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Topics And Geographical Diffusion Of Knowledge In Top Economic Journals

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  • Magda Fontana
  • Fabio Montobbio
  • Paolo Racca

Abstract

We study the evolution of topics in economics and their geographical specialization by analyzing 13,233 papers from seven top journals between 1985 and 2012 and their forward citations. The share of U.S. publications declines from 75% to 64% with a corresponding increase of the European share from 12% to 24%. We use topic modeling and document the evolution of the discipline over 27 years. We estimate, with a quasi‐structural model, the citation lag distribution for 18 different topics and three large geographical areas. The modal citation lag is about 6.7 years in the entire sample and 4.8 years for citations from the top 100 journals. We quantify (1) the home bias effect in citations, (2) how it fades away over time, (3) the long lasting impact of U.S. publications vis‐à‐vis other geographical areas, and (4) the higher speed of diffusion and faster obsolescence in the United States. (JEL A14, I23, O33, A11)

Suggested Citation

  • Magda Fontana & Fabio Montobbio & Paolo Racca, 2019. "Topics And Geographical Diffusion Of Knowledge In Top Economic Journals," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 57(4), pages 1771-1797, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:57:y:2019:i:4:p:1771-1797
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.12815
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Abramo, Giovanni & D’Angelo, Ciriaco Andrea & Di Costa, Flavia, 2021. "On the relation between the degree of internationalization of cited and citing publications: A field level analysis, including and excluding self-citations," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1).
    2. Judit Sulyok & Beáta Fehérvölgyi & Tibor Csizmadia & Attila I. Katona & Zsolt T. Kosztyán, 2023. "Does geography matter? Implications for future tourism research in light of COVID-19," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(3), pages 1601-1637, March.
    3. Andrei Dubovik & Clemens Fiedler & Alexei Parakhonyak, 2022. "Temporal Patterns in Economics Research," CPB Discussion Paper 440, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    4. Abramo, Giovanni & D’Angelo, Ciriaco Andrea & Di Costa, Flavia, 2020. "Knowledge spillovers: Does the geographic proximity effect decay over time? A discipline-level analysis, accounting for cognitive proximity, with and without self-citations," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 14(4).
    5. Rommel, Florian & Urban, Janina, 2022. "A Survey of German Economics," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264131, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Ali Sina Önder & Sascha Schweitzer & Hakan Yilmazkuday, 2021. "Field Distance and Quality in Economists’ Collaborations," Working Papers in Economics & Finance 2021-04, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Business School, Economics and Finance Subject Group.
    7. Jaque Herrera, Gabriela & Cárdenas-Retamal, Roberto & Barrales Henriquez, Daniel, 2022. "Tendencias en Publicaciones en Revistas Chilenas de Economía," Documentos de Trabajo 12, Estudios Nueva Economía.
    8. Ali Sina Önder & Sergey V. Popov & Sascha Schweitzer, 2021. "Leadership in Scholarship: Editors’ Appointments and the Profession’s Narrative," Working Papers in Economics & Finance 2021-05, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Business School, Economics and Finance Subject Group.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists

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