Laboratory for Economic Behavior Research (LEBR) is the first economic laboratory in Georgia founded in February 6th 2023 that is dedicated to investigate human decision-making and behavior. LEBR has a strong commitment to promoting and contributing behavioral and experimental economics research in Georgia as well as byond. With virtual laboratory and partnership with universities and research institutions we are dedicated for the promotion and facilitation of laboratory, online and in the field experiments across various areas of research. LEBR reserachers have an international reputation in the field of Behavioral and Experimental Economic research and their research regularly appears in top economic journals.
Global events have shown LEBR to focus more closely on online and virtual laboratory capabilities. LEBR is proud to be able to offer viable alternatives to run experiments in Georgia and beyond. Next to academic work, LEBR is focused on applied research. Every economic activity is looking for ways to reduce their cost and improve efficiency. In order to achieve this, the behavioral science can offer low-cost insights and evidence-based solutions from behavioral economic research.Rather testing strategy scenarios in real world, one can save by testing them first in the laboratory. We can help our collaborators to bring behavioral science insights for better decisions and the societal and economic impact.
Moving forward, the newly established LEBR hopes to build on and expand its current capabilities and capacity. LEBR plans to do so by raising funds and research grants, attracting and engaging reserachers, expanding the participant database, fostering collaboration with academic, public and private institutions, the research centers and experimental laboratories around the world.
Founding Dircetor
dr. rati mekvabishvili
In 2006 Rati Mekvabishvili obtained MSc in Behavioral Economics from the University of Nottingham. Recently, in 2021, he completed Doctorate Degree and conducted first economic experiment in Georgia (see the video). In 2023 he founded first experimental economic research laboratory in Georgia, the LEBR, devoted to contribute and extend frontiers of this vibrant field of experimental economic research.
Rati has over 17 years of experience of working at the management positions in private and in public institutions. Since 2014 he is the project director of the large-scale agriculture project of the largest investment fund in Georgia – the Georgian Co-Invetsment Fund.
Advisory Board
Prof. Chris Starmer
Chris Starmer is professor of experimental economics at the University of Nottingham (UK) working on a range of projects studying human decision making. He has served on various editorial boards of journals (e.g. Experimental Economics) and works on topics related to methodology, in partucular in relation to experimental economics. He is co-author of a recent book on experimental economics. Prof. Chris Starmer is founding Director of the CeDEx Research Centre. Prof. Starmer have succesful grant collaboration track including the ESRC Network for Integrated Behavioural Science. He provides conulstations to various orgaizations (UNDP, Oxford City Council, etc.) to apply behavioural science to contemporary social problems.
Prof . Jean-Robert Tyran
Jean-Robert Tyran is professor of public economics at the University of Vienna and director of the Vienna Center for Experimental Economics. He has served on various editorial boards of journals (e.g. Experimental Economics or Judgment and Decision Making), and professional boards (e.g. Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics or German Economic Association). Prof. Tyran is a research fellow at various institutions, including at the Center for Economic Policy Research in London, and has held numerous visiting positions (e.g. Harvard Kennedy School, London School of Economics or Caltech). Before moving to the University of Vienna in 2010, Jean-Robert Tyran was professor at the University Copenhagen (2004-10), and assistant professor at the University of St. Gallen (1997-2004) where he earned his habilitation. He has earned his doctorate in economics at the University of Zurich in 1997. Prof. Tyran served as Vice-Dean (2014-16) and Dean (2016-18) of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics, and as Vice-rector for research and international affairs (2018-2022) at the University of Vienna
Prof. Antonio Cabrales
Antonio Cabrales is professor at the Universidad Carlos III, Madrid. Before he was professor at the University College London and at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Prof. Cabrales is Executive Vice President of the European Economic Association, fellow of the Econometric Society, former President of the Spanish Economic Association and winner of the prize King Rei Jaume I of Economics 2021. He workes on a wide range of topics: game theory, the economics of networks, mechanism design, economics of education, experimental and behavioral economics. Prof. Cabrales is associate editor of the Journal of Economic Theory and was editor of BEPress JEAP and Investigaciones Económicas, and Associate editor of JEEA and SERIEs.
Research team
Prof. Michalis Drouvelis
Michalis Drouvelis is Professor of Behavioural Economics at the University of Birmingham. Prof. Michalis Drouvelis is also Director of the Birmingham Experimental Economics Laboratory, BEEL. Before he was part of the experimental centres at the University of York, EXEC and the University of Nottingham, CeDEx. Prof. Drouvelis’ recent research has focused on social preferences, on voluntary cooperation in the presence of free rider incentives, on expression of emotions and on coordination games. Prof. Drouivelis is the author of an experimental economics book on social preferences. His work has been published in various top academic journals (i.g. Games & Economic Behavior, Experimental Economics, Journal of Public Economics, European Economic Review, etc.). Prof. Drouvelis is also affiliated with CESifo (Munich) and serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization and Coordinating Editor for Theory and Decision.
dr. rati mekvabishvili
Rati Mekvabishvili recently has obtained PhD in Economics at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (2021). He holds a MSc in Behavioral Economics from the University of Nottingham (2006). Before continuing his studies in the United Kingdom, he spent one academic year at the University of Copenhagen (2005). Rati also holds Master’s and Bachelor’s in Economics from Charles University in Prague (2003,2005). He has published several academic articles and his current research focuses on formation of prosocial norms and the role of institutions in formation of prosocial behavior.
Deyan Dzhurov
Deyan Dzhurov currently works as a programmer at the Max Planck Institute, Berlin. He studies at the Master’s program in Informatics at the Free University of Berlin. Deyan supports and assists LEBR in programming the economic experiments.
Administration & Accountancy
Sophia mosidze
Mrs.Sophia Mosidze provides full service to LEBR in administration and accounting. She has experience in accountancy and tax reporting service to variety of businesses, including corporate and non-corporate entities, and to local as well as to oversees ones. Sophia works currently at senior position in the financial department of the leading bank in Georgia – the Bank of Georgia. Her accountant portfolio extended to the Bank’s holding and subsidiary companies of a wide range of businesses and location, including those operating in the education, retail, financial and banking sectors.
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