A Field Experiment on Search Costs and the Formation of Scientific Collaborations.

TitleA Field Experiment on Search Costs and the Formation of Scientific Collaborations.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsBoudreau KJ, Brady T, Ganguli I, Gaule P, Guinan E, Hollenberg A, Lakhani KR
JournalRev Econ Stat
Volume99
Issue4
Pagination565-576
Date Published2017 Oct
ISSN0034-6535
Abstract

We present the results of a field experiment conducted at Harvard Medical School to understand the extent to which search costs affect matching among scientific collaborators. We generated exogenous variation in search costs for pairs of potential collaborators by randomly assigning individuals to 90-minute structured information-sharing sessions as part of a grant funding opportunity. We estimate that the treatment increases the probability of grant co-application of a given pair of researchers by 75%. The findings suggest that matching between scientists is subject to considerable frictions, even in the case of geographically-proximate scientists working in the same institutional context.

DOI10.1162/rest_a_00676
Alternate JournalRev Econ Stat
PubMed ID29375163
PubMed Central IDPMC5786275
Grant ListUL1 RR025758 / RR / NCRR NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR000170 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR001102 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States