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on Cultural Economics |
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Issue of 2026–06–22
four papers chosen by Roberto Zanola, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale |
| By: | Wojciech Hardy (University of Warsaw); Satia Rożynek (University of Warsaw) |
| Abstract: | TikTok and its user-generated short-form videos have largely disrupted the ways in which labels and artists used to promote their music. Numerous cases emerged of older songs randomly getting a second life or of artists building their careers TikTok-first. Yet, the debate on broader effects of short-form videos on music still echoes the 2000s concerns on digital piracy: is it additional promotion, or substitution for other channels? We study this in the context of the strategically important chart longevity across four diverse platforms: major and smaller audio streaming (Spotify and Deezer), audio-visual streaming (YouTube) and a discovery tool (Shazam). We analyse whether time and country-specific TikTok reach allowed songs going viral in the platform to retain their positions for longer at music charts and apply propensity score matching to study the effects across songs with similar TikTok virality potential. We find that the effects of TikTok are not uniform and seem stronger for Deezer, YouTube and Shazam than for Spotify. They also seem more positive for more recent songs on audio streaming services but with opposite being true for YouTube and Shazam. We discuss these findings in the context of other research in different contexts, mainstreaminess, (re)discovery channels and promotion. |
| Keywords: | TikTok, Spotify, streaming, music, promotion, discovery |
| JEL: | D12 D26 Z10 |
| Date: | 2026–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cue:wpaper:awp-06-2026 |
| By: | Giuseppe Attanasi; Giuseppe Ciccarone; Valentina Peruzzi |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates how collective cultural participation shapes the micro-dynamics of trust formation and its short-term social and economic effects. Using unique microdata from a long-term field study of collective cultural participation, comprising more than 13, 000 face-to-face interviews, we examine whether engagement in shared artistic experiences enhances instantaneous social capital, defined as a temporary yet socially meaningful increase in interpersonal trust. Results show that emotional and bodily participation in collective performances significantly increases the likelihood of reporting higher trust toward others. This situational trust, in turn, predicts a greater willingness to volunteer and higher local spending. The findings highlight that cultural events can act as catalysts of both social cohesion and local economic vitality, even within short-lived, non-institutional settings. |
| Keywords: | social capital, trust, cultural participation, field study, prosocial behavior, local development |
| JEL: | Z13 D91 D64 O18 C83 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ter:wpaper:00189 |
| By: | Paolo Pin; Roberto Rozzi; Alessandro Stringhi |
| Abstract: | Museums can serve as policy tools when their content is purposefully curated. We designed a framed field experiment at the Santa Maria della Scala museum in Siena that leveraged the site's historical role offering care and hospitality.Student visitors randomly assigned to a tour emphasizing this function later donated more to an NGO supporting refugee than those who followed a standard artistic itinerary, with effects concentrated among female participants. These results show that thematically targeted museum experiences can measurably boost charitable behavior toward vulnerable groups, underscoring the untapped potential of cultural institutions in behavioral public policy. |
| Date: | 2026–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2606.07109 |
| By: | O'Leary, Ethan (Dept. of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration) |
| Abstract: | Trust, the belief in another individual or organisation’s intent to act in good faith, is a cornerstone of social prosperity. However, cultural norms significantly influence trust levels within and between groups, often leading to discriminatory behaviours that undermine cooperation. This paper investigates the impact of culture on trust using a novel experimental approach that isolates trust from confounding factors such as risk preferences and distributional concerns. The setting of the experiment is England, a culturally and economically divided nation. Focusing on self-identified Southerners and Northerners, I find evidence of a cultural trust gap. Specifically, while Southerners exhibit equal trust towards both groups, Northerners trust Southerners significantly less than their own group. By decomposing trust into its conditional and unconditional components, I show that this disparity is driven by unconditional trust: Northerners perceive Southerners as more selfish than their own culture. |
| Keywords: | Trust; Culture; Beliefs; Spectator Design |
| JEL: | C90 D01 D83 D91 R11 |
| Date: | 2026–06–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:nhheco:2026_008 |