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Unraveling the Academic Productivity of Economists: The Opportunity Costs of Teaching and Service

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  • Susan Washburn Taylor
  • Blakely Fox Fender
  • Kimberly Gladden Burke

Abstract

This study investigates the relationships among research productivity, teaching, and service on the basis of individual‐specific information involving approximately 715 academic economists. Responding to an online survey, these economists provided information regarding their teaching and service commitments as well as personal and institutional information. The publication record of each respondent was then obtained from EconLit. Together, these data constitute a rich field for the systematic study of research productivity. Results of a Tobit analysis reveal much about the nature of research productivity, underscoring, for instance, the importance of gender, coauthorship, presentations at conferences, and peers who publish. Among the more important findings from this analysis is that both teaching and service commitments have a significantly negative impact on the research productivity of academic economists. These relations hold across types of academic employer, though to varying degrees. Taken together, the results provide interesting insights into the roles of academic scholars, teachers, and colleagues.

Suggested Citation

  • Susan Washburn Taylor & Blakely Fox Fender & Kimberly Gladden Burke, 2006. "Unraveling the Academic Productivity of Economists: The Opportunity Costs of Teaching and Service," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 72(4), pages 846-859, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:72:y:2006:i:4:p:846-859
    DOI: 10.1002/j.2325-8012.2006.tb00741.x
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    2. Malin Lohela-Karlsson & Irene Jensen & Christina Björklund, 2022. "Do Attitudes towards Work or Work Motivation Affect Productivity Loss among Academic Employees?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-14, January.
    3. Anne Boring, 2015. "Gender Biases in student evaluations of teachers," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2015-13, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    4. David J. Rapp & Michael Olbrich & Florian Follert, 2019. "Zur Internationalisierung der Rechnungswesenforschung im deutschen Sprachraum – eine Analyse von AAA- und EAA-Jahreskonferenzen 1998–2015 [On the Internationalization of Accounting Research in the ," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 71(1), pages 79-105, March.
    5. Fulya Y. Ersoy & Jennifer Pate, 2023. "Invisible hurdles: Gender and institutional differences in the evaluation of economics papers," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 61(4), pages 777-797, October.
    6. Jenny Bourne & Nathan Grawe & Nathan D. Grawe & Michael Hemesath & Maya Jensen, 2022. "Scholarly Activity among Economists at Liberal Arts Colleges: A Life Cycle Analysis," Working Papers 2022-01, Carleton College, Department of Economics.

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