image002.jpgJen Brown

Associate Professor

Department of Management & Strategy

Kellogg School of Management                                     

Email: jen-brown@kellogg.northwestern.edu

Phone: (847) 491-2592
Fax: (847) 467-1777

 

Mailing Address
Department of Management and Strategy
Kellogg School of Management

Northwestern University
2001 Sheridan Road

Evanston, Illinois 60208-2001

CV: PDF (January 2013)

 

 

Publications

 

1.     Brown, J. 2011. “Quitters Never Win: The (Adverse) Incentive Effects of Competing with Superstars.” Journal of Political Economy, 119(5): 982-1013.

 

2.     Brown, J., T. Hossain, and J. Morgan. 2010. “Shrouded Attributes and Information Suppression: Evidence from the Field.” Quarterly Journal of Economics, 125(2): 859-876.

 

3.     Brown, J., and J. Morgan. 2009. “How much is a Dollar Worth? Tipping versus Equilibrium Coexistence on Competing Online Auction Sites.”   Journal of Political Economy, 117(4): 668-700.

 

4.     Brown, J. and J. Morgan. 2009. “Moving Targets: Price, Quality, and Platform Competition.” Journal of Marketing Research 46(2): 158-159.

Commentary and Rejoinder on “Does Quality Win? Network Effects Versus Quality in High-Tech Markets”

 

5.     Berck, P., J. Brown, J.M. Perloff, and S.B. Villas-Boas. 2008. “Sales: Tests of Theories on Causality and Timing.” International Journal of Industrial Organization, 26(6): 1257-1273.

 

6.     Brown, J., J. Hastings, E.T. Mansur, and S.B. Villas-Boas. 2008. “Reformulating Competition? Gasoline Content Regulation and Wholesale Gasoline Prices.” Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 55(1): 1-19.

 

7.     Brown, J., and J. Morgan. 2006. “Reputation in Online Auctions: The Market for Trust.” California Management Review, 49(1): 61-81.

 

8.     Brown, J., J.A.L. Cranfield and S. Henson. 2005. “Relating Consumer Willingness-to-pay for Food Safety to Risk Tolerance: An Experimental Approach.” Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 53(2-3): 249-263.

 

9.     Brown, J. 2001. “Price discrimination and pricing to market behavior of Canadian canola exporters.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 83(5): 1343-49

 

Working Papers

 

10.  Brown, Jen and Dylan Minor. November 2012. “Selecting the Best? Spillover and Shadows in Elimination Tournaments”

 

ABSTRACT: We consider how past, current, and future competition within an elimination tournament affect the likelihood of selecting the stronger player as the winner. We present a two-stage model that yields the following main results: (1) a shadow effect—the weaker the expected future competitor, the greater the probability that the stronger player wins in the current stage and (2) an effort spillover effect—previous effort reduces the probability that the stronger player wins in the current stage. We test our theory predictions using data from high-stakes tournaments and betting markets. Empirical results suggest that shadow and spillover effects influence match outcomes.

 

11.  Brown, Jen and David Matsa. January 2013. “Boarding a Sinking Ship? An Investigation of Job Applications to Distressed Firms”

 

ABSTRACT: We use novel data from a leading online job search platform to examine the impact of corporate distress on firms’ ability to attract job applicants. Survey responses suggest that job seekers accurately perceive firms’ financial health, as measured by the companies’ credit default swap prices. Analyzing responses to job postings by major financial firms during the recent financial crisis, we find that an increase in an employer’s distress results in fewer and lower quality applicants. These effects are particularly evident when the social safety net provides workers with weak protection against unemployment and for positions requiring advanced training.

 

12.  Brown, Jen and Dylan Minor. January 2013. “Misconduct in Credence Good Markets”

 

13.  Brown, Jen and Jin Li. July 2010. “Going for it: The Adoption of Risky Strategies in Tournaments.”

 

Work in Progress

 

           

 “Information Disclosure in Oil and Gas Lease Auctions: Nomination vs. Area-Wide Sales” with Ryan Kellogg

 

“Opportunistic Hiring During the Great Recession” with David Matsa

 

“Peer Effects and Risk Taking” with Dmitry Ryvkin and Phil Brookins

 

“Virtual Gifts: What supports user generated content?” with John Morgan