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Herd behavior and investment

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  • Scharfstein, David.
  • Stein, Jeremy C.

Abstract

This paper examines some of the forces that can lead to herd behavior in investment. Under certain circumstances, managers simply mimic the investment decisions of other managers, ignoring substantive private information. Although this behavior is inefficient from a social standpoint, it can be rational from the perspective of managers who are concerned about their reputations in the labor market. The authors discuss applications of the model to corporate investment, the stock markets, and decision-making within firms. Copyright 1990 by American Economic Association.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Scharfstein, David. & Stein, Jeremy C., 1988. "Herd behavior and investment," Working papers WP 2062-88., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:mit:sloanp:2213
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/2213
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Weitzman, Martin L, 1982. "Increasing Returns and the Foundations of Unemployment Theory," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 92(368), pages 787-804, December.
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    7. Robert J. Shiller & John Pound, 1986. "Survey Evidence on Diffusion of Interest Among Institutional Investors," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 794, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
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