Laboratory of Behavioral and Experimental Economics Sciences (LaBEES – Skopje)
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food – Skopje

Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje

Director of the Laboratory: Prof. Dr. Marina Nacka

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The Laboratory of Behavioral and Experimental Economics Sciences (LaBEES) is the first research facility of its kind in the Western Balkans, established to systematically explore human behavior within economic frameworks. The lab’s primary focus is on agricultural economics, consumer decision-making, and the development of public policies grounded in empirical evidence.

LaBEES is equipped with 11 computer workstations operating through the specialized zTree software, with participant recruitment managed via the ORSEE platform. In the upcoming period, the laboratory's infrastructure will be expanded with additional workstations and biometric equipment to support advanced behavioral research.

Through controlled laboratory and field experiments, LaBEES generates scientific insights into decision-making processes among farmers, consumers, and policymakers. The research is supported by state-of-the-art tools such as Qualtrics, oTree, R, and Stata, ensuring high-quality data analysis and output.

The laboratory has established strategic collaborations with renowned institutions, including behavioral labs in Athens, Zagreb, and Texas A&M University. It also engages with domestic agribusinesses and decision-makers. LaBEES serves as a vital academic and innovation hub for interdisciplinary research, student education, and the formulation of science-driven public and private sector strategies.

EIT Community  InfraBooster Practioner

In 2023/2024, team form Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food - Skopje participated in the full cycle of the EIT-funded EIT InfraBooster programme. The programme was based on a comprehensive methodology developed by the University of Warsaw and enriched through extensive knowledge transfer and mentoring support offered by University of Warsaw in collaboration with the EIT Communities.

As a result of this participation, a new service  EmpoweringBusiness Decisions with Non-Hypothetical Science-DrivenConsumer Insights was designed, developed, and successfully introduced to the market.
LABEES helps companies understand what consumers truly value—by using science-based, real-incentive experiments instead of hypothetical surveys. As the first experimental economics lab in the Western Balkans, based at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food in Skopje, they specialize in uncovering consumer preferences for product features, sustainability, and pricing. The service supports businesses in testing new products or prototypes, measuring willingness to pay, and refining pricing and marketing strategies. By simulating real purchase decisions, LABEES delivers insights you can trust—reliable, actionable, and tailored to your market. Ideal for agrifood, retail, and innovation-driven companies, LABEES reduces risk, supports smarter decisions, and strengthens your competitive advantage, backed by an expert academic team and advanced research infrastructure

Our Team involvement included:

• Participation in the EIT InfraBooster Foundation module, enhancing knowledge on research infrastructures (RIs) potential applications and analytical skills for evaluation and identification of the commercially viable RIs;
• Participation in the in the EIT InfraBooster Practitioner module, which supported the end-to-end design of new services leveraging RIs at scientific institutions. This included: analyzing the unique capabilities of RIs, identifying potential industrial partners, initiating industrial outreach, preparing and refining marketing materials that communicated key differentiators and client benefits, identifying potential clients, and initiating the sales process. These activities were guided by tailored individual and team mentoring offered by University of Warsaw, and culminated in presenting the service concept during the EIT InfraBooster demoday pitch finals. The key value proposition of the new service was also featured in the EIT InfraBooster services catalogue: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/ba48e1f379.html#page/23