The research has been particularly strong on theoretical and analytical work at the international research frontier, contributing to the School's nickname "The Norwegian School of Uncertainty". More recently, the research profile has become more diverse, as applied research has gained importance and additional research areas have been included. International contacts and networks are being stressed as an important foundation for research. Some of the Department's applied research is channeled through the Foundation for Research in Economics and Business Administration (SNF).

The presence of uncertainty is a key characteristic of individual, business and government activities. The late professors Karl H. Borch and Jan Mossin were among the founders of the economics of uncertainty and made important contributions to the theory of finance and other areas of business administration. Their seminal papers are appreciated worldwide and are still a source of inspiration for research at the Department. Currently, however, the research addresses a variety of issues within different fields.

The research in finance deals with valuation and decision problems where the agents in principle can exchange economic uncertainty through a market (or by other arrangements). In many situations, uncertainty is directly linked to market prices of assets, such as bonds, stocks, currencies, commodities and derivatives. The existence of financial markets represents an opportunity of economic agents to manage their risk exposure.

The Department's research in finance is currently concentrated on valuation of financial claims and the use of such claims in risk management. Among the topics are:

The microeconomics of insurance has a long tradition at the Department, as professor Borch is generally considered a one of the founders of The Economics of Insurance. Central current topics include:

A part of the staff is active in research on various aspects of quantitative managerial economics. One stand of research has focused on the development of efficient algorithms for solving economic equilibrium models, with applications to various markets and industries. Current research activities are concentrated on the following areas:

This umbrella heading covers a wide variety of research activities, mainly of an applied nature: