Joachim Merz (born October 26, 1948, in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe) is a German economist.
In 1989 he qualified as a professor at the same university in Economics and Econometrics with the topic "Market and non-market activities of private households - Theoretical approach, representative microdata, microeconometric analysis and microsimulation economic- and socio-political provisions for the Federal Republic of Germany".
Since 1991 he serves as the director of the Research Institute on Freelance Professions (FFB) of the Leuphana University Lüneburg.
He is the editor of several scientific journals and book series, consultant on scientific boards and referee for many international journals including the ’electronic International Journal of Time Use Research’ (eIJTUR), the CREPS book series ’Center for Research in Entrepreneurship, Professions and Small Business Economics’ (LIT Verlag), the FFB book series ‘Forschungsinstitut Freie Berufe (FFB)’ (Nomos Verlag) and ’The Review of Income and Wealth’.
In 1998 he founded the 'Research Network on Time Use' (RNTU); on this website this subject can be researched via a front-end with an information system.