “Emerging markets and heavy tails.” Journal of Banking and Finance, 37(7): 2546-2559 (DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2013.02.019)
  • Jiang, N. and Kattuman, P.A. (2012) “China’s WTO accession and long-term profitability of Chinese firms.” International Journal of the Economics of Business, 19(1): 53-73 (DOI: 10.1080/13571516.2012.642638)
  • Jiang, N. and Kattuman, P.A. (2010) “Intensity of competition in China: profitability dynamics of Chinese listed companies.” Asia Pacific Business Review, 16(3): 461-481 (DOI: 10.1080/13602380902949321)
  • Baye, M.R., Gatti, J.R.J., Kattuman, P. and Morgan, J. (2009) “Clicks, discontinuities, and firm demand online.” Journal of Economics and Management Strategy, 18(4): 935-975
  • Bhattacharjee, A., Higson, C., Holly, S., and Kattuman, P. (2009) “Macroeconomic instability and business exit: determinants of failures and acquisitions of UK firms.” Economica, 76(301): 108-131
  • Bhattacharjee, A., Higson, C., Holly, S. and Kattuman, P. (2009) “Macroeconomic instability and corporate failure: the role of the legal system.” Review of Law and Economics, 5(1): 1-32
  • Kambhampati, U.S. and Kattuman, P.A. (2009) “Growth responses to competitive shocks: market structure dynamics under liberalisation.” Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 20(2): 114-125 (DOI: doi:10.1016/j.strueco.2009.01.002)
  • Baye, M.R., Gatti, J.R.J., Kattuman, P. and Morgan, J. (2007) “A dashboard for online pricing.” California Management Review, 50(1): 202-216
  • Baye, M.R., Gatti, J.R.J., Kattuman, P. and Morgan, J. (2006) “Did the Euro foster online price competition? Evidence from an international price comparison site.” Economic Inquiry, 44(2): 265-279 (DOI: 10.1093/ei/cbj015)
  • Allington, N., Kattuman, P. and Waldmann, F. (2005) “One market, one money, one price?” International Journal of Central Banking, 1(3): 73-115
  • Bialek, J.W. and Kattuman, P.A. (2004) “Proportional sharing assumption in tracing methodology.” IEE Proceedings Generation Transmission and Distribution, 151(4): 526-532
  • Higson, C., Holly, S., Kattuman, P. and Platis, S. (2004) “The business cycle, macroeconomic shocks and the cross-section: the growth of UK quoted companies.” Economica, 71(281): 299-318
  • Kattuman, P., Green, R.J. and Bialek, J.W. (2004) “Allocating electricity transmission costs through tracing: a game-theoretic rationale.” Operations Research Letters, 32(2): 114-120
  • Baye, M.R. and Kattuman, P. (2003) “Incentives at Cambridge in 1574.” Lagniappe to Journal of Political Economy, 111(6)
  • Higson, C., Holly, S. and Kattuman, P. (2002) “The cross-sectional dynamics of the US business cycle: 1950-1999.” Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, 26(9/10): 1539-1555
  • Kattuman, P. and Redmond, G. (2001) “Income inequality in early transition: the case of Hungary 1987-1996.” Journal of Comparative Economics, 29(1): 40-65
  • Redmond, G. and Kattuman, P. (2001) “Employment polarisation and inequality in the UK and Hungary.” Cambridge Journal of Economics, 25(4): 467-480
  • Kattuman, P.A. (1996) “On the size distribution of businesses of large enterprises: UK manufacturing.” Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 7(4): 479-494 (DOI: 10.1016/S0954-349X(96)00055-0)

Book chapters

  • Rupert, J., Gatti, J. and Kattuman, P. (2003) “Online price dispersion within and between seven European countries.” In Baye, M.R. (ed.): Advances in applied microeconomics: vol.12: organizing the new industrial economy. London: JAI Press, pp.107-141
  • Kattuman, P. and Iyer, K. (2003) “Human capital in the move up the value chain: the case of the Indian software and services industry.” In Giovannetti, E., Kagami, M. and Tsuji, M. (eds.): The Internet revolution: a global perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.162-179
  • Kattuman, P. and Bhattacharjee, A. (2004) “Software in India: development implications of globalization and the international division of labour.” In Kagami, M., Tsuji, M. and Giovannetti, E. (eds.): Information technology policy and the digital divide. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp.92-113
  • Kattuman, P.A. (1998) “The role of history in the transition to an industrial district: the case of the Indian bicycle industry.” In Cadène, P. and Holmström, M. (eds.): Decentralized production in India: industrial districts, flexible specialization, and employment. London: Sage Publications, pp.230-250

Conference papers

  • Holweg, M. and Kattuman, P. (2006) “Dynamic determination of the residual product value: empirical evidence from the automotive industry.” In: OM in the new world uncertainties: POMS Annual Conference, 17th, 28 Apr-1 May 2006, Boston, MA.
  • Kattuman, P. (2007) “Exact distributions of Schur functions.” In: International Indian Statistical Association (IISA) Joint Statistical Meeting and International Conference on Statistics, Probability and Related Areas, 2-5 January 2007, Cochin, India.
  • Kattuman, P.A., Rodriguez, D., Sharapov, D. and Velazquez, F.J. (2011) “Revisiting profitability: firm, business group, industry and country effects.” In: West meets East: enlightening, balancing, and transcending: Academy of Management Best Papers Proceedings, 12-16 August 2011, San Antonio, TX.
  • Jain, A. and Kattuman, P. (2015) “Decision-making and planning framework to improve the deployment success of decentralized rural electrification in India.” In: Hostettler S., Gadgil A. and Hazboun E. (eds.) Sustainable access to energy in the Global South: EPFL-UNESCO Chair Conference on Technologies for Development (3rd), 4-6 June 2014, Lausanne, Switzerland. Heidelberg: Springer, Cham, pp.129-145

Working papers

  • Kattuman, P. and Lewis, M. (2007) “A diagnostic for lock-in.” Cambridge Judge Business School Working Papers, No.20/2007. Cambridge: University of Cambridge.
  • Zimmermann, C. and Kattuman, P.A. (2007) “On ‘considering’ internationalization: how do perceived resource-based constraints matter?” Cambridge Judge Business School Working Papers, No.07/2007. Cambridge: University of Cambridge.
  • Allington, N.F.B., Kattuman, P.A. and Waldmann, F.A. (2005) “One market, one money, one price? Price dispersion in the European Union.” Judge Institute of Management Working Papers, No.01/2005
  • Baye, M.R., Gatti, R.J., Kattuman, P. and Morgan, J. (2004) “Estimating firm-level demand at a price comparison site: accounting for shoppers and the number of competitors.” University of California at Berkeley, Competition Policy Centre Working Paper Series, No.CP205-050. Berkeley, CA: University of California at Berkeley.
  • Gatti, J.R.J. and Kattuman, P. (2003) “Online price dispersion within and between seven European countries.” Economic Department, Cambridge University, Cambridge Working Papers in Economics CWPE No.343
  • Kattuman, P. (2003) “Growth response to competitive shocks: market structure dynamics under liberalisation – the case of India.” ESRC Centre for Business Research, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.263
  • Kattuman, P.A. and Chirmiciu, A. (2003) “Significant feedbacks in firm growth and market structure.” ESRC Centre for Business Research, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.270
  • Baye, M.R., Gatti, R., Kattuman, P. and Morgan, J. (2002) “Online pricing and the Euro changeover: cross-country comparisons.” Judge Business School Working Papers, No.17/2002. Cambridge: University of Cambridge.
  • Bhattacharjee, A., Higson, C., Holly, S. and Kattuman, P. (2002) “Macro economic instability and business exit: determinants of failures and acquisitions of large UK firms.” Applied Economics Department, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.2002/6
  • Higson, C., Holly, S., Kattuman, P. and Platis, S. (2001) “The business cycle, macroeconomic shocks and the cross section: the growth of UK quoted companies.” Applied Economics Department, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.2001/14
  • Kattuman, P., Green, R.J. and Bialek, J.W. (2001) “A tracing method for pricing inter-area electricity trades.” Applied Economics Department, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.2001/7
  • Kattuman, P. and Roberts, B.M. (2000) “Strategy choices of firms and market concentration.” Applied Economics Department, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.2000/18
  • Kattuman, P. and Domanski, R. (1997) “Industrial concentration under shock therapy: Poland in early transition years.” ESRC Centre for Business Research, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.76
  • Kattuman, P. and Redmond, G. (1997) “Income inequality in Hungary 1987-1993.” Cambridge Working Papers in Economics, No.9726. Cambridge: University of Cambridge.
  • Kattuman, P. and Redmond, G. (1997) “Income inequality in Hungary 1987-1993.” Economics Department, Durham University, No.182
  • Kattuman, P.A. (1995) “On the size distribution of establishments of large enterprises: an analysis for UK manufacturing.” ESRC Centre for Business Research, Cambridge University, Working Paper No.8
  • Kattuman, P.A. (1995) “The role of history in the transition to an industrial district: the case of the Indian bicycle industry.” Economics Department, Durham University, No.143

Awards and honours

  • Highly commended for academic research with real-world impact (for “Time series models based on growth curves with applications to forecasting coronavirus” with Andrew Harvey, Harvard Data Science Review), Financial Times Responsible Business Education Awards, 2023
  • Cambridge Judge Business School Teaching Award, 2020
  • Cambridge Judge Business School Teaching Award, 2016
  • Trinity College Research Studentship, 1991
  • Commonwealth Scholarship, 1991

News and insights

After spluttering results in the original eurozone, later adopters of the euro in Central and Eastern Europe saw strong price convergence with other EU nations, says new study from Cambridge Judge Business School.

Studies on COVID-19 modelling by Paul Kattuman and marginalisation by Shahzad Ansari are named runners-up in the annual Responsible Business Education Awards of the Financial Times.

Flexible response 11 January 2021 Forget ‘threat’ or ‘opportunity’: firms should instead adopt a ‘multiplexed’ response to digital disruption, says a new study by PhD candidate Jack Fraser and Professor Shahzad Ansari. Impact investing 1 February 2021 Regulators are likely to require companies to publish audited reports on their environmental and social impacts, Sir Ronald Cohen says in a conversation with Professor Jennifer Howard-Grenville. Professor Mauro F. Guillén announced as next Director of Cambridge Judge Business School 10 March 2021 Professor Mauro F. Guillén, a prominent expert, award-winning scholar and teacher at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has been appointed the next Director of Cambridge Judge Business School. Enlightenment to better butts 29 March 2021 Many movements don’t become successful businesses, so how did yoga transform from Hindu-inspired anti-materialism to a ‘Gospel of Sweat’ market worth $80 billion? A study co-authored by Professor Kamal Munir and Professor Shahzad Ansari shows the pathway. Reputational spirals 13 April 2021 Public criticism during crises can prompt innovation in environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, but many firms instead get caught in a downward spiral, says Nareuporn Piyasinchai, a PhD candidate in the Strategy & International Business subject group at Cambridge…

Media coverage

Bloomberg | 9 June 2022

India’s Covid cases almost double in a week to three month high

COVID-19 tracker co-developed by Paul Kattuman, Professor of Economics at Cambridge Judge Business School, is mentioned in this article about India’s daily Covid-19 infection rate almost doubling in a week.

The Indian Express | 14 February 2022

No reason to believe any state will escape Omicron wave – Cambridge professor who worked on India Covid-19 tracker

Professor Paul Kattuman, economist and applied econometrician at Cambridge Judge Business School, comments on Omicron wave in India:

“Patterns in the data suggest cases are now increasing super-exponentially and the brunt of the current wave fuelled by Omicron will fall on the older and the immunocompromised”, Kattuman says.

The Times of India | 21 January 2022

Despite vaccination coverage, Himachal Pradesh tops Covid spread in rural areas

Further press coverage for COVID-19 tracker system for India co-authored by Paul Kattuman, Professor of Economics at Cambridge Judge Business School, in The Times of India.

“Witnessing a steep rise in cases, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh are projected to attain their respective peak within the week, as per the estimates of Cambridge Judge Business School and the National Institute of Economic and Social research,” the article says.

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