Exploring different visions of the model-empirics nexus: Solow versus Lipsey

Robert Goldfarb () and Jonathan Ratner ()

Journal of Economic Methodology, 2009, vol. 16, issue 2, 159-174

Abstract: Does empirical work in economics both provoke and test theoretical models, or does model development proceed according to a theory-oriented research program, with little interaction with empirics? Robert Solow and Richard Lipsey have articulated different visions of this relationship. This paper: (i) describes these competing Solow versus Lipsey views; (ii) presents examples illustrating each view; and (iii) draws inferences about factors promoting a close relation between empirics and modeling. Three examples are examined in detail: the 'nursing shortage' literature; Lind's analysis of recent rent control models; and a wide-ranging evaluation of 'is there too little theory in development economics?' by leading development economists. Various factors promoting or inhibiting a close connection between modeling and empirics are identified.

Keywords: models; methodology; theory-empirics connection; nursing shortages; rent control; development economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13501780902940745 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:jecmet:v:16:y:2009:i:2:p:159-174

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/RJEC20

DOI: 10.1080/13501780902940745

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Economic Methodology is currently edited by John Davis and D Wade Hands

More articles in Journal of Economic Methodology from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().