Assessment of Bachelor Thesis – Academic Consultant
Study programme:International Economic Relations Field of study:International Trade
Academic year:2020/2021
Bachelor Thesis Topic:Gold price determinants during selected economic crises Author’s name:Andrej Chepelau
Ac. Consultant’s Name:Mgr. Ing. Jakub Jedlinský, Ph.D.
Opponent:Ing. Zuzana Mazánková
Criterion Mark
(1–4)
1. Overall objective achievement 1
2. Logical structure 1
3. Using of literature, citations 1
4. Adequacy of methods used 1
5. Depth of analysis 2
6. Self-reliance of author 2
7. Formal requirements: text, graphs, tables 3
8. Language and stylistics 1
Comments and Questions:
The first chapter provides a literature review, identifying the studied determinants of prive movements of gold. The author focuses on gold’s performance during the times of crises. The goal of the thesis was to find out whether long-run determinants explain the price of gold in the short span of economic crises. The findings are that they do not always indicate such thing. Therefore, precisely speaking, the goal of the thesis is met.
The methodological chapter two is well done, considering this is a Bachelor thesis. The author proves solid understanding of econometrics. I want to highlite that the explanation of the previous models is integrated in the context of the topic, not in a textbook style as is often the case in other Bachelor theses.
The author works with primary data and uses Python to retrieve them. Also, he adjusts the data where needed.
Lines should not end with short words such as ”I” or ”a”. Page 10 ends with a title. Pages 19 and 21 as well. Sometimes, a gap is missing before a bracket. In the short subchapter 3.2.1, price of gold is named the independent variable, Probably a typo. On page 20, however, the author mistakes dependent variable for independent variables and vice versa again. List of abbreviations is missing which would been very helpful in this thesis.
The thesis is a little bit short. If I turn a blind eye, I would say concentrated. The author might have spent some extra time trying to develop the story around his findings. It is one thing to know how to use econometrics (kudos for that!), it is another to be able to wrap some economic theory around the model.
I am not saying it is missing altogether. Still if I should recommend something to Andrej for a further research, it would be to explain the transmission mechanism between the independent and dependent variables.
Questions for the defence
How do you understand your findings? How can they be utilized when another crisis comes (which is likely now)? Which indicators should an investor observe?
Conclusion: The Bachelor Thesis is recommended for the defence.
Suggested Grade: 1
Date: 31/08/2021 Mgr. Ing. Jakub Jedlinský, Ph.D.
Academic Consultant
