Preventing Economists' Capture
37 Pages Posted: 2 Jun 2014
There are 2 versions of this paper
Preventing Economists' Capture
Date Written: March 2014
Abstract
The very same forces that induce economists to conclude that regulators are captured should lead us to conclude that the economic profession is captured as well. As evidence of this capture, I show that papers whose conclusions are pro-management are more likely to be published in economic journals and more likely to be cited. I also show that business schoolsÂ’ faculty write papers that are more pro management. I highlight possible remedies to reduce the extent of this capture: from a reform of the publication process, to an enhanced data disclosure, from a stronger theoretical foundation to a mechanism of peer pressure. Ultimately, the most important remedy, however, is awareness, an awareness most economists still do not have.
Keywords: Capture, Economics profession, Regulation
JEL Classification: D72, P16, Z13
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation