
Abraham Ravid
Visiting Professor of Finance
S. Abraham (Avri) Ravid (Visiting Professor of Finance) is the Sy Syms Professor of Finance at Yeshiva University. Previous tenured positions include Rutgers and Haifa University. It is his second visit to Yale. Other visiting and short-term appointments included Cornell, University of Chicago, Wharton, Columbia, Northwestern, NYU, and UCLA.
Prof. Ravid is the author of 52 refereed papers in journals such as the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Finance, Journal of Business, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Journal of Marketing, Management Science and Review of Financial Studies as well as book chapters and other articles. Prof. Ravid’s research areas include corporate finance, labor and finance, and innovation. He also works on the media industries as a lab for testing major economic propositions. For example, a recently published paper considers actor replacement in the theater for precisely measuring for the value of human capital. Some current work, based on the market for film directors, considers how career concerns affect technology adoption. Another paper studies age or gender bias in high level managerial positions. Avri is also interested in entrepreneurship and innovation – a recent published paper ponders the innovation investment of firms facing different types of uncertainty. Other recent work looks at politics and disaster relief and how culture affects board decisions. Prior published work includes papers on contracting, capital structure and mergers.
Avri’s work and expertise have been cited in the press including the NY Times, WSJ, Financial Times, CNBC, BBC, Fox News, NPR, Huffington Post, Forbes, Fortune, USA Today, Hollywood Reporter, as well as media in Israel, France, Finland, Australia, Canada, Brazil, UK, Russia, Switzerland.
He was president of the Midwest Finance Association 2020 and a long time member and president of the Leonia district board of education in NJ 2006-2018. Prior to obtaining his PhD Avri was a professional journalist.
Education
PhD, Cornell University
MS, Cornell University
BS, Tel Aviv University
Articles
Innovation Under Ambiguity and Risk
Star Turnover and the Value of Human Capital—Evidence from Broadway Shows
Working Papers
Technology Adoption and Career Concerns: Evidence from the Adoption of Digital Technology in Motion Pictures
Do Age and Gender Affect Managers’ Career Progression? Evidence From the Careers of Movie Directors
Polls, Politics and Disaster Relief: Evidence from Federal SBA Loan Programs
Recent Selected Media Coverage
Does the SAG-AFTRA deal go far enough on AI use?, Marketplace, December 7, 2023
The economic effects of a Nobel Prize, Marketplace, October 3, 2023
Best Augmented Reality And Virtual Reality Stocks In 2023, Forbes, August 1, 2023
AI is a major concern for striking writers, NPR Morning Report, May 24, 2023
Selected Recent Opinion Letters
The Story of Showbiz, Told Through Paramount, Wall Street Journal, August 6, 2024
Empty Offices, Empty Storefronts, The New York Times, September 18, 2023
Why Moviegoers Are Now Staying Home, The New York Times, December 16, 2022
Negative Externalities, ESG and Democracy, Wall Street Journal, November 14, 2022
Learn From Israel How to Think About Water, Wall Street Journal, September 1, 2022