Working Paper: NBER ID: w4906
Authors: Daniel S. Hamermesh
Abstract: Economists' productivity, as measured by publication in leading journals, declines very sharply with age. Additional evidence shows that this is a rational response to economic incentives and/or changing physical or mental abilities: There is no difference by age in the probability that an article submitted to a leading journal will be accepted. The probability of acceptance does show increasing heterogeneity with age that is related to the author's quality, consistent with models of optimal investment in human capital and especially with occupational matching models.
Keywords: Aging; Productivity; Economists; Human Capital; Publication Rates
JEL Codes: J14; J24
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Publication Productivity (O47) | Additional Lifetime Earnings (J17) |
| Age (J14) | Heterogeneity in Productivity (D29) |
| Age (J14) | Publication Productivity (O47) |
| Age (J14) | Acceptance Rates (C00) |
| Citation Status (A14) | Acceptance Rates (C00) |