Suraj Malladi
Assistant Professor of Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences
Suraj Malladi is a microeconomic theorist working in two main areas. The first, search and learning, studies how people and firms make discoveries by trial and error. The second, learning in networks, studies how to encourage or curb the spread of information. Suraj completed his PhD in economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2021.
Economic Theory I: Perspectives on Behavioral Economics (MECS-550-1)
This course focuses on formal theories of individual and strategic behavior, ranging from classic expected utility to models incorporating psychology, bounded rationality, and other empirically motivated departures from standard frameworks. Topics span a variety of theoretical methodologies and include applications to information economics, search, and mechanism design from a behavioral perspective; the selection covered may vary with available time/interests.
Competitive Strategy and Industrial Structure (MECN-441-0)
This course studies competitive strategy: interactions between firms in concentrated industries. The focus is on strategies for softening price competition and on how industry fundamentals influence the effectiveness of those various strategies. Topics include product positioning, product proliferation, dynamic aspects of pricing, price discrimination strategies (e.g., coupons and loyalty programs), entry into an industry, and responding to entry attempts. A common theme is that the success or failure of a strategy often depends on how your competitors will respond. As a result, what may be a winning strategy for a monopolist can sometimes backfire in an oligopoly. The course will mix lectures and case studies, as well as both qualitative and quantitative components. Evaluation will be primarily based on homework assignments, exams (a final and a midterm), and a term paper that will be written in teams.
