Scientific Networks and Co-authorship

Marcel Fafchamps, Marco van der Leij, Tinbergen Institute and Erasmus University, Sanjeev Goyal and University of Essex

No 256, Economics Series Working Papers from University of Oxford, Department of Economics

Abstract: Using a database of all published articles in economic journals over the last 30 years, we investigate the determinants of scientific co-authorship. We find that, controlling for pair-wise fixed effects and author productivity, a new collaboration emerges faster if the two authors are more closely connected, either directly or indirectly, through collaborations with others. This effect is strong and robust. It is consistent with a referral model of the formation of scientific collaborations. We also find that large differences in research output between authors favor co-authorship, suggesting that scientific collaboration is more likely between authors with dissimilar ability and experience. This effect disappears if we limit the data to highly productive authors.

Keywords: Job Referral; Networks; Assortative Matching; Scientific Collaboration; Academia; Economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J41 L14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006-02-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ict, nep-net and nep-soc
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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