This area will focus on the following research questions:

• How can be modelling the relationship between training and labour market so that the available funds for vocational training will be used more effectively to prepare the Portuguese workforce?
• How can labour markets be modelled and understood so that more effective policies can be implemented to reduce unemployment?
• How can e-public procurement be developed to improve public markets, namely to increase the participation of SMEs and technology contracting?
• How should be pursued a strategy of professionalization of public procurers according to the guidelines of European Commission through a clear specification of professional profiles and knowledge requirements?

These research lines will be pursued in cooperation with a digital company (Vortal) and with other research groups: European Central Bank, European Commission, IEFP, Florida Atlantic University (Prof. Eric Prier and Prof. CliffMcCue), Universität der BundeswehrMünchen (Prof. Andreas H. Glas and Prof.Michael Eßig), University of Rome-Tor Vergata (Prof. Gustavo Piga) and CONSIP (Italian Central Purchasing Body, Master Antonieta Coppola).

Major Recent Research Results until 2019

• Costa, A. A., & Tavares, L. V. (2014). Social e-business as support for construction eprocurement: e-procurement network dynamics. Automation in Construction, 43, 180–186. 

• Costa, A. A., Arantes, A., & Tavares, L. V. (2013). Evidence of the impacts of public eprocurement: The Portuguese experience. Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 19(4), 238–246.

• Martins, F. (2015). A replication note on downward nominal and real wage rigidity: survey evidence from European firms. Empirical Economics, 49(3), 1143–1152.

• Martins, F. (2015). What survey data reveal about price and wage rigidity in Portugal. Labour, 29(3), 291–309.

• Martins, F. (2018). Flexible wage components as a source of wage adaptability to shocks: evidence from European firms, 2010–2013 European Central Bank (nº8).

• Pedro, I., Sarmento, M., & Silva, M. (2015). Evaluation of the value creation in an innovative product using Fuzzy linguistic computing. International Journal of Latest Trends in Finance and Economic Sciences, 5(2), 878–890. 

• Tavares, L. V. (2018). The Transposition of the 2014 EU Directives on public procurement by Portugal: woes and expectations. European Journal of Public Procurement Markets, (1), 37–47.

• Tavares, L.V. (Ed.) (2013). Proceedings of the 1st European Conference on e-Public Procurement (ECPP): E-Public Procurement in Europe : Public Management , Technologies and Processes of Change, OPET-Amazon.

• Tavares, L.V. (Ed.) (2014) Proceedings of the 2nd European Conference on e-Public Procurement (ECPP): New Developments on E-Public Procurement, OPET-Amazon.

• Torres, N., Afonso, Ó., & Soares, I. (2013). Natural resources, wage growth and institutions : a panel approach. The World Economy, 36(5), 661–687. 

• Torres, N., Afonso, Ó., & Soares, I. (2017). Manufacturing skill-biased wage inequality, natural resources and institutions. Review of Development Economics, 21(4), 1–29.