Research Center
Laboratory for Economics, Management, & Auctions
Discover how controlled experiments improve business decisions by studying markets, negotiations, human behavior, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in organizations.
Test Business Ideas Before They Reach the Real World
Some business questions cannot be answered with historical data alone. Before organizations redesign a market, introduce new incentives, deploy an AI system, or change a decision-making process, researchers can test those ideas in a controlled environment.
At Penn State Smeal College of Business, the Laboratory for Economics, Management and Auctions (LEMA) uses controlled experiments to study how individuals, organizations, and markets make decisions—and how people and AI interact.
Whether you're conducting research or participating in a study, you'll help test ideas before they're put into practice. Research areas include:
Human–AI interaction and decision-making
AI agents in markets, negotiations, and organizationsAuctions and market design
Bargaining and negotiation
Decision support systems
Consumer and organizational decision-making
Behavioral economics and management
Interdisciplinary experimental research
Conduct Research with LEMA
LEMA's Research Focus
Market Design & Decision Research
Study how auctions, negotiations, incentives, and market structures influence the decisions people and organizations make.
Participating in Research
Participate in LEMA research studies as a student and earn compensation for your time.
Put Experimental Research Into Practice
Whether you're conducting research, participating in an experiment, or exploring a collaboration, LEMA provides the resources to move ideas from theory to evidence. Contact us for more.
Research Community & Participation
LEMA's research extends beyond the laboratory. Faculty incorporate experimental methods and findings into teaching, giving students exposure to the same approaches used to study markets, negotiations, and decision-making in academic research.
Penn State students can register to participate in LEMA research studies and earn compensation for their time. Every experiment is conducted under an approved Penn State IRB protocol, uses transparent research procedures without deception, and compensates participants based on study performance when appropriate.