Jean-Michel Benkert
@jmbenkert.bsky.social
Economist @ Uni Bern, https://jmbenkert.ch
Can‘t wait to attend - thx for organizing!
We are happy to announce that the inaugural Bern/Linz Innovation & Knowledge (BLInK) Workshop will take place next week at the University of Bern.
Many thanks to @igorletina.bsky.social and @jsndr.bsky.social for putting together a fantastic program.
Many thanks to @igorletina.bsky.social and @jsndr.bsky.social for putting together a fantastic program.
January 12, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Can‘t wait to attend - thx for organizing!
Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.
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October 10, 2025 at 9:01 AM
I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.
🧵 1/7
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Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
AI Acquihires: Competition Risks, Talent Battles and Economic Spillovers Webinar - 8 October @ 17:00 CEST
🗣️Jonathan Kanter @lugaricano.bsky.social @imarinescu.bsky.social @igorletina.bsky.social Hans Zenger
Moderator: @florianederer.bsky.social
Register: cepr.org/events/ai-ac...
#EconSky
🗣️Jonathan Kanter @lugaricano.bsky.social @imarinescu.bsky.social @igorletina.bsky.social Hans Zenger
Moderator: @florianederer.bsky.social
Register: cepr.org/events/ai-ac...
#EconSky
September 25, 2025 at 7:55 AM
AI Acquihires: Competition Risks, Talent Battles and Economic Spillovers Webinar - 8 October @ 17:00 CEST
🗣️Jonathan Kanter @lugaricano.bsky.social @imarinescu.bsky.social @igorletina.bsky.social Hans Zenger
Moderator: @florianederer.bsky.social
Register: cepr.org/events/ai-ac...
#EconSky
🗣️Jonathan Kanter @lugaricano.bsky.social @imarinescu.bsky.social @igorletina.bsky.social Hans Zenger
Moderator: @florianederer.bsky.social
Register: cepr.org/events/ai-ac...
#EconSky
Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
A thread on "reverse acquihires" in the AI space.
Reverse acquihires are characterized by two things: 1) the buyer takes over the most important/talented employees and 2) the buyer pays a hefty sum to the target firm via a side deal.
They are becoming common in the AI space:
Reverse acquihires are characterized by two things: 1) the buyer takes over the most important/talented employees and 2) the buyer pays a hefty sum to the target firm via a side deal.
They are becoming common in the AI space:
August 13, 2025 at 3:42 PM
A thread on "reverse acquihires" in the AI space.
Reverse acquihires are characterized by two things: 1) the buyer takes over the most important/talented employees and 2) the buyer pays a hefty sum to the target firm via a side deal.
They are becoming common in the AI space:
Reverse acquihires are characterized by two things: 1) the buyer takes over the most important/talented employees and 2) the buyer pays a hefty sum to the target firm via a side deal.
They are becoming common in the AI space:
Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
One thing I have not seen mentioned in the discussion about compensation packages for AI engineers is that firms are willing to pay not just for what value those employees bring to them, but also for the value that their competitors lose. In a sense, firms are partly trying to *hoard AI talent* 1/2
Meta Poached Apple’s Pang With Pay Package Over $200 Million
Meta Platforms Inc. has made unusually high compensation offers to new members of its “superintelligence” team — including a more than $200 million package for a former Apple Inc. distinguished engine...
www.bloomberg.com
July 24, 2025 at 3:53 PM
One thing I have not seen mentioned in the discussion about compensation packages for AI engineers is that firms are willing to pay not just for what value those employees bring to them, but also for the value that their competitors lose. In a sense, firms are partly trying to *hoard AI talent* 1/2
Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
We’re happy to host the 1st European Economic Theory Conference in Bonn next fall! Submissions in all areas of economic theory are welcome.
February 21, 2025 at 10:26 AM
We’re happy to host the 1st European Economic Theory Conference in Bonn next fall! Submissions in all areas of economic theory are welcome.
Such a great initiative! I‘m looking forward to trialling this soon.
Excited to see All Day TA (@alldayta.bsky.social - www.alldayta.com), our in-class AI, in 100s of universities for the spring term! A quick thread of how I would recommend you set it up. Tldr: you won't need more than 30 minutes. 1/x
January 13, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Such a great initiative! I‘m looking forward to trialling this soon.
7/7 Have a look at the paper to find out more:
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2412.100...
Happy to hear you thoughts!
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2412.100...
Happy to hear you thoughts!
Strategic Attribute Learning
A researcher allocates a budget of informative tests across multiple unknown attributes to influence a decision-maker. We derive the researcher's equilibrium learning strategy by solving an auxiliary ...
arxiv.org
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 PM
7/7 Have a look at the paper to find out more:
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2412.100...
Happy to hear you thoughts!
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2412.100...
Happy to hear you thoughts!
6/7 Further, we present extensions that address polarized media environments and time-inconsistent individual preferences.
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 PM
6/7 Further, we present extensions that address polarized media environments and time-inconsistent individual preferences.
5/7 Two key applications illustrate the model:
(1) Hierarchical organizations: our results suggest balancing diversity and uniformity in employees’ preferences as a function of hierarchical distance.
(2) Political discrimination: Opposed advisors can balance biased policymakers.
(1) Hierarchical organizations: our results suggest balancing diversity and uniformity in employees’ preferences as a function of hierarchical distance.
(2) Political discrimination: Opposed advisors can balance biased policymakers.
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 PM
5/7 Two key applications illustrate the model:
(1) Hierarchical organizations: our results suggest balancing diversity and uniformity in employees’ preferences as a function of hierarchical distance.
(2) Political discrimination: Opposed advisors can balance biased policymakers.
(1) Hierarchical organizations: our results suggest balancing diversity and uniformity in employees’ preferences as a function of hierarchical distance.
(2) Political discrimination: Opposed advisors can balance biased policymakers.
4/7 In the solution to the strategic problem, the research learns about attributes she cares about and where misalignment is small enough. If the researcher expects an excessive response to new information, she forgoes learning altogether.
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 PM
4/7 In the solution to the strategic problem, the research learns about attributes she cares about and where misalignment is small enough. If the researcher expects an excessive response to new information, she forgoes learning altogether.
3/7 We derive the researcher's equilibrium learning strategy by solving an auxiliary single-player problem. The attribute weights in this problem depend on how much the researcher and the decision-maker disagree.
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 PM
3/7 We derive the researcher's equilibrium learning strategy by solving an auxiliary single-player problem. The attribute weights in this problem depend on how much the researcher and the decision-maker disagree.
2/7 We model a scenario where a researcher learns about multiple attributes of an uncertain environment to influence a decision-maker. The key question: how do misaligned preferences impact both the extent and the direction of learning?
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 PM
2/7 We model a scenario where a researcher learns about multiple attributes of an uncertain environment to influence a decision-maker. The key question: how do misaligned preferences impact both the extent and the direction of learning?
1/7 In our new WP Strategic Attribute Learning, Ludmila Matysková, Egor Starkov, and I study how preference misalignment between a researcher and a decision-maker shapes learning and decision-making. [Link below]
December 16, 2024 at 12:33 PM
1/7 In our new WP Strategic Attribute Learning, Ludmila Matysková, Egor Starkov, and I study how preference misalignment between a researcher and a decision-maker shapes learning and decision-making. [Link below]
Check out the thread by @igorletina.bsky.social on our new short paper on never-ending search for innovation.
1/ New (short!) paper with @jmbenkert.bsky.social.
The question that we are interested in is this: when should you stop searching for an innovation?
Surprisingly (to us) the answer in our model is: never.
Link to the paper: arxiv.org/abs/2412.03227
The question that we are interested in is this: when should you stop searching for an innovation?
Surprisingly (to us) the answer in our model is: never.
Link to the paper: arxiv.org/abs/2412.03227
December 5, 2024 at 8:10 PM
Check out the thread by @igorletina.bsky.social on our new short paper on never-ending search for innovation.
Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
The incentives at elite business schools are often discussed, though I know little about them. However, at less prestigious business schools, the pressure to "publish something" just to meet accreditation standards likely does not lead to high-quality research either.
November 20, 2024 at 7:08 AM
The incentives at elite business schools are often discussed, though I know little about them. However, at less prestigious business schools, the pressure to "publish something" just to meet accreditation standards likely does not lead to high-quality research either.
Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
Do we do threads🧵on #EconSky? I recently gave a talk on competition policy and startup acquisitions. Here are the main points:
1/ Since ~2001, acquisitions have overtaken IPOs as the primary "exit" for VC-backed startups. This shift impacts how competition plays out.
1/ Since ~2001, acquisitions have overtaken IPOs as the primary "exit" for VC-backed startups. This shift impacts how competition plays out.
November 14, 2024 at 10:13 AM
Do we do threads🧵on #EconSky? I recently gave a talk on competition policy and startup acquisitions. Here are the main points:
1/ Since ~2001, acquisitions have overtaken IPOs as the primary "exit" for VC-backed startups. This shift impacts how competition plays out.
1/ Since ~2001, acquisitions have overtaken IPOs as the primary "exit" for VC-backed startups. This shift impacts how competition plays out.
Come join us for an exciting event in Bern! Looking forward to receiving your applications. Let us know if you have any questions.
Jean-Michel Benkert and I are organizing a small workshop on the economics of startup acquisitions.
We welcome theoretical and empirical papers on killer acquisitions, acquihires, incentives to innovate, and other topics related to startup acquisitions.
CfP: www.igorletina.com/files/cfp_es...
📈📉
We welcome theoretical and empirical papers on killer acquisitions, acquihires, incentives to innovate, and other topics related to startup acquisitions.
CfP: www.igorletina.com/files/cfp_es...
📈📉
January 9, 2024 at 3:21 PM
Come join us for an exciting event in Bern! Looking forward to receiving your applications. Let us know if you have any questions.
Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
The Economist has a very interesting article on the need to improve how we fund research. There is even a paragraph on innovation contests.
www.economist.com/science-and-...
www.economist.com/science-and-...
New ways to pay for research could boost scientific progress
A new field hopes to apply science’s methods to science itself
www.economist.com
November 18, 2023 at 6:21 PM
The Economist has a very interesting article on the need to improve how we fund research. There is even a paragraph on innovation contests.
www.economist.com/science-and-...
www.economist.com/science-and-...
Reposted by Jean-Michel Benkert
We are hiring!🇨🇭
👉 4-year Postdoc position in Macroeconomics / Banking / Finance
👉 Dept. of Economics, University of Bern, group of Profs. Cyril Monnet and Dirk Niepelt
👉 Project on "Money and Debt in the 21st Century: Liquidity, Safety, Redistribution"
📈📉
econjobmarket.org/statuses?oid...
👉 4-year Postdoc position in Macroeconomics / Banking / Finance
👉 Dept. of Economics, University of Bern, group of Profs. Cyril Monnet and Dirk Niepelt
👉 Project on "Money and Debt in the 21st Century: Liquidity, Safety, Redistribution"
📈📉
econjobmarket.org/statuses?oid...
EJM - Econ Job Market
econjobmarket.org
November 2, 2023 at 5:51 PM
We are hiring!🇨🇭
👉 4-year Postdoc position in Macroeconomics / Banking / Finance
👉 Dept. of Economics, University of Bern, group of Profs. Cyril Monnet and Dirk Niepelt
👉 Project on "Money and Debt in the 21st Century: Liquidity, Safety, Redistribution"
📈📉
econjobmarket.org/statuses?oid...
👉 4-year Postdoc position in Macroeconomics / Banking / Finance
👉 Dept. of Economics, University of Bern, group of Profs. Cyril Monnet and Dirk Niepelt
👉 Project on "Money and Debt in the 21st Century: Liquidity, Safety, Redistribution"
📈📉
econjobmarket.org/statuses?oid...