Eric K. Clemons

Eric K. Clemons
  • Professor Emeritus of Operations, Information and Decisions

Contact Information

  • office Address:

    500 Jon M. Huntsman Hall

Research Interests: information technology and business strategy, information technology and financial markets, making the decision to invest in strategic information technology ventures, managing the risk of strategic information technology implementations, risk-reward tradeoffs in outsourcing and off-shoring, strategic implications of electronic commerce for channel power and profitability

Links: CV

Overview

Dr. Eric K. Clemons is Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. A pioneer in the systematic study of the transformational impacts of information on the strategy and practice of business, his research and teaching interests include strategic uses of information systems, information economics, and the social welfare implications of large online platforms. He now studies regulation in the presence of deep uncertainty.

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Research

Teaching

Past Courses

  • OIDD3990 - Supervised Study

    This course number is currently used for several course types including independent studies, experimental courses and Management & Technology Freshman Seminar. Instructor permission required to enroll in any independent study. Wharton Undergraduate students must also receive approval from the Undergraduate Division to register for independent studies. Section 002 is the Management and Technology Freshman Seminar; instruction permission is not required for this section and is only open to M&T students. For Fall 2020, Section 004 is a new course titled AI, Business, and Society. The course provides a overview of AI and its role in business transformation. The purpose of this course is to improve understanding of AI, discuss the many ways in which AI is being used in the industry, and provide a strategic framework for how to bring AI to the center of digital transformation efforts. In terms of AI overview, we will go over a brief technical overview for students who are not actively immersed in AI (topic covered include Big Data, data warehousing, data-mining, different forms of machine learning, etc). In terms of business applications, we will consider applications of AI in media, Finance, retail, and other industries. Finally, we will consider how AI can be used as a source of competitive advantage. We will conclude with a discussion of ethical challenges and a governance framework for AI. No prior technical background is assumed but some interest in (and exposure to) technology is helpful. Every effort is made to build most of the lectures from the basics.

  • OIDD4690 - Info Strat & Econ

    This course is devoted to the study of the strategic use of information and the related role of information technology, and designed for students who want to manage and compete in technology-intensive businesses. The topics of the course vary year to year, but generally include current issues in selling digital products, intermediation and disintermediation, competing in online markets, emerging technologies, managing artificial intelligence and data science for business, and technology project management. Heavy emphasis is placed on utilizing information economics to analyze businesses in information-intensive industries. Technology skills are not required, although a background in information technology management, strategic management or managerial economics is helpful. The course is designed to complement OIDD 2100, OIDD 2150, OIDD 2450, and OIDD 255X.

  • OIDD6130 - Online Business Models

    This course is devoted to the study of the strategic use of information and the related role of information technology. It is designed for students who want to manage and compete in technology-intensive businesses. Heavy emphasis is placed on applying information economics principles and theoretical rigor to analyze businesses in information-intensive industries using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. We will study information-based industries like digital media, social networks, financial services, and online retail as well as traditional businesses that are being changed by new digital capabilities. There are four broad themes for the course: the economics of information goods and services, information and consumer behavior, markets and market design, and network economics. Each day we will discuss a core topic in one or more of these themes, with an emphasis on bridging theoretical ideas to real world applications. Application topics might include applying artificial intelligence, platform economics, and cryptocurrencies. Technology skills are not required, although a background in information technology management, strategic management, data science, or managerial economics is helpful.

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Latest Research

Eric K. Clemons and Andrej Savin (2025), A Practical Guide to Strategy in an Age of Incomplete Regulatory Specification and Potentially Unlimited Sources of Liability, Leading and Managing in the Digital Era, LMDE 2025.
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The Decline of the Cover Letter in the AI Era

Wharton professor of business economics and public policy discusses how artificial intelligence is weakening the value of cover letters and reshaping hiring signals.…Read More

Knowledge @ Wharton - 2026/03/6
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