Markets for Scientific Attribution

38 Pages Posted: 17 Nov 2014 Last revised: 2 Jul 2023

See all articles by Joshua S. Gans

Joshua S. Gans

University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management; NBER

Fiona Murray

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Entrepreneurship Center

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 2014

Abstract

Formal attribution provides a means of recognizing scientific contributions as well as allocating scientific credit. This paper examines the processes by which attribution arises and its interaction with market assessments of the relative contributions of members of scientific teams and communities – a topic of interest organizational economics of science and in understanding scientific labor markets. We demonstrate that a pioneer or senior scientist’s decision to co-author with a follower or junior scientist depends critically on market attributions as well as the timing of the co-authoring decision. This results in multiple equilibrium outcomes each with different implications for expected quality of research projects. However, we demonstrate that the Pareto efficient organisational regime is for the follower researcher to be granted co-authorship contingent on their own performance without any earlier pre-commitment to formal attribution. We then compare this with the alternative for the pioneer of publishing their contribution and being rewarded through citations to back to it. While in some equilibria (especially where co-authoring commitments are possible) there is no advantage to interim publication, in others this can increase expected research quality.

Suggested Citation

Gans, Joshua S. and Murray, Fiona E., Markets for Scientific Attribution (November 2014). NBER Working Paper No. w20677, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2526032

Joshua S. Gans (Contact Author)

University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management ( email )

Canada

HOME PAGE: http://www.joshuagans.com

NBER ( email )

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Fiona E. Murray

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Entrepreneurship Center ( email )

United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
23
Abstract Views
742
PlumX Metrics