J. DENIS SARGAN AND THE ORIGINS OF LSE ECONOMETRIC METHODOLOGY

Abstract

I review the part played by John Denis Sargan in the formation of the “LSE approach” to dynamic econometric modeling. Despite his unassuming demeanor and his location at LSE—which had earlier dismissed a substantive role for econometric evidence—Sargan nevertheless radically altered the econometric approach of a generation, establishing a powerful approach to empirical modeling of economic time series. His main contributions to econometric methodology, and the subsequent research, are discussed as a complement to the other papers in this memorial volume.Financial support from the U.K. Economic and Social Research Council under grant L138251009 is gratefully acknowledged. I am indebted to Alok Bhargava, Julia Campos, Meghnad Desai, Neil Ericsson, Toni Espasa, Grayham Mizon, Peter Phillips, Timo Teräsvirta, and Ken Wallis for helpful comments and to Peter Phillips for the invitation to contribute this paper to Econometric Theory.