Re: academic journals
Fred Foldvary wrote: > > universities are maximizing something, but it's not clear what. > >Could it be that such universities seek to maximize prestige, or academic >esteem? Thus, the original seed of >good and useful research grows into a tree where the fruit becomes an end in >itself and is perpetuated by cultural memes which are themselves the end. I hope you meant "original seed" metaphorically, rather than temporally. It's not clear there ever was a time when things were different. Robin Hanson [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hanson.gmu.edu Asst. Prof. Economics, George Mason University MSN 1D3, Carow Hall, Fairfax VA 22030- 703-993-2326 FAX: 703-993-2323
Re: academic journals
> universities are maximizing something, but it's not clear what. > John Samples Could it be that such universities seek to maximize prestige, or academic esteem? In the academic culture, publishing in "top" journals generates esteem, so that is what is sought. Secondarily, an academic reputation generates esteem among the public. Students then seek out such universities, not because the teaching is good, since it may not be, but because the prestige carries over to degrees and credentials. Thus, the original seed of good and useful research grows into a tree where the fruit becomes an end in itself and is perpetuated by cultural memes which are themselves the end. The question is whether the "top" economic journals do publish the most useful and innovative research and insights, or whether an academic culture has developed that self-perpetuates an illusion. Fred Foldvary = [EMAIL PROTECTED] __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
academic journals
I have taken the liberty of changing the subject line since the discussion seems to have shifted. Given that this is the Armchair list, what would economists make of an industry that works like this: A firm (the university) hires employees (professors) to make products (articles) that are then given gratis to other firms (journal publishers) who produce a product (a journal) that is then sold back to a part of the original firm (the university library) who buys it on behalf of other parties (its faculty) who by and large will not spend their own money on the product (and do so only when there is severe price discrimination in their favor). Academic books fit the same model except the product is sold to the publisher but the proceeds go to the employee and not the firm that originally invested in the writing of the book. Steve Landesberg recently remarked to me in relation to his experience with university administration that it's clear universities are maximizing something, but it's not clear what. Perhaps by publishing journals, universities maximize the quality of students who seek admission. John Samples Cato winmail.dat Description: application/ms-tnef
