Matthew Olczak

Matthew Olczak is a Reader (equivalent to Associate Professor) in Economics and International Business at Aston University's Aston Business School, affiliated with the A-GamE Centre and the Centre for Business Prosperity. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of East Anglia (2009), along with earlier degrees from the same institution. His research focuses on industrial organization, competition policy, and the application of technology to enhance teaching. Specific interests include vertical restraints, merger policy, tacit/explicit collusion, and the design of educational tools.

Olczak's work has earned recognition through awards such as the International Journal of Industrial Organization 2018 Best Paper Prize and the International Journals 2016 Best Paper Prize. He teaches Microeconomics, Industrial Organization, and Competition Policy, emphasizing innovative pedagogical methods like in-class games and robotic simulations. His research on hub-and-spoke cartels and cartel damages has contributed to antitrust policy frameworks. He has also evaluated the efficacy of structural merger remedies and the impact of lecture capture technology on student performance.

Olczak maintains professional affiliations with the ESRC Centre for Competition Policy and the European Association for Research in Industrial Economics. His academic activities include peer-reviewing for journals like Oxford Economic Papers and contributing to textbook resources for McGraw-Hill Publishers.