Ragnar Frisch (1895–1973) received the first Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science together with Jan Tinbergen in 1969 for having played an important role in ensuring that mathematical techniques figure prominently in modern economic analysis. Frisch was also a co-founder of the Econometric Society in 1930, the inaugural editor of its journal Econometrica for over 20 years, and a major figure in Norwegian academic life. This collection of essays derived from the centennial symposium which marked Frisch's birth explores his contributions to econometrics and other key fields in the discipline as well as the results of new research. Contributors include eminent scholars from Europe, the United Kingdom and North America who investigate themes in utility measurement, production theory, microeconomic policy, econometric methods, macrodynamics, and macroeconomic planning.

"Ragnar Frisch was perhaps the seminal figure in the transformation of economics into a quantitative science, equally at home in modern economic theory and in econometric methodology. A symposium to represent the breadth and depth of his interests faces a daunting task. This one meets the challenge fully, with a combination of expositions of Frisch's work and outstanding new work which show the current importance of Frisch's program." Kenneth J. Arrow, Stanford University