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Markets and Manipulation: Time for a Paradigm Shift?

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  • Kaushik Basu

Abstract

There is a growing appreciation in economics that people have emotional vulnerabilities, commitments to social norms, and systematic irrationalities that impact their decision making and choice in the market place. The flip side of this is that human beings are susceptible to being manipulated by unscrupulous agents single-minded about marketing their services and wares. This paper reviews George Akerlof and Robert Shiller's Phishing for Phools: The Economics of Manipulation and Deception, alongside other writings in the field, and discusses how this research agenda can be taken forward. The paper shows how this new research can shed light on the ubiquity of corruption in so many societies, and proposes ideas for controlling corruption.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaushik Basu, 2018. "Markets and Manipulation: Time for a Paradigm Shift?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(1), pages 185-205, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jeclit:v:56:y:2018:i:1:p:185-205
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jel.20161410
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Gomes, Orlando & Frade, João, 2019. "“Fool me once, …”: deception, morality and self-regeneration in decentralized markets," Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Science, Universidad ESAN, vol. 24(48), pages 312-326.
    2. Devlina & Santosh Kumar Sahu, 2023. "Bureaucratic and Societal Determinants of Female-Led Microenterprises in India," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, February.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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