Researcher Profiles John Simon

John is Head of the Economic Research Department. During his career at the RBA he has worked in Economic Analysis, Economic Research and Payments Policy Departments. John also spent three years at the International Monetary Fund where he was the lead author of a number of influential chapters in its flagship publication, the World Economic Outlook. He has a PhD from MIT, which made a seminal contribution to the identification and analysis of the Great Moderation.

Academic publications

• Simon J (2019) ‘Ten Years of Research – What Have We Learnt Since the Financial Crisis?’ Economic Analysis and Policy, 64(C), pp 152–158.
• Furceri D, P Loungani, J Simon and S Wachter (2016) ‘Global Food Prices and Domestic Inflation: Some Cross-country Evidence’ Oxford Economic Papers, 68(3), pp 665–687.
• Gillitzer C and J Simon (2015) ‘Inflation Targeting: A Victim of Its Own Success’ International Journal of Central Banking, 11(4), pp 259–287.
• Simon J, K Smith and T West (2010) ‘Price Incentives and Consumer Payment Behaviour’ Journal of Banking and Finance, 34(8), pp 1759–1772.
• La Cava G and J Simon (2005) ‘Household Debt and Financial Constraints in Australia’ Australian Economic Review, 38, pp 40–60.
• Simon J (2005) ‘Payment Systems Are Different: Shouldn't Their Regulation Be Too?’ Review of Network Economics, 4(4), pp 1–20.
• Simon J and S Wright (2005) ‘L’utilisation des technologies de l’information et sa contribution à la croissance en Australie’ L'Actualité Economique, 81(1), pp 165–202.
• Simon J (2003) ‘Three Australian Asset-price Bubbles’ in A Richards and T Robinson (eds), Asset Prices and Monetary Policy, RBA, Sydney.
• Blanchard O and J Simon (2001) ‘The Long and Large Decline in U.S. Output Volatility’ Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 32(1), pp 135–174.
• Edey M and J Simon (1998) ‘Australia's Retirement Income System’ in Privatizing Social Security, National Bureau of Economic Research, pp 63–97.
• Mishkin F and J Simon (1995) ‘An Empirical Examination of the Fisher Effect in Australia’ The Economic Record, 71(3), pp 217–229.
• Fahrer J and J Simon (1995) ‘Capital Constraints and Employment’ Australian Economic Review, 28(1), pp 23–34.

Other Research Papers

• Huang J and J Simon (2021) ‘Central Bank Communication: One Size Does Not Fit All’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2021-05.
• Simon J and T Stone (2017) ‘The Property Ladder after the Financial Crisis: The First Step is a Stretch But Those Who Make It Are Doing OK’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2017-05.
• Gillitzer C and J Simon (2015) ‘Inflation Targeting: A Victim of Its Own Success?’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2015-09.
• Furceri D, J Simon, S Wachter and P Loungani (2015) ‘Global Food Prices and Domestic Inflation: Some Cross-Country Evidence’ IMF Working Paper No 2015/133.
• Pescatori A, D Sandri and J Simon (2014) ‘Debt and Growth: Is There a Magic Threshold?’ IMF Working Paper No 2014/034.
• Simon J, K Smith and T West (2009) ‘Price Incentives and Consumer Payment Behaviour’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2009-04.
• Kent C and J Simon (2007) ‘Productivity Growth: The Effect of Market Regulations’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2007-04.
• Gillitzer C and J Simon (2006) ‘Component-smoothed Inflation: Estimating the Persistent Component of Inflation in Real Time’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2006-11.
• Bulman T and J Simon (2003) ‘Productivity and Inflation’ RBA Research Discussion Papers No 2003-10.
• La Cava G and J Simon (2003) ‘A Tale of Two Surveys: Household Debt and Financial Constraints in Australia’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2003-08.
• Simon J and S Wardrop (2002) ‘Australian Use of Information Technology and its Contribution to Growth’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2002-02.
• Simon J (2001) ‘The Decline in Australian Output Volatility’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2001-01.
• Roberts I and J Simon (2001) ‘What do Sentiment Surveys Measure?’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 2001-09.
• Simon J (1996) ‘A Markov-switching Model of Inflation in Australia’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 9611.
• Edey M and J Simon (1996) ‘Australia's Retirement Income System: Implications for Saving and Capital Markets’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 9603.
• Fahrer J and J Simon (1994) ‘Capital Constraints and Employment’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 9403.
• Mishkin FS and J Simon (1994) ‘An Empirical Examination of the Fisher Effect in Australia’ RBA Research Discussion Paper No 9410.

Policy Publications

• Benes J, J Guajardo, D Sandri and J Simon (2013) ‘The Yin and Yang of Capital Flow Management: Balancing Capital Inflows with Capital Outflows’ IMF World Economic Outlook, October, Ch 4, pp 113–132.
• Simon J, T Matheson and D Sandri (2013) ‘The Dog that Didn’t Bark: Has Inflation Been Muzzled or Was It Just Sleeping?’ IMF World Economic Outlook, April, Ch 3, pp 79–95.
• Simon J, A Pescatori and D Sandri (2012) ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: 100 Years of Dealing With Public Debt Overhangs’ IMF World Economic Outlook, October, Ch 3, pp 101–127.
• Leigh D, D Igan, J Simon and P Topalova (2012) ‘Dealing with Household Debt’ IMF World Economic Outlook, April, Ch 3, pp 89–124.
• Simon J, D Leigh, A Pescatori, A Alichi, L Catao, O Kamenik, H Kim, D Laxton, R Portillo and F Zanna (2011) ‘Target What You Can Hit: Commodity Price Swings and Monetary Policy’ IMF World Economic Outlook, September, Ch 3, pp 101–133.