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Isabella Blengini

Dr Isabella Blengini

Dr Isabella Blengini

Associate Professor

Expertise

  • Economics, Decision Theory, Imperfect Information, Policy Design, Field Experiments

Biography

Isabella Blengini, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Economics at EHL Hospitality Business School.

She completed a PhD in Economics at Boston College. During her doctoral studies, she was a research fellow at the MIT Economics Department and interned at the Boston Fed in the Research Department. After obtaining her PhD, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Lausanne.

She teaches economics at both the graduate (MBA, MiHM) and undergraduate (BOSC) levels and has previously held teaching positions at Boston College and the University of Lausanne. 

Her research examines how information and policy design shape decision-making. She applies decision theory and field experiments to study policy effectiveness, focusing on improving communication and interventions for better economic outcomes.  Building on her work in financial markets and policy communication, she has recently expanded her interests to energy markets, transportation, and health-related behaviors. 

Her work has been published in The Economic Journal and other academic outlets.

https://sites.google.com/view/isabella-blengini/home

Awards

Researcher of the Year Award, 2020, EHL
H. Michael Mann Summer Fellowship Award, Summer 2008 Boston College 
Graduate Scholarship (September 2006 - May 2011)
Prize Fausto Vicarelli for best Undergraduate Thesis in Italy (2004)

Education

Ph.D in Economics, Boston College
M.A. in Economics, Boston College
Ph.D. in Economics, University of Milan

Courses Taught

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT • Business Tools II • Diploma work - Bachelor Thesis
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION IN HOSPITALITY • Hospitality Economics
CERTIFICATE IN HOSPITALITY ECONOMICS (E-LEARNING) • Hospitality Economics
MASTER in Hospitality Management • Service Economics

Teaching Location

EHL Campus Lausanne
EHL Campus (Singapore)
Academic Publications

Academic publications from Isabella Blengini

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Article

The impact of Basel III on trade finance : the potential unintended consequences of the leverage ratio

The treatment of trade finance, particularly in the form of short-term letters of credit, has been subject to policy discussions during the making of Basel III rules. International public institutions representing the trade and development...

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Article

A macroeconomic perspective on Airbnb’s global presence

The rise of the P2P economy has been fueled by a range of social, economic and technological factors, but limited research has been focused on the P2P economy from a macroeconomic perspective. Therefore this study tried to identify the macroeconomic...

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Article

Optimal monetary policy when information is market-generated

The nature of the private sector’s information changes the optimal conduct of monetary policy. When firms observe their individual demand and use it as a signal of real shocks, the optimal policy consists in maximising the information content of...

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Article

How do hotels adapt their pricing strategies to macroeconomic factors?

The hospitality industry is naturally highly sensitive to subtle changes in the external environment, and its performance is affected by various external factors. Therefore, hoteliers should carefully monitor the various macroeconomic indicators...

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Article

Why a new name ? : the role of asset characteristics and broad market trends in predicting brand affiliation change in hotels

Brand affiliation is a critical choice in the hotel business. The decision to change brand (i.e., “rebranding”) may be determined by asset-level private information as well as publicly known information related to the property. In this article, we...

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Article

The role of exchange rate on hotelier’s pricing decision and business performance: the case of Switzerland, a small open economy

This study focuses on the role of the exchange rate on hotelier’s pricing decision and business performance. This study explores the way hospitality industry practitioners react to exchange rate fluctuations and monetary policy interventions on the...

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Journal publications

Poretti, C., Blengini, I., & Nicolau, J. L. (Forthcoming). Sustainability, innovation, and competitive advantage in tourism: An event study of the inflation reduction act. Journal of Travel Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875251398438

Benhima, K., Blengini, I., & Merrouche, O. (Forthcoming). Foreign Currency Debt and Disagreement. The Economic Journal. https://doi.org/10.1093/ej/ueaf076

Blengini, I., Hasman, A., & Heo, C. Y. (2026). Exploring the impact of policy responses to COVID-19. Tourism Economics, 32(1), 129-149. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548166251348346

Blengini, I., & Heo, C.Y. (2024). The role of exchange rate on hotelier’s pricing decision and business performance: the case of Switzerland, a small open economy. Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, 23, 206-216. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41272-023-00461-7

Blengini, I., & Das, P. (2021). Why a new name? The role of asset characteristics and broad market trends in predicting brand affiliation change in hotels. Cornell hospitality quarterly, 62(2), 173-197. https://doi.org/10.1177/1938965520924648

Blengini, I., & Heo, C. (2020). How do hotels adapt their pricing strategies to macroeconomic factors? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 88, 102522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102522

Benhima, K., & Blengini, I. (2020). Optimal Monetary Policy when Information is Market-Generated. The Economic Journal, 130(628), 956-975. https://doi.org/10.1093/ej/ueaa007

Heo, C., & Blengini, I. (2020). 3rd Revenue Management & Pricing in Services Conference (2019 RevME Europe). Journal of Revenue Pricing Management, 19, 140–143. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41272-020-00233-7

Auboin, M., & Blengini, I. (2019). The Impact of Basel III on Trade Finance: the Potential Unintended Consequences of the Leverage Ratio. Journal of Banking Regulation, 20(2), 115-123. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41261-018-0071-6

Heo, C., & Blengini, I. (2019). A macroeconomic perspective on Airbnb’s global presence. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 78, 47-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.11.013

Blengini, I. (2012). Foreign currency debt and agents’ expectations, FINRISK working paper No. 767.

Blengini, I. (2012). Portfolio Choice under Uncertainty, FINRISK working paper No. 768.