Ferdinand von Siemens

Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Siemens is a Professor of Economics at Goethe University Frankfurt since 2012, affiliated with the Department of Applied Microeconomics. He holds research fellowships at CESifo and LIF-SAFE. His academic journey includes studies at the University of Freiburg and University of Munich (PhD in Economics, 2004). He previously worked at the University of Munich and the University of Amsterdam before joining Goethe University. His research focuses on behavioral economics, experimental economics, and applied contract theory, exploring topics like social image concerns, motivated beliefs, and organizational power dynamics.

Research interests include the intersection of economics and psychology, using contract theory, game theory, and experimental methods. Key areas are strategic decision-making, fairness preferences, gender diversity in workplaces, and leadership dynamics in organizations. His experimental work examines how social and psychological factors influence economic outcomes in labor markets, teams, and organizational structures.

Recent publications highlight his work on motivated agents in social goods production, procedural fairness preferences, and the impact of gender diversity on workplace productivity. His experimental designs often explore real-world applications of theoretical models, such as the coordination challenges in team production and leadership allocation of power.

Prof. von Siemens advises students on bachelor’s and master’s theses in applied microeconomics. His team includes Petra Petersen (office manager), Jonathan Gehle, and Zhuokun Liu. The Chair of Applied Microeconomics, led by von Siemens, actively engages in collaborative research projects and hosts experimental studies to advance understanding of economic behavior and institutional design.