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Does Tenure Make Researchers Less Productive? The Case of the “Specialist”

Author

Listed:
  • Joao Ricardo Faria

    (University of Texas at El Paso)

  • Peter McAdam

    (University of Surrey)

Abstract

Many studies suggest that research productivity falls after tenure is granted. We have however limited choice-theoretic understanding of why this should occur. With some simplifying assumptions, we rationalize this as follows. Scholars are assumed to be “specialists”: their research productivity consists in transforming Ph.D. chapters into publishable papers. We show how a department that hired such a scholar provides incentives to maximize research productivity. We show his research productivity and publication paths are then characterized by a “bang-bang” solution, i.e., either he works with maximum or minimum effort. The department sets the scholar’s wages proportional to the department’s impatience to spur his productivity, and only succeeds if he turns out to be more impatient than the department. The paper provides a novel perspective on academic productivity and the tenure system.

Suggested Citation

  • Joao Ricardo Faria & Peter McAdam, 2014. "Does Tenure Make Researchers Less Productive? The Case of the “Specialist”," School of Economics Discussion Papers 0514, School of Economics, University of Surrey.
    • Handle: RePEc:sur:surrec:0514
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    File URL: https://repec.som.surrey.ac.uk/2014/DP05-14.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D29 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Other
    • A29 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Other
    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions

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