Takuma Habu applies game theory to business

Takuma Habu | Lecturer | Johnson School

Meet Takuma Habu, one of our newest faculty members to join the Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business. Habu holds a Ph.D. in economics from The University of Chicago and an MPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford. Habu brings his extensive industry and management experience from working at a leading European economics consultancy, where he advised public- and private-sector clients on issues such as regulation, competition and valuation to the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.

In his research, Habu applies game theory to examine how information and communication influence incentives. In one piece of research, Habu draws on his experience managing multi-billion-dollar disputes to uncover a novel channel through which cross-examinations enable courts to make better informed decisions, and suggests ways to design institutions to ensure the efficacy of court systems.

Habu’s teaching experience spans undergraduate, PhD, MBA, and executive MBA levels, covering macroeconomics, microeconomics, game theory, organisational economics, and mathematics. His teaching emphasises collaboration and equips students with the analytical tools to understand the mechanisms underlying business phenomena, enabling them to make better real-world decisions after their studies.

What is a current issue in business or business education that you are interested in, and why is it important to you and your work?

Habu’s current research examines how employers’ desire to retain workers can lead to distortions in HR policies that can negatively impact workers. The research is particularly relevant in the current labour market, where recent technological advances have changed how employers value workers’ skills, Habu says.