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on Cultural Economics |
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Issue of 2025–01–20
three papers chosen by Roberto Zanola, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale |
| By: | Oded Galor; Marc Klemp; Daniel C. Wainstock |
| Abstract: | This study reveals the pivotal impact of the prehistoric out-of-Africa migration on global variation in the degree of cultural diversity within ethnic and national populations. Drawing on novel diversity measures—encompassing folkloric and musical traditions among indigenous ethnic groups, as well as norms, values, and attitudes in modern societies—an intriguing pattern emerges: societies whose ancestors migrated farther from humanity's cradle in Africa exhibit lower cultural diversity. These striking findings underscore: (i) the profound role of cultural dynamics in shaping the enduring effects of the out-of-Africa migration on social cohesion, innovativeness, and living standards; (ii) the origins of persistent global variations in cultural expressions within an increasingly interconnected world; and (iii) the roots of variations in societal adaptability to evolving economic and technological landscapes. |
| Keywords: | diversity, culture, out-of-Africa, folkloric diversity, musical diversity, social norms |
| JEL: | O10 Z10 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11524 |
| By: | Michelangelo Rossi; Felix Schleef |
| Abstract: | This study examines the unintended consequences of quality disclosures, focusing on how Academy Award nominations impact consumer satisfaction in the movie industry. Awards, certifications, and nominations typically signal high quality and increase consumer expectations. Yet, if the experience falls short of the expectation, they may also lead to disappointment. Using a novel dataset from Movie-Lens, we analyze user ratings for movies surrounding Academy Award nominations from 1995 to 2019. We employ a difference-in-differences framework and a recommendation-based matching approach to isolate the “disappointment effect” showing a significant decline in ratings for nominated movies post-nomination. This effect accounts for more than 7% of the pre-nomination rating gap between nominated and non-nominated films and is most pronounced among less experienced users. Our findings are validated with data from IMDb, where the effect is even more pronounced, likely due to groupthink and public review dynamics. By isolating disappointment from selection and supply side responses, this study offers insights into the dual-edged nature of quality signals and their implications for consumer welfare. |
| Keywords: | quality disclosure, movie industry, expectation formation, disappointment |
| JEL: | D82 D83 D91 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11573 |
| By: | Michael Fritsch (Friedrich Schiller University Jena); Matthias Huegel (University of Kassel); Maria Greve (University of Utrecht, Netherlands); Michael Wyrwich (University of Groningen, Netherlands and Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany) |
| Abstract: | We describe the procedure for compiling a list of industrial monuments in the regions of Germany and the resulting data set. In addition, we provide an overview of the regional distribution of the number of industrial monuments in Germany. The data set is publicly available on the Internet. |
| Keywords: | Industrial monuments, regional culture, cultural memory |
| JEL: | C8 N9 R1 Z1 |
| Date: | 2025–01–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:jrp:jrpwrp:2025-0061 |