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The Economics of Maps

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  • Abhishek Nagaraj
  • Scott Stern

Abstract

For centuries, maps have codified the extent of human geographic knowledge and shaped discovery and economic decision-making. Economists across many fields, including urban economics, public finance, political economy, and economic geography, have long employed maps, yet have largely abstracted away from exploring the economic determinants and consequences of maps as a subject of independent study. In this essay, we first review and unify recent literature in a variety of different fields that highlights the economic and social consequences of maps, along with an overview of the modern geospatial industry. We then outline our economic framework in which a given map is the result of economic choices around map data and designs, resulting in variations in private and social returns to mapmaking. We highlight five important economic and institutional factors shaping mapmakers' data and design choices. Our essay ends by proposing that economists pay more attention to the endogeneity of mapmaking and the resulting consequences for economic and social welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Abhishek Nagaraj & Scott Stern, 2020. "The Economics of Maps," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(1), pages 196-221, Winter.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:34:y:2020:i:1:p:196-221
    DOI: 10.1257/jep.34.1.196
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    Cited by:

    1. Sobolewski, Maciej, 2021. "Measuring consumer well-being from using free-of-charge digital services. The case of navigation apps," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    2. Combes, Pierre-Philippe & Gobillon, Laurent & Zylberberg, Yanos, 2022. "Urban economics in a historical perspective: Recovering data with machine learning," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    3. Abhishek Nagaraj, 2021. "Information Seeding and Knowledge Production in Online Communities: Evidence from OpenStreetMap," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 4908-4934, August.
    4. Abhishek Nagaraj, 2022. "T he P rivate I mpact of P ublic D ata: L andsat S atellite M aps I ncreased G old D iscoveries and E ncouraged E ntry," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(1), pages 564-582, January.
    5. Miric, Milan & Jeppesen, Lars Bo, 2023. "How does competition influence innovative effort within a platform-based ecosystem? Contrasting paid and unpaid contributors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(7).
    6. Combes, Pierre-Philippe & Gobillon, Laurent & Zylberberg, Yanos, 2022. "Urban economics in a historical perspective: Recovering data with machine learning," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General

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