Pokorny, Michael

Research

His current research interests are concerned with the economics and economic history of the film industry. A further research interest is concerned with the nature of the learning process in higher education, particularly within a widening participation environment. Previous research interests have been concerned with the economics of new technology, buyer loyalty and concentration in the UK heavy vehicle market and economies of scale in the UK and Australian retailing sectors. He has published in the Economic History Review, the Journal of Cultural Economics, Explorations in Economic History, the Journal of Industrial Economics, and the British Journal of Industrial Relations, in addition to jointly editing a book of readings on the economic history of film.

Publications

Journal articles

• Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. (2010) ‘The relationship between consumer risk and producer risk: evidence from the film industry during the 1930s.’  Business History, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 74-99 (ISSN 0007-6791).
• Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. (2010) ‘Hollywood’s foreign earnings during the 1930s.’ Transnational Cinemas, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 83-97 (ISSN: 20403526).
• Pokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J. (2010)  ‘Profitability trends in Hollywood, 1929 to 1999: somebody must know something’ Economic History Review, Vol. 63, No.1, pp 56-84 (ISSN 0013-0117).
• Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. (2005) ‘The film business in the United States and Britain during the 1930s.’ Economic History Review, Vol. LVIII, No. 1, pp 79-112 (ISSN 0013-0117) (also translated into Czech and published as ‘Filmový obchod v USA a Velké Británii ve tøicátých letech 20. století’ In: Iluminace, Vol. 18, 2006, nr. 4, pp. 69-104)
• Pokorny, M. and Pokorny, H. (2005) ‘Widening participation in higher education:  student quantitative skills and independent learning as impediments to progression’ International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, Vol. 36, No. 5, pp. 445-467 (ISSN 0020-739X)

Books, book chapters and reports

• Pokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J. (forthcoming) ‘The financial risks of film production’ in Mette Hjort (Ed) ‘Film and Risk’ to be published by Wayne State University Press.
• Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. (2005) (Eds) An Economic History of Film, Routledge (ISBN 0-415-32492-0).

Conferences

• Pokorny, M. (2009)  ‘Strategic rivalry and the profitability of film production:  Hollywood in the 1990s’  Presented to a symposium on the Economics of the Screen Content Industries, organised jointly by the University of Sydney and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, Australia, 12th June 2009
• Pokorny, M and Pokorny, H. (2008) ‘Trends in Student Performance on an Introductory Quantitative Methods Module in Business:  Some Explanations and Interpretations’  Presented to the Society for Research into Higher Education conference, Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, 9-11 December 2008. 
• Pokorny, M. (2007) ‘Profitability in Hollywood in the 1990s: Nobody Knows Anything?’  Presented to the Centre for Screen Business of the Australian Film Television and Radio School, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, on 10 August 2007.
• Pokorny, M. and Pokorny, H. (2007) ‘Widening participation and degree outcomes:  the impact of student risk on the higher education investment decision.’  Presented to the Annual Conference of the Higher Education Academy, Harrogate 3-5 July 2007.
• Pokorny, M. and Pokorny, H. (2006) ‘Widening Participation in Higher Education:  Implications for Teaching, Learning and Progression.’ Presented to the Annual Conference of the Society for Research into Higher Education, Brighton, 12-14 December 2006.
• Pokorny, M. and Pokorny, H. (2006) ‘Widening Participation and Performance on an Introductory Quantitative Methods Module in Business.’ Presented to the CETL–MSOR Conference, Loughborough University, 11-12 September 2006.
• Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. (2005)  ‘The consumption characteristics of film.’ Presented to the sixth European Historical Economics Society conference in Istanbul in September 8-9, 2005.