Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences
PhD Programs

The Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences Department offers two programs of study at the doctoral level: Managerial Economics & Strategy and Operations Management. Both programs address managerial decision making by individuals and firms that are strongly rooted within economic environments. However, it is the tools and methods used and the approach to economic problems that distinguishes the research conducted in each program.

Managerial Economics & Strategy
This program is offered jointly with the Management & Strategy Department at the Kellogg School of Management. The program is founded on economic theory, the theory of the firm, game theory, decision theory and political theory. The program emphasizes the use of mathematical models and analytic reasoning to solve theoretical and empirical problems in management and economics.

Operations Management
Formally an area of study within the Managerial Economics & Strategy, the new PhD Program in Operations Management will focus on managerial decision making through quantitative, economic modeling of operations functions in firms. The research problems are studied primarily through mathematical models that build upon modern economic paradigms using tools from optimization, game theory, probability and statistics.

The doctoral program in Operations Management was launched in fall 2007 and is accepting applications for fall 2008 admission.

For questions about the research areas within the Operations Management PhD Program, please contact Associate Professor Baris Ata (b-ata@kellogg.northwestern.edu), PhD Coordinator, Operations Management.