nep-sog New Economics Papers
on Sociology of Economics
Issue of 2020‒06‒29
three papers chosen by
Jonas Holmström
Axventure AB

  1. The Unequal Effects of Covid-19 on Economists' Research Productivity By Amano-Patiño, N.; Faraglia, E.; Giannitsarou, C; Hasna, Z.
  2. On the Influence of Top Journals By Ductor, L.; Goyal, S.; van der Leij, M.; Paez, G. N.
  3. Stimulating Peer Effects? Evidence from a Research Cluster Policy By Carayol, Nicolas; Henry, Emeric; Lanoe, Marianne

  1. By: Amano-Patiño, N.; Faraglia, E.; Giannitsarou, C; Hasna, Z.
    Abstract: The current lock-down measures are expected to disproportionately reduce women's labor productivity in the short run. This paper analyzes the effects of these measures on economists' research productivity. We explore the patterns of working papers publications using data from the NBER Working Papers Series, the CEPR Discussion Paper Series, the newly established research repository Covid Economics: Vetted and Real Time Papers and VoxEU columns. Our analysis suggests that although the relative number of female authors in non-pandemic related research has remained stable with respect to recent years (at around 20%), women constitute only 12% of total number of authors working on COVID-19 research. Moreover, we see that it is primarily senior economists who are contributing to this new area. Mid-career and junior economists record the biggest gap between non-COVID and COVID research, and the gender di erences are particularly stark at the mid-career level. Mid-career female economists have not yet started working on this new research area: only 12 mid-career female authors have contributed to COVID-19 related research so far, out of a total of 647 distinct authors in our dataset of papers (NBER, CEPR and CEPR Covid Economics).
    Keywords: COVID-19, Economics Research, Gender Inequality
    Date: 2020–05–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cam:camdae:2038&r=all
  2. By: Ductor, L.; Goyal, S.; van der Leij, M.; Paez, G. N.
    Abstract: We study the evolution of the influence of journals over the period 1970-2017. In the early 1970's, a number of journals had similar influence, but by 1995, the `Top 5' journals - QJE, AER, RES, Econometrica, and JPE - had acquired a major lead. This dominance has remained more or less unchanged since 1995. To place these developments in a broader context, we also study trends in sociology. The trends there have gone the other way - the field journals rose in influence, relative to the Top General journals. A model of journals as platforms is developed to understand these trends across time and across disciplines.
    Keywords: research impact, Top 5 journals, academic publishing, citations
    JEL: A14 D85
    Date: 2020–04–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cam:camdae:2029&r=all
  3. By: Carayol, Nicolas; Henry, Emeric; Lanoe, Marianne
    Abstract: Production of knowledge relies on peer effects and interactions between researchers. However, little is known on how much policies may stimulate these peer effects. In this paper we shed light on this question, and show how a public "research cluster" policy, which funds local networks of researchers working on a common theme, affects the organization of research within these clusters and the productivity of its members. Using data from a large scale financing program in France, and relying on an identification strategy based on grades awarded by reviewers, we show that members of financed clusters increase by up to 30% the research collaborations they have with other members of the cluster, compared to researchers of non selected proposals. This very large reorganization of the research network translates into a more modest positive effect on research productivity. Paradoxically, those who benefit the most from the financing, are those who were not at the core of the research topic, i.e. were not cited in the bibliography of the research proposal, who significantly increase their links with core members and their total publication counts. Consistently, the policy reduces inequality in publication outcomes within the cluster. It stimulates peer effects to the benefit of periphery members.
    Keywords: cluster policy; economics of science; peer effects; Research funding
    Date: 2020–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:14589&r=all

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