Nobel prize for empirical work Did any recipients of the economics Nobel prize receive their prize for work that was primarily or substantially empirical (rather than theoretical) in nature?
In 2011, Tom Sargent and Chris Sims were jointly awarded the Nobel Memorial prize for empirical work.


  The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for 2011 to Thomas J. Sargent and Christopher A. Sims "for their empirical research on cause and effect in the macroeconomy."


Dr. Sargent's contribution was related to the use of structural macroeconometrics in policy and analysis and Dr. Sims' contribution was to the use of vector autoregressions (VAR) to analyze temporary changes in policy and other factors.

Source: Nobel Prize Website