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Economics of co-authorship

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  • Bruna Bruno

Abstract

Starting with the literature on the rising incidence of co-authorship in economics, this paper presents a theoretical model to analyze choices of co-authorship based on the assumption that authors are motivated to optimize the returns to publications. The model analyzes two pay structures, one that is proportional to the number of authors, and one that is not. The heterogeneity of the researchers implies for the policy-maker a trade-off between the objective of maximizing effort and that of selecting better researchers. The trade-off is more relevant when low-quality researchers choose opportunistic behavior in order to collaborate with high-quality researchers.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruna Bruno, 2014. "Economics of co-authorship," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 212-220.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:44:y:2014:i:2:p:212-220
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    2. Sauer, Raymond D, 1988. "Estimates of the Returns to Quality and Coauthorship in Economic Academia," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 96(4), pages 855-866, August.
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    7. Maria Cristina Marcuzzo & Giulia Zacchia, 2007. "L'ECONLIT e gli strumenti per la valutazione della ricerca economica in Italia," Rivista italiana degli economisti, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 2, pages 277-306.
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    9. McDowell, John M & Smith, Janet Kiholm, 1992. "The Effect of Gender-Sorting on Propensity to Coauthor: Implications for Academic Promotion," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 30(1), pages 68-82, January.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Francis Bidault & Thomas Hildebrand, 2012. "The distribution of partnerships benefits: Evidence from co-authorships in economics journals," ESMT Research Working Papers ESMT-12-08, ESMT European School of Management and Technology.
    2. Antonio Abatemarco & Roberto Dell'Anno, 2012. "Italian Reform of the academic recruitment system. An appraisal of ANVUR and CUN benchmarks for assessing candidates and commissioners," Rivista italiana degli economisti, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 3, pages 441-480.
    3. Luigi Aldieri & Gennaro Guida & Maxim Kotsemir & Concetto Paolo Vinci, 2019. "An investigation of impact of research collaboration on academic performance in Italy," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(4), pages 2003-2040, July.
    4. Besancenot, Damien & Huynh, Kim & Serranito, Francisco, 2017. "Co-authorship and research productivity in economics: Assessing the assortative matching hypothesis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 61-80.
    5. Damien Besancenot & Kim Van Huynh & Francisco Serranito, 2015. " Thou shalt not work alone ," Working Papers hal-01175758, HAL.
    6. Damien Besancenot & Kim Van Huynh & Francisco Serranito, 2015. " Thou shalt not work alone ," CEPN Working Papers hal-01175758, HAL.
    7. Antonio Abatemarco & Roberto Dell’Anno, 2013. "Certainty equivalent citation: generalized classes of citation indexes," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 94(1), pages 263-271, January.
    8. David Ong & Ho Fai Chan & Benno Torgler & Yu (Alan) Yang, 2015. "Endogenous selection into single and coauthorships by surname initials in economics and management," CREMA Working Paper Series 2015-01, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    9. Bidault, Francis & Hildebrand, Thomas, 2014. "The distribution of partnership returns: Evidence from co-authorships in economics journals," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(6), pages 1002-1013.
    10. David Ong & Ho Fai Chan & Benno Torgler & Yu (Alan) Yang, 2015. "Endogenous selection into single and coauthorships by surname initials in economics and management," CREMA Working Paper Series 2015-01, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    11. Ong, David & Chan, Ho Fai & Torgler, Benno & Yang, Yu (Alan), 2018. "Collaboration incentives: Endogenous selection into single and coauthorships by surname initial in economics and management," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 41-57.
    12. Conan Mukherjee & Ranojoy Basu & Aftab Alam, 2020. "A measure of authorship by publications," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(3), pages 354-361, April.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D0 - Microeconomics - - General
    • J40 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - General
    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists

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