Taiwan Institute of Economic Research

What Taiwan Institute of Economic Research does

Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) is a private, non-profit economic research institute founded in 1976 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, with a Tokyo office and operations spanning Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. TIER produces macroeconomic forecasting, industry analysis, and policy research for the Taiwan economy, organized around monthly business climate surveys that generate proprietary composite indicators for manufacturing, services, and construction sectors. Its product portfolio includes the monthly Taiwan Economic Research Monthly publication, the Taiwan Econ newsletter, commissioned research reports, AI policy research (notably the 'AI Island' initiative), and international seminars and workshops hosted with partner institutes.

TIER serves three primary customer verticals: Taiwan government and policy makers (including the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Executive Yuan, and APEC-related bodies), businesses and industry associations seeking economic analysis, and international organizations (including APEC, RIETI, KIET, the Heritage Foundation, AIT, CTOT, and ACITI). The institute operates an event-driven go-to-market model, reaching audiences through international conferences, delegation visits, bilateral seminars, and publication of research reports rather than product distribution. Revenue is generated through commissioned research projects, government contracts, and event organization; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed.

The institute is led by President Dr. CHANG Chien-Yi and supported by multiple Vice Presidents and division directors across research, macroeconomic forecasting, regional development, and international affairs. TIER maintains longstanding trilateral cooperation with Japan's RIETI and Korea's KIET (annual workshops since 2005) and actively engages with U.S., Canadian, Australian, and European counterparts. Its proprietary monthly survey data and decades-long publication history constitute the principal differentiators in Taiwan's economic research landscape.

Name

Taiwan Institute of Economic Research

Legal name

Taiwan Institute of Economic Research

Website

https://english.tier.org.tw

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Taiwan Institute of Economic Research is a Taipei-based non-profit economic research institute founded in 1976 that produces macroeconomic forecasts, monthly business surveys, and policy research for the Taiwan government, businesses, and international organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Research Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic & Macroeconomic Research (BPAHALAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

Keywords

• Economic research
• Macroeconomic forecasting
• Policy advisory
• Business climate surveys
• Industry analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Taipei

HQ country

Taiwan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Research Services and Consulting: TIER operates as a non-profit economic research institute providing economic analysis, forecasting, and policy research services to government agencies, businesses, and international organizations. Revenue appears to be generated through commissioned research projects, government contracts, and event organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Taiwan Institute of Economic Research is a non-profit economic research institute that conducts macroeconomic forecasting, industry analysis, and policy research for Taiwan's economy. It produces monthly business climate surveys, publishes the Taiwan Economic Research Monthly, and provides commissioned research to government agencies, businesses, and international organizations. The institute also organizes international seminars and workshops on economic cooperation and policy.

Product overview

Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) is an economic research organization offering a portfolio of publications, surveys, and research services. Its core offerings include the monthly Taiwan Economic Research Monthly publication and the Taiwan Econ newsletter, which provide economic analysis and business sentiment tracking. TIER conducts regular business climate surveys producing composite indicators for manufacturing, services, and construction sectors. The institute also provides commissioned research reports on specialized topics and organizes international seminars and workshops on economic cooperation and policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Taiwan Economic Research Monthly A monthly economic research publication that analyzes Taiwan's economic conditions, featuring topics such as AI Island initiatives, smart city developments, and economic forecasting.
• Taiwan Econ Newsletter A weekly newsletter providing updates on Taiwan's economic conditions, business surveys, and industry-specific sentiment analysis for manufacturing, services, and construction sectors.
• Business Climate Survey Monthly surveys measuring business conditions and sentiment across manufacturing, services, and construction sectors, producing composite indicators and industry-specific outlooks.
• Commissioned Research Reports Customized research projects commissioned by government agencies and organizations covering topics such as content rating, industrial policy, branding, S&T development, tourism satellite accounts, and electricity trading platforms.
• International Seminars and Workshops Organizes and hosts international conferences and seminars on economic topics, including APEC-related events, Taiwan-U.S. economic relations, and regional economic cooperation.
• AI Island Research Analysis and recommendations on Taiwan's AI development strategy, including smart transportation, AI infrastructure, commercial AI adoption, and optical network innovation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Monthly business climate surveys covering multiple manufacturing, services, and construction sub-sectors with forward-looking indicators
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Australian Centre for International Trade and Investment (ACITI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026ACITI CEO Dr. Prudence Gordon visited TIER on June 3, 2026 to exchange views on economic and trade issues between Taiwan and Australia. Both sides discussed strengthening Taiwan-Australia relations.
• American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2026AIT Economic Section visits to TIER for bilateral economic discussions. Regular engagement with AIT Deputy Chief and Economic Officers on Taiwan-U.S. economic relations and APEC matters.
• U.S. Congressional Staff DelegationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025A delegation of ten U.S. congressional staff members visited TIER on November 26, 2025. Both sides exchanged views on Taiwan's energy policy and AI development, including future Taiwan-U.S. cooperation. Received by TIER Vice Presidents.
• Heritage FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2025TIER-Heritage Foundation seminar on 'Outlook for Taiwan-U.S. Economic Relations for 2025 and Beyond' held on March 5, 2025. Topics covered enhancing Taiwan-U.S. partnership, Trump 2.0 trade policy evolution, and geopolitical trends. Participants included Dr. Edwin Feulner (Founder and Former Chairman) from Heritage Foundation and TIER President Dr. CHANG Chien-Yi.
• Canadian Trade Office in Taipei (CTOT)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2021Canadian Trade Office in Taipei Executive Director Jordan Reeves and Directors visited TIER. Meeting with TIER President Dr. Chien-Yi Chang and Director Dr. Grace Chung to discuss bilateral economic relations.
• FDI-IntelligenceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2016FDI-Intelligence Contributing Editor John West visited TIER for discussions on foreign direct investment trends.
• Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIET)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2014Annual trilateral workshops with TIER-RIETI-KIET focusing on structural reform, technical standards, overseas expansion, and regional economic integration. Joint research on Korea-U.S. FTA and manufacturing industry transformation.
• Asia Pacific Foundation of CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2013Canadian Think Tank Group including Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada representatives visited TIER for economic discussions. Representatives included Dr. Eva Busza (Vice-President) and Dr. Douglas Goold (Director of National Conversation on Asia).
• Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2009EIU Economist Jan Friederich visited TIER to share views on China's economic developments with fellow economists. EIU Lead analyst Tom Rafferty also visited in 2016 for China Asia country analysis discussions.
• Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2008Annual TIER-RIETI workshops since 2005 focusing on SME competitiveness, structural reform, and regional economic integration. Multiple joint workshops held with KIET as trilateral cooperation. Topics have included Taiwan Free Economic Pilot Zones, TPP implications, and global value chains.
• BIO International ConventionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2007TIER participated in BIO 2007 and BIO 2009 conventions, presenting on Agricultural Biotechnology in Taiwan topics. Dr. Julie Chih-Li Sun from TIER presented on transition from traditional agriculture to technology-based agribusiness.
• Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2007Joint research project between SERI and TIER produced paper 'The Study on Korean and Taiwanese Investment Patterns in China' analyzing Korean and Taiwanese firms' investment patterns in China.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI): RIETI is Japan's flagship government-affiliated economic policy research institute. TIER and RIETI have held annual joint workshops on SME competitiveness, structural reform, and regional integration since 2005, making RIETI TIER's most direct counterpart in terms of mandate and delivery model.
• Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP): KIEP is South Korea's primary international economic policy research institute, working on trade, FDI, and regional economic cooperation. It has participated in TIER-RIETI-KIET trilateral workshops, making it a structurally equivalent peer focused on international economic relations in Asia-Pacific.
• Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada: Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is a Canadian think tank focused on Asia-Pacific economic relations, with representatives visiting TIER for bilateral discussions. It is structurally similar to TIER as a national-level economic relations think tank in its geography.
• Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET): KIET conducts industrial economics research and collaborates with TIER and RIETI in annual trilateral workshops. It has a comparable mandate to TIER focused on industrial policy, manufacturing transformation, and Korea-U.S. trade analysis.
• Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI): SERI is a Korea-based economic think tank that conducted joint research with TIER on Korean and Taiwanese investment patterns in China. It is highly comparable as a regional economic research institute focused on cross-border investment and Asian macroeconomic trends.

Broad incumbents

• Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE): PIIE is a leading U.S.-based international economics research institute with strong influence on Taiwan-related trade and supply chain analysis. It is broader in geographic mandate but directly competes with TIER for authoritative commentary on Taiwan-U.S. economic relations and APEC-relevant policy.
• Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU): The EIU is a global provider of country-level economic and political analysis, with regular research engagement with TIER (EIU economists visiting TIER for China economic analyses). It is broader in scope and global in reach than TIER but serves overlapping customers seeking Taiwan economic intelligence.
• Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): CSIS is a major U.S. policy research organization covering international economics, security, and regional affairs. It overlaps with TIER's mandate on Taiwan-U.S. economic relations and Asia-Pacific trade analysis, though it operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Regional players

• China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD): CIRD is a leading Chinese economic policy think tank focused on reform, opening-up, and regional economic integration. It is a regional peer operating across the strait from TIER, with overlapping research on cross-strait economic relations and industrial policy.

Emerging players

• Heritage Foundation: Heritage Foundation is a U.S. public policy think tank with which TIER has co-hosted the 'Outlook for Taiwan-U.S. Economic Relations' seminar in 2025. While broader in ideological scope, it is a direct institutional partner and comparable as a Taiwan-focused policy convener.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/open-innovation-center-moea-ministry-of-economic-affairs-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Taiwan Institute of Economic Research