Matthew Backus
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Education
Ph.D., economics, University of Michigan; M.A., economics, University of Toronto
Summary of Experience
Professor Backus is an expert in industrial organization and competition economics, with a strong focus on the empirical analysis of competition, auctions, and bargaining behavior. One of the focuses of his research is digital marketplaces, including extensive research on eBay, including analyzing auction mechanisms and bargaining dynamics. His prior roles as a consulting researcher at eBay Research Labs and Microsoft Research highlight his ability to bridge theory with real-world applications in technology markets. Additionally, Professor Backus has studied traditional industries such as ready-mix concrete and retail milk. A central theme in his research is the development of empirical tools to distinguish between theoretical models of firm conduct, such as competition versus collusion, and to assess how competition influences productivity and quality.
Professor Backus has also engaged with major antitrust issues in the technology industry. He has served as a panelist for American Bar Association discussions of Federal Trade Commission v. Amazon.com and US v. Google. At a recent global competition law conference hosted by the University of Southern California and Analysis Group, he addressed the risks of AI-driven pricing models potentially leading to collusion, and the broader implications for market competition.
Professor Backus teaches antitrust economics in the M.B.A. program at Berkeley Haas. He holds affiliations with the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Centre for Economic Policy Research. His work has been widely published in leading economics journals, including Econometrica and The Quarterly Journal of Economics.