William R. Hauk

Associate Professor of Economcis, University of South Carolina-Columbia

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About William

Hauk's research focuses on international trade, foreign direct investment, economic growth, and political economy. Much of his work in the political economy of trade focuses on how political structures map into trade policy. He has also become interested in the economic policy surrounding foreign direct investment. He has been active in university administration, serving as an MBA program director and chair of his institution's curricula and courses committee. Hauk comments frequently in local and national media outlets on economic issues.

Contributions | No Jargon Podcast | Member Spotlight | In the News | Publications

Contributions

South Carolina's Manufacturing Sector at Risk Amid New Tariffs

Basic Facts Brief, June 2025

In the News

Quoted by Simmone Shah in "Yes, Inflation Is Going Down. But Here’s Why Prices Aren’t," Time Magazine, August 14, 2024.

Guest on NPR's The Indicator from Planet Money, February 25, 2022.

Opinion: "America’s cost of ‘defending freedom’ in Ukraine: Higher food and gas prices and an increased risk of recession," William R. Hauk, The Conversation , February 24, 2022.

Opinion: "Will it be a ‘V’ or a ‘K’? The many shapes of recessions and recoveries," William R. Hauk, The Conversation , October 13, 2020.

Quoted by Anita Sharpe in "As Virus Raged, China Snapped Up Luxury Cars Made in America," Bloomberg, May 22, 2020.

Publications

"Early Intervention in College Classes and Improved Student Outcomes" (with John Gordanier and Chandini Sankaran). Economics of Education Review 72 (2019): 23-29.

This study shows that, in introductory level economics classes, emailing students who are struggling early on in the semester and directing them to tutoring resources results in a significant improvement in student outcomes by the end of the semester.

"RCA Indices, Multinational Production and the Ricardian Trade Model" (with Kaveri Deb). International Economics and Economic Policy 14 (2017): 1-25.

Examines a common way of measuring the comparative advantage of countries -- that is, which goods that they produce relatively well and are likely to export -- called an index of revealed comparative advantage. Finds that a common form of this index has some undesirable statistical properties and proposes an alternative.

"The Return of Convergence in the US States" (with Janice Boucher Breuer and John McDermott). Applied Economics Letters 21 (2014): 64-68.

Studies patterns of economic growth from the early part of the 20th century until the 1970s and finds that poorer states had higher rates of economic growth than richer states and observes that after the 1970s, this convergence stopped. Provides some evidence that it may have slowly resumed in the 2000s.

"Electoral Regime and Trade Policy" (with John William Hatfield). Journal of Comparative Economics 42, no. 3 (2014): 518-534.

Investigates different hypotheses about why trade policy differs between countries with legislatures elected by a plurality election rule in single member constituencies and legislatures elected by a party-list rule.

"A Monte Carlo Study of Growth Regression" (with Romain Wacziarg). Journal of Economic Growth 14 (2009): 103-147.

Looks at statistical issues when studying determinants of economic growth. Argues that mismeasurement of educational attainment can cause us to overlook how important it is for economic growth.

"Small States, Big Pork" (with Romain Wacziarg). Quarterly Journal of Political Science 2, no. 1 (2007): 95-106.

Using data on authorizations from the 2005 Highway Bill, finds that the legislative allocation of pork barrel spending by U.S. state greatly favors smaller states.