Majandusteaduslikes

Majandusteaduslikes is a neologism used in Estonian discourse to describe approaches, studies, or discussions that are reminiscent of economic science in their methods or aims. The term combines majandus (economy) and teadus (science) with the suffix -likes, indicating likeness or similarity. It is not a formal field, and its usage varies by context.

In some contexts, majandusteaduslikes refers to applying economic reasoning and models to non-economic phenomena, such as social policy, resource allocation, or organizational behavior. It may also denote a research program that treats questions from the perspective of rational choice, optimization, and empirical testing, even when subjects are not traditionally studied by economists.

Methodologically, proponents emphasize formal modeling, data-driven analysis, and the search for generalizable conclusions. Critics warn that economic-style analysis can oversimplify social complexity, norms, and power relations, and may overlook ethical or cultural factors that lie outside purely quantitative measures.

Relation to other terms is common, with overlaps into political economy, behavioral economics, and econometrics. Majandusteaduslikes can describe interdisciplinary work that borrows economic methods while addressing broader questions, or it can function as a label in debates about the reach and limits of economic reasoning.

Status-wise, the term remains informal and contested, lacking a universal definition. Its boundaries depend on who uses it and in what field. As such, majandusteaduslikes serves primarily as a descriptive label in discussions about how far economic methods should guide analysis beyond traditional economics.