External Influence as an Indicator of Scholarly Importance

Ho Fai Chan, Bruno Frey, Jana Gallus, Markus Schaffner, Benno Torgler and Stephen Whyte
Additional contact information
Jana Gallus: Department of Economics, University of Zurich
Markus Schaffner: Queensland Behavioural Economics Group (QuBE), School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology
Benno Torgler: Queensland Behavioural Economics Group (QuBE), School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology, and EBS Business School, ISBS, EBS Universität für Wirtschaft and CREMA
Stephen Whyte: Queensland Behavioural Economics Group (QuBE), School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology

No 2013.87, Working Papers from Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei

Abstract: The external influence of scholarly activity has to date been measured primarily in terms of publications and citations, metrics that also dominate the promotion and grant processes. Yet the array of scholarly activities visible to the outside world are far more extensive and recently developed technologies allow broader and more accurate measurement of their influence on the wider societal discourse. Accordingly we analyze the relation between the internal and external influences of 723 top economics scholars using the number of pages indexed by Google and Bing as a measure of their external influence. Although the correlation between internal and external influence is low overall, it is highest among recipients of major key awards such as the Nobel Prize or John Bates Clark medal, and particularly strong for those ranked among the top 100 researchers.

Keywords: Academia; Scholarly Importance; Role of Economics; Social Importance of Economists; External and Internal Influence; Academic Performance; Awards (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A11 A13 Z18 Z19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hme
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Related works:
Journal Article: External Influence as an Indicator of Scholarly Importance (2016)
Working Paper: External Influence as an Indicator of Scholarly Importance (2014)
Working Paper: External Influence as an Indicator of Scholarly Importance (2013)
Working Paper: External Influence as an Indicator of Scholarly Importance (2013)
Working Paper: External Influence as an Indicator of Scholarly Importance (2013)
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