Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Economics research in Spain during the 1990s: a literature review

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Spanish Economic Review

Abstract

This paper reviews the results of the literature on the ranking of centers of excellence in economics. There are two objectives: (1) to examine the evolution during the 1990s of certain features of economics research—such as the gap that exists between the US and the rest of the world, the dominant position of the UK within Europe, and the low productivity of economic scholars everywhere—and (2) to document the significant progress that Spanish research institutions have experienced during this period. Results by several broad fields of specialization are summarized here for the first time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amin M and Mabe M (2000). Impact factors: use and abuse. Perspect Publish 1: 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergantiños G, Da Rocha JM and Polomé P (2002). La investigación española en economía, 1995–99. Investigac Econ XXXVI: 373–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Combes P, Linnemer L (2002) Measuring and ranking economics throughout Europe: a complete report. http://www.enpc.fr/ceras/combes/pdf/Combes_Linnemer_Europe_07_2003_part_II.pdf

  • Combes P and Linnemer L (2003). Where are the economists who publish? publication concentration and rankings in Europe based on cumulative publications. J Eur Econ Assoc 1: 1250–1308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coupé T (2003). Revealed performances: worldwide ranking of economists and economic departments. J Eur Econ Assoc 1: 1309–1345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolado JJ, García-Romero A and Zamarro G (2003). Publishing performance in economics: Spanish rankings (1990–1999). Spanish Econ Rev 5: 85–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Drèze J and Estevan F (2007). Research and higher education in economics: can we deliver the Lisbon objectives?. J Eur Econ Assoc 5: 271–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dusansky R and Vernon C (1998). Rankings of U.S. economic departments. J Econ Perspect 12: 157–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Econphd (2004) Rankings. http://www.econphd.net/

  • European Commission (2004) Mapping of excellence in economics, directorate-general for research, EUR 20889

  • Frey B and Eichenberger R (1993). American and European economics and economists. J Econ Perspect 7: 185–193

    Google Scholar 

  • García P, Lafuente A, Montañés A and Sanz F (1999a). Producción científica en economía según publicaciones en revistas internacionales. Papele Econ Española 81: 49–57

    Google Scholar 

  • García P, Montañés A and Sanz F (1999b). La investigación en economía en España: mercado nacional versus Mercado internacional. Rev Econ Aplic VII: 167–187

    Google Scholar 

  • García-Castrillo P, Montañés A and Sanz-Gracia F (2002). A worldwide assessment of scientific production in economics (1992–1997). Appl Econ 34: 1453–1475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • García-Ferrer A, Poncela P, Carmona S (2005) From zero to infinity: the use of impact factors in the evaluation of economic research in Spain. Instituto de Empresa Business School Working Paper No. WP05-22

  • Griliches Z and Einav L (1998). Ranking economic departments. J Econ Perspect 12: 233–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirsh B, Austin R, Brooks J and Moore B (1984). Economics departamental rankings: comment. Am Econ Rev 74: 822–826

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalaitzidakis P, Mamuneas T and Stengos T (1999). European economics: an analysis based on publications in the core journals. Eur Econ Rev 43: 1150–1168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalaitzidakis P, Mamuneas T and Stengos T (2003). Rankings of academic journals and institutions in economics. J Eur Econ Assoc 1: 1346–1366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirman A and Dahl A (1994). Economic research in Europe. Eur Econ Rev 38: 505–522

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laband D and Piette M (1994). The relative impact of economics journals. J Econ Literat 32: 640–666

    Google Scholar 

  • Liebowitz S and Palmer J (1984). Assessing the relative impacts of economic journals. J Econ Literat 22: 77–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Lubrano M, Bauwens L, Kirman A and Protopopescu C (2003). Ranking economics departments in Europe: a statistical approach. J Eur Econ Assoc 1: 1367–1401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moed H and van Leeuwen (1996). Impact factors can mislead. Nature 381: 186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moed H (2002). The impact-factors debate: the ISI’s uses and limits. Nature 415: 731–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Neary J, Mirrlees J and Tirole J (2003). Evaluating economics research in Europe: an introduction. J Eur Econ Assoc 1: 1239–1249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nederdof A (1989). Books and chapters are not to be neglected in measuring research productivity. Am Psychol 44: 734–735

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nederdof A and van Raan A (1993). A bibliometric analysis of six economics research groups: a comparison with peer review. Res Policy 22: 353–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Díaz V (2005). La crisis endémica de la Universidad española. Claves de razón práctica 158: 38–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Pons J and Tirado D (1999). ¿Quién publica en las revistas españolas de economía?. Rev Econ Aplic VII: 139–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Portes R (1987). Economics in Europe. Eur Econ Rev 31: 1329–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez D (2006). Publishing performance of Spanish academics: 1970–2004. Spanish Econ Rev 8: 255–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Royuela V, Ramos R, Duque JC (2006) La productividad científica en el ámbito de la economía y la empresa en las universidades españolas: producción, productividad, calidad e impacto en el período 1994–2003. Mimeo

  • Ruiz-Castillo J (2006a) Economics research in Spain during the 1960s: a literature review. Working Paper 06-36, Economic Series 09, Universidad Carlos III

  • Ruiz-Castillo J (2006b) La investigación en economía en España durante los años 90: una revisión de la literatura. Documento de Trabajo 06-02, Serie de Economía 01, Universidad Carlos III

  • Sanz Casado E, García Zorita C, García Romero A and Modrego Rico A (1999). La investigación española en economía a través de las publicaciones nacionales e internacionales en el período 1990–95. Rev Econ Aplic VII: 113–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott L and Mitias P (1996). Trends in rankings of economics departments in the U.S.: an update. Econ Inquiry 34: 378–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tombazos C (2005). A revisionist perspective of European research in economics. Eur Econ Rev 49: 251–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Damme E (1996) Measuring quality of academia journals and scientific productivity of researchers. Mimeo, Cen Ter, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands

  • Villar A (2003). La evaluación de la investigación en economía. Rev Valenci Econ Hacienda 8: 97–133

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Economía, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Ruiz-Castillo

Authors
  1. Javier Ruiz-Castillo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Javier Ruiz-Castillo.

Additional information

This work was carried out under project SEJ2004-01959 financed by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. I would like to thank Eduardo Ley, José Luis Ferreira, and Diego Moreno for their comments, as well as Bruno Cassiman for his editorial work.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ruiz-Castillo, J. Economics research in Spain during the 1990s: a literature review. Span Econ Rev 10, 221–249 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10108-007-9037-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10108-007-9037-z

Keywords

JEL Classification

Search

Navigation