Introduction to Economic Theories

Prof. Rob van Tulder, who serves as professor of international business-society Management at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, has dedicated his academic career to addressing what he terms 'wicked problems' at the intersection of business and society, bringing his diverse background in political sciences, particularly international relations, and economics, especially development economics, to bear on a wide range of scholarly publications covering innovation, sustainability, small countries, regional integration, and skills, while also directing the Partnerships Resource Centre since 2009, which provides research and advice to support cross-sector partnerships for sustainable development goals worldwide, and has developed an innovative educational approach called 'skill sheets,' encompassing both a book and website widely adopted by universities, reflecting his commitment to teaching and research from multiple perspectives.

Irene van Staveren, PhD, is a professor of pluralist development economics at the International Institute of Social Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam. With 18 years of experience teaching introductory economics in a pluralist manner, she has contextualized the subject for a diverse range of countries, both developed and developing. Her PhD dissertation, which earned the Gunnar Myrdal Prize in 2000, was published as The Values of Economics, a book that has been used in courses worldwide. In 2015, she published a pluralist economics textbook, Economics after the Crisis, and was invited by the Dutch branch of the global student movement Rethinking Economics to support their initiatives. Professor van Staveren is also a member of the Dutch think tank The Sustainable Finance Lab, where she collaborates with the financial sector in the Netherlands to advocate for a more stable and sustainable financial system. Additionally, she is part of the core group of the Source network on policy action at the London-based New Economics Foundation. Outside of her academic and professional endeavors, Irene enjoys rowing, running, tango dancing, drumming, reading, and hiking, and she is a proud mother of two children who embody pluralism in their approach to life.

From Greece and a PhD student at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam. They hold a bachelor's and master's degree in Economics and Political Science, specializing in the macroeconomic effects of financialization and its connection to the rise of global financial crises. Their academic and teaching experience spans across the UK, France, Greece, and the Netherlands.