Scientists at Private Firms Publish More Research Than Expected

 

   Dr. Terence Kealey is currently Vice-Chancellor at England’s only private university, the University of Buckingham.  Source of photo:  http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/publicity/academics/vc.html

 

Terence Kealey argues that science would be better done if it were all privately done, without government support.  As you might expect, Kealey has not won any popularity contests among those receiving government support. 

At the January American Economic Association (AEA) meetings in New Orleans, I heard a paper by Belenzon and Patacconi that presented evidence that scientists at private firms publish more research than Belenzon and Patacconi had expected to find.

Sounds like a bit of grist for Kealey’s mill?

 

The reference to the AEA paper is:

Belenzon, Sharon, and Andrea Patacconi. "Firm Size and Innovation: Evidence from European Panel Data." Presented at meetings of the American Economic Association. New Orleans, Jan., 4, 2008.

 

The reference to Kealey’s book is:

Kealey, Terence. The Economic Laws of Scientific Research. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1996.