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on Sociology of Economics |
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Issue of 2010‒10‒23
four papers chosen by Jonas Holmström Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration |
| By: | Laszlo A. Koczy (Institute of Economics - Hungarian Academy of Sciences); Martin Strobel (Maastricht University) |
| Abstract: | A ranking of journals is manipulable if a particular journal's position can be improved by making additional citations to other journals. We introduce a simple ranking method that is not manipulable and is invariant to citation intensities, journal scaling and article-splitting. The ranking of economics journals is presented and is compared to rankings by alternative methods in the recent years. |
| Keywords: | journal ranking, incomplete tournaments, manipulation, invariance, scientometrics |
| JEL: | A1 C8 D72 Y1 |
| Date: | 2010–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:has:discpr:1018&r=sog |
| By: | Diego Ubfal; Alessandro Maffioli |
| Abstract: | In this paper, we evaluate the impact of research grants on the amount of collaboration, among scientific researchers in Argentina. We find a positive and significant impact of funding on collaboration, which is measured in terms of the number of co-authors for publications in peer-reviewed journals. In particular, we find a significant impact of the grants for funded researchers both on the size of their ego network, and on their 2-step indirect links, measured by the number of direct and 1-step indirect co-authors. We also find evidence that this impact was driven by the results of funded researchers at the upper tail of the distribution of collaboration outcomes. Our identification strategy is based on comparing collaboration indicators for researchers with financially supported projects with those of a control group of researchers who submitted projects that were accepted in terms of quality, but not supported because of shortage of funds. We obtain consistent results by using different non-experimental techniques such as difference-in-differences models combined with propensity score matching methods and a non-parametric difference-in-differences estimator. |
| Keywords: | Scientific Collaboration, Social Networks, Program Evaluation, Nonparametric Difference-in-Differences Estimator, Latin America, Argentina |
| JEL: | O31 D85 |
| Date: | 2010–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:spdwps:1006&r=sog |
| By: | Alessandro Vercelli |
| Abstract: | The Great Recession triggered by the subprime mortgage crisis raised serious questions on the responsibility of the economists as intellectuals, advisors and decision makers. This essay focuses on the responsibility of the academic economist in his role of researcher, teacher, divulgator, inspirer and supporter of a specific ideology (sometimes malgré lui). In the light of this analysis, the author briefly discusses the limits of the institutionalized and centralized evaluation systems of research quality recently adopted in many countries, and suggests an alternative approach to the evaluation of the merit of academic economists centred on the zeal shown in complying with all their duties. |
| Keywords: | responsabilità dell’economista, etica ed economia, valutazione della ricerca, grande recessione |
| JEL: | A11 A13 A20 |
| Date: | 2010–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:usi:depfid:0510&r=sog |
| By: | Alessandro Vercelli |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the interaction between the Great recession triggered by the US subprime mortgages crisis and the twin crisis of macroeconomics. We argue that a major determinant of the subprime crisis and its dire consequences has been an approach to economics that is unable to deal with irregular phenomena. On the other hand, the unexpectedly deep financial crisis that has heavily affected the real economy makes clear that we need a major redirection of macroeconomic theory to make it able to explain, forecast and control irregular phenomena. The recent interaction between the crisis of the economy and the crisis of macroeconomics is analyzed in the light of similar preceding episodes in the 20th century: the Great contraction of the 1930s and the Great stagflation of the 1970s. |
| Keywords: | subprime crisis, Great recession, Great stagflation, Great contraction, Great depression, liberalism, laissez-faire, Keynesism, neoliberalism, new classical economics, theory and facts, scientific revolutions. |
| JEL: | A11 B22 B41 E E E G N1 |
| Date: | 2010–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:usi:depfid:0410&r=sog |