Thomas E. Merz

Contact

temerz@mtu.edu
906-487-2805
Academic Office Building G007

Professor of Economics, College of Business

PhD, Economics, University of Pittsburgh, 1980
MA, Economics, Miami (Ohio) University, 1974
BA, Economics, Youngstown State University, 1971

Biography

1978-80 Instructor Miami (Ohio) University; 1980 arrived at Michigan Tech
1990-91 Visiting Fellow, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia
1994-2006 Houghton City Council; 1996-2006 Mayor of Houghton
1996-present (with 2 years off) Houghton City Planning Commission
2006 and 2007 Visiting Fellow, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia
2008-2018 Associate Dean, College of Business
2009-present Board of Directors, Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation SmartZone
2012 Visiting Professor, Copenhagen University College of Engineering, Copenhagen, Denmark
2014 Visiting Professor, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam.

My wife, Mimi, and I have three daughters: Courtney (San Diego, CA), Laura (Houghton, MI), and Erin (Bend, OR), and two grandsons, Jax (San Diego), Thomas Joseph (Houghton), and one granddaughter, Audrey Mae (Houghton). Mimi and I have visited the 7 continents and 81 countries.

Teaching Interests

Game theory
Public sector economics
Microeconomic theory

Research Interests

Game theory
Public sector economics
Microeconomic theory

Publications

Knewston, H. S., Louks, R. W., & Merz, T. E. (2021). Scorecasting: Framing Effects in a Finitely Repeated 2x2 Zero-Sum Game. Forthcoming Journal of Economic Insight.
Brokaw, A. J., Merz, E. L., & Merz, T. E. (2020). The Accuracy of a Reductionist Message: A Case Study of Public Relations Involving a Michigan K-12 School Bond Referendum. In Stakeholder Engagement: Improving Education through Multi-Level Community Relations. Rowman and Littlefield (refereed Journal of School Public Relations).
Merz, T. E., Brokaw, A. J., & Joyce, B. P. (2013). Voting Procedures as Instruments for Active Learning in Game Theory Classes: An Experimental Approach. Perspectives on Economic Education Research, 1–18.
Brokaw, A. J., Merz, T. E., & Seigel, M. A. (2009). An Exploratory Examination of Consumer Behavior and the Fear of Rare Events. In 2009 Annual Conference of the Marketing Management Association (118–123).
Merz, T. E. (2007). Toward The Barry Bonds Award. Nine: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture, 15(2), 126–128.
Do, K., & Merz, T. E. (2007). Voting Procedures as Instruments for Active Learning in Game Theory Classes. Perspectives on Economic Education Research, 65–78.
Merz, T. E., & Brokaw, A. J. (2004). Active Learning with Monty Hall in a Game Theory Class. The Journal of Economic Education, 259–268.
Brokaw, A. J., Kennedy, W. A., & Merz, T. E. (2004). Explaining Student Satisfaction.The Journal of the Academy of Business Education, 62–72.
Merz, T. E. (2004). Gaming: Introduction and perspectives. Gaming Research & Review Journal, 8(2), 49–50.
Merz, T. E., Brokaw, A. J., & Kennedy, W. A. (2002). In the Eyes of Students What Constitutes an Excellent Teacher?. In The Proceedings of Economics and the Classroom Conference, Idaho State University.
Merz, T. E., & Roberts, M. C. (2001). Overinvestment when allocating costs of wastewater treatment plant. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 333–336.
Merz, T. E., & Brokaw, A. J. (2000). The effects of student behavior and preferred learning style on performance. The Journal of Business Education, 44–53.
Merz, T. E., Brokaw, A. J., & Monson, T. D. (1998). Fragility and responsibility. In Marketing Management Proceedings (123–128).
Merz, T. E., & Brokaw, A. J. (1998). Target Markets and Segmentation in the Classroom: Identifying Learning Styles,". In Proceedings of the Atlantic Marketing Association (123–128).
Merz, T. E., & Brokaw, A. J. (1997). On the Matching of Learning and Teaching Styles. In Proceedings of the Eighth Teaching Economics Conference Papers, Held at Robert Morris College (61–66).
Merz, T. E. (1996). Willi Mays: Meet John Nash. The Journal of Economic Education, 45–49.
Brokaw, A. J., Gale, J. R., & Merz, T. E. (1995). Competition and the Level of Expenditures: K Through 12 Public Schools in Michigan. Journal of Economics, 99–103.
Brokaw, A. J., Gale, J. R., & Merz, T. E. (1994). The Elimination of Property Taxes to Fund Public Schooling: Marketing Implications in Michigan. In Midwest Marketing Association Proceedings (43–48).
Joyce, B. P., & Merz, T. E. (1994). The Pricing of Water in a University Town:An Economic Analysis of Draining a Cash Cow. Water Resources Research, 30, 2807–2811.
Brokaw, A. J., Gale, J. R., & Merz, T. E. (1993). Choice and the Marketing of Public Schools. In Midwest Marketing Association Proceedings (7–11).
Merz, T. E., Gale, J. R., & Brokaw, A. J. (1990). Explaining Voter Behavior Toward Local School Expenditures: The Impact of Public Attitudes. Economics of Education Review, 9, 67–72.
Brokaw, A. J., Gale, J. R., & Merz, T. E. (1990). The Effect of Tax Price on Voter Choice in Local School Referenda: Some New Evidence From Michigan. National Tax Journal, 53–60.
Merz, T. E. (1987). The Impact of Site Value Taxation on the Optimal Time to Cut Timber when Borrowing and Lending Rates Diverge. Forest Science, 33, 763–766.
Merz, T. E., & Gale, J. R. (1985). The Opportunity Cost of an Abundant Resource: The Case of Water Diverted From the Great Lakes to the Ogallala Aquifer Region. Regional Science Perspective, 15, 3–12.
Merz, T. E., & Joyce, B. P. (1985). Price Discrimination in Academic Journals. Library Quarterley, 55, 273–283.
Merz, T. E., & Ochs, J. (1984). On Testing the Hypothesis that Myopia is a Cause of Municipal Pension Underfunding. Journal of Urban Economics, 15, 371–377.
Merz, T. E. (1984). An Econometric Analysis of the Market for Pulpwood Harvested in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Forest Science, 30, 197–113.
Joyce, B. P., & Merz, T. E. (1983). On the Long Run Effects of Submission Fees;A Comment. American Economist, 17(3 (Fall 1983)), 80–82.