Abstract
What insures that the system of referred journalsworks well? The responsibility seems not to lie inthe prevailing governance structure. The largelynon-profit form which characterizes these journalsinsures a lack of accountability. Editors andreferees are not provided with simple incentives toperform their intended roles well. Survey materialindicates that in fact editors exert little if anycontrol over the referees employed. However,contrary to expectations, referees are generallyconceded to perform at a high level. What drives theprocess is not narrow self-interest but ratherprofessional obligation.
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Freeman, C. Do Economic Journals Obey Economic Prescriptions?. Review of Industrial Organization 17, 371–384 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007898402413
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007898402413