Rafael Acevedo, Dr.

Program Manager

Rafael Acevedo

Contact

rafaelacevedo@creighton.edu
Menard Center for Economic Inquiry
Heider College of Business
Harper - 4007A

Rafael Acevedo, Dr.

Program Manager

Rafael joined Creighton University in June 2021. He currently serves as Program Manager of the Menard Family Center for Economic Inquiry (MCEI) and Director of the Business Research Fellow Program, where he supports the center’s daily operations and student engagement efforts. Alongside these responsibilities, he briefly participated in undergraduate instruction—teaching Introductory Microeconomics in Fall 2021 and Introductory Macroeconomics from Spring 2022 through Fall 2023—before focusing entirely on his administrative role within the center.

Rafael is originally from Venezuela, where he spent most of his life before relocating to the United States in March 2018 due to the country’s escalating political and economic challenges.

In Venezuela, he built a meaningful academic and civic career over more than 15 years. He served as a tenured Associate Professor at Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado in Barquisimeto, Lara State, and founded a think tank focused on advancing economic and political freedom—particularly through the lens of free-market ideas. His academic journey includes an Associate degree in Administration of Physical and Financial Resources, a BS in Accounting, an MSc in Economics—which became the foundation for his research interests—and a Doctorate in Management.

Upon arriving in the U.S., Rafael began a new chapter in his life starting from zero. He worked at a fertilizer factory as the "organic shoveler" before joining Texas Tech University as a Visiting Research Associate at the Free Market Institute. There, he spent three enriching years immersed in research and academic collaboration before transitioning to his current role at Creighton University.

Rafael now resides with his wife, two children, and their Siberian Husky in the historic downtown of Papillion, Nebraska. In addition to his work at Creighton, he continues doing what he most loves—teaching remotely for the University of Illinois Springfield and Western New Mexico University, and conducting economic research in his free time.

Education

  • Ph.D. in Management. 2013. Universidad Yacambú. Venezuela.
  • Msc in Economics, concentration Economic Policies. 2010. Universidad de Los Andes. Venezuela.
  • Bachelor’s in Public Accounting. Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado. 2003. Venezuela.
  • Associate in Administration of Physical and Financial Resources. Colegio Universitario Fermín Toro. 1999. Venezuela.

Research Focus

Economic Freedom; Economic Growth & Development; Institutional Economics; Behavioral Economics; Applied Econometrics

 

Books

5) “The Role of Fiscal Dependency in Political Development Fiscal Independence from Electoral Accountability.” With Hugo Faria, Hugo Montesinos, and Carlos Navarro. KSP-Books. Available: http://econsciences.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/978-625-8190-54-0.pdf

4) “The Cost of Free Stuff: Your Freedom” May 2021. KDP-Amazon. ISBN ‎ 979-8572298062

3) “Prosperity & Liberty: What Venezuela Needs…” May 2019. KDP-Amazon. ISBN: 978-10-9350-703-4

2) “Managerial and Costs Accountancy: With an Austrian Economic School Approach”. Legal Deposit: LA2019000016. ISBN: 978-980-7910-00-2. Editorial Econintech. Venezuela. (Spanish)

1) “Causes and Culprits of the Economic Disaster in Venezuela. A tribute to Hugo Faría”. 2018. Editorial Círculo Rojo. Spain. ISBN: 978-84-9183-905-7 (Spanish)

    Academic Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

30) “Beyond Their Borders – Economic Freedom: Uncovering One of the Motivations of Unauthorized Migration to the U.S.A.”. With Juan Bogado. March, 2025. Economic Analysis Letters, Vol 4(1): 1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58567/eal04010001

29) “Entrepreneurship: The Forgotten Input for Growth in the European Union”. With Maria Lorca-Susino. March 2025. Journal of Economic Analysis, forthcoming.

28) “USA – Innovation Index: A State - Level Proposal”. With Jose Mora and Jorge Romero-Habeych. Economic Analysis Letters, Vol 4(1): 12-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58567/eal04010002 

27) “The Euro and the U.S. Dollar: Reserve Currency Rivalry in the 21st Century - A Review”. With Maria Lorca-Susino. 2024. Economic Research Guardian, Vol 14(2): 176-202.

26) “The Unfree, the Freer, and the Government: Economic Freedom and the Fiscal Multiplier”. With María Lorca-Susino. Journal of Government and Economics, Vol 3, Spring-2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jge.2024.100098

25) “The Short-Run Consequences of Economic Freedom Erosion in Latin American Countries: An Unorthodoxal Experimental Review for the XXI Century”. With María Lorca-Susino. CEPAL Review (journal of the ECLAC). Presented in LASA-2021, LASA-2022. Forthcoming.

24) “Shock determination in a Two-Stage Decision Making Model: The case of Covid-19 in Colombia.” With Pedro Harmath, Jose Mora, Raquel Puente, Elvis Aponte. Journal of Managerial Decision Economics. Vol. 43(6), pp. 2587-2597. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3547

23) “The Government Spending Multiplier in Latin American Countries: Does the Institutional Environment Matter?”. With Jose U. Mora and Andrew T. Young. Journal of Financial Economic Policy. Vol. 14(4), pp. 476-490. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JFEP-02-2021-0030

22) “European Union Oil Dependency: A Threat to Economic Growth and Diplomatic Freedom.” With María Lorca-Susino. International Journal of Energy Sector Management. Vol. 15(5), pp. 987-1006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJESM-10-2020-0010

21) “Venezuela: The Downfall of Promise.” With Walter Block, and Christian Hanson. Estudios Libertarios. Early View: ResearchGate

20) “Growth and Institutions in Latin American Countries: An Experimental Review for the XXI Century”. 2021. With María Lorca-Susino. Revista De La Facultad De Jurisprudencia – Ecuador, Vol 9. Pp: 119-149. http://www.revistarfjpuce.edu.ec/index.php/rfj/article/view/364/182

19) “Rational Irrationality: A Two-Stage Decision Making Model”. With Elvis Aponte, Pedro Harmath, and Jose U. Mora. Advances in Decision Sciences, Vol. 25, Issue 1, March 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47654/v25y2021i1p1-39

18) “Desocialization of Taxes: A Taxation System Proposal for Venezuela”. With Luis Cirocco, and María Lorca-Susino. Estudios Libertarios, Vol. 3, 2020. Presented in the Libertarian Scholars Conference, New York 2019. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/2346/86885

17) “Desocialization of Enterprises: Empowering Venezuelans”. 2019. With Luis Cirocco, and María Lorca-Susino. The Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics. Vol. 22, No. 2, Pp. 271-297. Presented at the Austrian Economics Research Conference, Auburn, Alabama. March, 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35297/qjae.010014

16) “Fiscal Policy Effects and Capital Mobility in Latin America Countries”. Journal of Economic Integration,Vol. 34, No. 1, March 2019. Pp 159 – 188. DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11130/jei.2019.34.1.159

15) “Multipoverty in Venezuela: A Libertarian Approach”. MISES: Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy, Law, and Economics. With: Luis Cirocco and Fernando D’Andrea. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30800/mises.2018.v0.949

14) “The Price of Crime: How Crime Affects Private Investment in South America”. Economía & Región. Vol. 9, No. 2, pp: 47-74. Cartagena, Colombia. 2015. With: Mónica García-Pérez. Available: https://revistas.utb.edu.co/index.php/economiayregion/article/view/105

13) “Political Perception of Poverty: A Multi-Method Analysis of Contemporary Venezuela”. Cayapa, Año 15, Nro. 30, pp. 49-65. Universidad de Los Andes. Venezuela. 2015. With Omaira Peña; Pedro Harmath and Monica García-Pérez. (Spanish)

12) “Descriptive Analysis of Venezuelans’ consumption, savings and incomes during the V Republic”. Sapienza Organizacional. Año 2, No. 3, pp: 7-30. Mérida, Venezuela. 2015. With Yasmin Sanchez (Spanish)

11) “Managerial Accounting and the Emerging Decision Making in the Universidad Politecnica Territorial Andres Eloy Blanco from Barquisimeto Lara State: a Phenomenological Approach”. Visión Gerencial, N° 1, 2014, Venezuela. With: Jose M. Rueda (UPTAEB-Venezuela) and Neley Rueda (UPEL-IPB-Venezuela). (Spanish)

10) “The Decision Making Process: A Behavioral Economics Model”. 2013. MPRA. Working Paper. (Spanish)

9) “Potential GDP in Venezuela: A SVAR Approach 1998-2008”. Journal Desarrollo y Sociedad. UNIANDES – Colombia. First Semester 2013, N° 71, P 43-81; With José U. Mora M. and Pedro Harmath. (Spanish)

8) “Poverty: perceptions and approaches. An analysis for Venezuela”. Journal Nomadas of Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. With: Omaira Peña and Pedro Harmath. Special Issue America Latina 2013. (Spanish)

7) “Total Poverty in Venezuela: An Approach of its Economical Determinants”. Anales de Economia Aplicada 2010. ASEPELT-España. N° XXIV. ISBN: 978-84-92954-15-5. P 229-251; With Pedro Harmath. (Spanish)

6) “Saving and Opennes as Determinants of Investment in Latin America during the 20th Century”. Revista Economía y Desarrollo de la Universidad Autónoma de Colombia. March 2010, Vol. 9, N° 1. P 67 – 86. With Jose U. Mora Mora and Pedro Harmath. (Spanish)

5) “Economical Determinants of Total Poverty in Venezuela: 1975 – 2000”. Economia. N° 28. 2nd Ed. 2009. With Pedro Harmath. (Spanish)

4) “Considerations on the relationship between private investment and social political factors in Venezuela and Latin America”. Compendium. N° 22. July 2009. (Spanish)

3) “Managerial Efficiency: An Empirical Approach to Measure and Evaluate the Electrical Sector of Venezuela”. Vision Gerencial. N° 1, Pp 18 – 29. 2009. (Spanish)

2) “Philosophical Implications of Managerial Efficiency”. Vision Gerencial. N° 2. Pp 217 – 226. 2008. (Spanish)

1) “Socio-political and Judicial Factors as Determinants of Private Investment in Latin America”. Economía. N° 26. 2nd Ed. 2008. P 93-118. With Jose U. Mora Mora. (Spanish)

Research Works in Process

11) The Golden Fleece of Freedom: Questing the Roots of Flourishing - Solo authored

10) “Let's Be Free: The Case of the Asymmetric Effects of Economic Freedom” With Maria Lorca-Susino, and Jose Mora.

9) “The Insidiousness of Mercantilism: Empirical Evidence” With Hugo Faria, Hugo Montesinos, and Olga Montesinos. Accepted to be presented in SEA-2022

8) “The Euro as a Common, International, and Global Currency in the 21st Century” With Maria Lorca-Susino. Accepted to be presented in SEA-2022

7) “The Unfree, the Freer, and the Government: Economic Freedom and the Fiscal Multiplier”. With Maria Lorca-Susino and Jose U. Mora. Accepted to be presented in SEA-2022. Received an RR at the Journal of Government and Economics

6) “Political Economy and Public Opinion: The case of Venezuela”. With Andres Marroquin and Antonio Saravia. Accepted to be presented in APEE-2022 and SEA-2022

5) “Economic Freedom and Unauthorized Immigration: A Relationship Evidence”. With Juan Manuel Bogado. Working Paper available on SSRN. Under Review

3) “A State-Level Innovation Index proposal for the USA”. With Pedro Harmath, Jose Mora, and Jorge Romero-Habeych. Available on SSRN. Under Review

2) “Populism in the EU: A General Review”. With María Lorca-Susino.

1) “Entrepreneur in a Critical Economy: The Need of a Latin-American School of Entrepreneurship. The Economic and Social Impact of Econintech’s School of Entrepreneurship in Lara State, Venezuela.” With Juan C. Correa, Jorge Romero-Habeych, and Joel Torrez.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

University courses taught in the USA (at Creighton University, University of Illinois Springfield, and Western New Mexico University):

  •     Macroeconomics in a Global Economy (Macro Intermediate –  100% On-Line).
  •   Introduction to Personal Financial Planning (100% Online)
  •   Introductory Microeconomics (In-Classroom & 100% Online).
  •   Introductory Macroeconomics (In-classroom & 100% Online).

University courses taught in Venezuela:

  •    Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Accounting; Economic Theory; Microeconomics, Macroeconomics; International Trade; Public Budget; Applied Statistics; Advisor of Undergraduate Thesis. (In the Public Accountancy, Public Administration, Business Administration, and Management undergraduate programs)
  •  Managerial and Costs Accountancy; Basic Accountancy; Management; Economic Theory. (In the Production Engineering, and Computer Sciences, undergraduate programs)
  •   Management and Organizations in Venezuela; Public Finances; Quantitative Research Methods. (In the Master of Business & Finance, and Doctorate in Management programs)