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UID:c1c5edb4-e9ee-4cd5-9004-fd8f4a56ae5d@nexttoyou
DTSTAMP:20261105T151148Z
DTSTART:20261119T211500Z
DTEND:20261119T221500Z
SUMMARY:ORC Seminar: Points-Based Allocation with Costly and Strategic Rep
 orting
LOCATION:Building E51 145\, 70 MEMORIAL DR\, Cambridge\, MA 02142
DESCRIPTION:Elizabeth Paulson\n\nAssistant Professor\nHarvard Business Sch
 ool\n\nAbstract: Agencies often allocate scarce resources with transparen
 t point systems in which individuals choose whether to apply and which sc
 ore-relevant features to report. Because announced point values can influ
 ence these choices\, we study two behavioral responses. First\, applicati
 on and documentation are burdensome\, so costly features can discourage a
 pplication and reduce program access. Second\, applicants may strategical
 ly activate features absent at baseline to improve their scores. These re
 sponses put opposing pressure on point values and shape both optimal feat
 ure selection and point allocation. We show that access and integrity req
 uirements can be incompatible\, and that adding correlated—even statistic
 ally redundant—features can improve design. Finally\, we address a practi
 cal hurdle: how to redesign high-stakes point systems with limited inform
 ation. We propose a DRO-based approach to identify promising one-shot red
 esigns\, and demonstrate the approach on the existing SNAP benefit formul
 a using public quality control data.\n\nBio: Elisabeth develops analytica
 l methods to improve decision-making in public and social-sector operatio
 ns. She studies how algorithmic systems can personalize interventions\, a
 llocate scarce resources\, and incorporate fairness considerations in way
 s that are useful to the people and organizations that deploy them. One a
 pplication setting of focus is improving access to healthy food. An\n\nht
 tp://next-to-u.app/events/c1c5edb4-e9ee-4cd5-9004-fd8f4a56ae5d
URL:http://next-to-u.app/events/c1c5edb4-e9ee-4cd5-9004-fd8f4a56ae5d
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