Barry S. Blecherman, Ph.D.

Polytechnic University
Management Department
6 Metro Tech Center
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Tel. (718) 260.3398
Fax. (718) 260-3874
Email: blecherm@poly.edu

• B.S.E.

• M.A.
• Ph.D.

After several years as an engineer and information systems consultant, Professor Blecherman returned to the academic world at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where he received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Decision Sciences. He joined the faculty of Polytechnic University's Management Department in 1994, as Assistant Professor and director of the Master of Science in Management program. His writings reflect his interest in the quantitative aspects of management science, in the areas of behavioral decision theory, information strategy, game theory, and judgment bias in managerial decisions.

While working as an engineer for R.C.A., and later as a consultant in computer systems, he was involved in classified work for U.S. Navy computer operating systems on AEGIS class cruisers, financial processing systems for a large bank, and the design and implementation of an optical character reader. His experience includes project and technical management, business strategy, marketing, and computer systems management.

Professor Blecherman's writings reflect his interest in the quantitative aspects of management science, including: using decision theory to model decision-making and to determine the best course of action in non-deterministic environments; using game theory to model competitive environments and to develop prescriptive advice for decision-makers; and doing economic modeling to gain insight into complicated situations where the quantity and quality of information available to the decision-makers is rapidly changing.

His background as an engineer in the information industry lead him to study how new information gained from advancing technology impacts individual behavior and business strategy. He is currently a member of a team of researchers studying the potential impact of the growth of genetic testing on the health insurance industry. Papers he has co-authored in this area include: "A Simple Pigou Tax to Address Adverse Selection in Insurance", with David C. Croson of the Wharton School and in submission to the Journal of Political Economy; and "Information Technology and Information Asymmetry: The Future of Private Health Insurance", with Eric K. Clemons and David Croson of the Wharton School and Matt Thatcher of the University of Arizona which was published in the Proceedings of the 30th International Conference on Systems Science.

Professor Blecherman is also a student of the psychology of decision-making. Much of his research has been focused on understanding the systematic ways in which people fail to make mathematically optimal decisions. In this area, he has investigated industries as varied as computing and baseball. A paper derived from his dissertation, "Is there a Winner's Curse in the Market for Baseball Players", written with Colin Camerer of Cal Tech, has been submitted to the Journal of Business. This paper explores the market for baseball free agents, finds systematic overpayments to theseplayers, and uses a theory of cognitive psychology to explain the data. Additionally, Professor Blecherman has a strong interest in studying negotiations and helping industry arrive at better outcomes in negotiations with labor, suppliers, customers and other stockholders.