In this ongoing series, we’ll profile Ivey’s faculty, giving you insights into their work and lives.
You could say Brandon Schaufele is revisiting his research roots.
Once a Postdoctoral Fellow at Ivey from 2009 to 2011, Schaufele has now returned to the School as an Assistant Professor of Business, Economics, and Public Policy, where he will continue his research on the links between firms, governments, and society.
He came to Ivey from the University of Ottawa where he was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics as well as the Research Director of the school’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity. He made the move to London with his wife, Meg; daughter, Willa, 5; son, Paul, 2; and the family’s dog, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Hugo.
“I’m very happy to be back,” he said. “London is a beautiful city and Ivey is a great school with good colleagues, a nice building, and smart students. There are a lot of familiar faces.”
As a Postdoctoral Fellow, Schaufele worked with David Sparling, Professor and Chair of Agri-Food Innovation and Regulation, on agri-food research and policy issues. He also met Assistant Professor and Energy Consortium Fellow Adam Fremeth and together they researched the impact of the evolution of campaign contributions over CEOs’ careers – a research project that they are now continuing.
Schaufele is also contributing to research from the Ivey Energy Policy and Management Centre. He originates from Medicine Hat, Alta., which is known for its large natural gas fields, and has previously researched how cap-and-trade programs and carbon taxes influence consumer decisions.
“Climate change is the story of energy for the last decade and it probably will be for the next decade,” he said. “Further, being from Alberta, I’m acutely aware of the increasingly important role that oil and gas is playing in Canada’s economy and understand that Canada needs to examine how we manage that energy-related growth, both from a policy and a business perspective.”
At A Glance
WHO: Brandon Schaufele, Assistant Professor, Business, Economics, and Public Policy
PREVIOUS SCHOOL: Schaufele comes from the University of Ottawa, where he was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics. He also served as the Research Director of University of Ottawa’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity
PREVIOUS CAREER: Schaufele is no stranger to Ivey. He completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship at Ivey (2009-2011)
RESEARCH INTEREST: Schaufele’s research focuses on the links between firms, governments, and civil society, especially how the incentives of these agents interact to influence business decisions and policy-making. His recent work investigates the underlying motivations for companies and company executives to participate in political activity. Another stream evaluates how consumers and firms respond to Canadian energy and environmental policy initiatives.
FINDINGS: Important insights from Schaufele’s research include demonstrating that firms and consumers respond to energy and environmental policies in very different and often counterintuitive ways. Similarly, along with co-authors, he has shown that occupying the office of the chief executive appears to change how individuals interact with politicians and government officials when compared with other stages of their careers.
RELEVANCE: Business leaders need to be aware of the policy environment in which they operate. Among other things, Schaufele’s research shows that consumers may overreact to new government policies and that lobbying by industry groups can successfully alter policy design even when available evidence doesn’t support their position.
FUN FACT: In high school, Schaufele co-owned a concert promotion company and played guitar in a punk rock band.
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