Reputation, Evolution and Growth

本研究旨在为理解经济制度的产生、后果及其对经济增长的影响提供一个连贯的框架。机构如何运作，哪些机构会茁壮成长？是什么社会规范支撑着这些机构？技术对制度有影响吗？又是如何影响的？这个项目将从理论上、历史上和实验室中解决这些问题。本研究将特别关注两个机构：声誉和知识产权。声誉在促进贸易和生产方面起着关键作用。反过来，声誉取决于信息流。我们目前的理论研究表明，有效的声誉要求信息既不能太少，也不能太多。这一理论将在实验室中得到详细阐述和检验。现代机构成长和创新的第二个关键是知识产权。这也是一个值得审视的机构。专利会减少商业秘密吗？知识产权是通过增加激励来促进创新，还是使现有想法难以发展？本研究将寻求这些问题的理论和实证答案。

This research aims to provide a coherent framework for understanding the emergence and consequences of economic institutions and their impact on growth. How do institutions function and which ones will thrive? What social norms support these institutions? Does technology impact institutions, and how? This project will address these issues theoretically, historically, and in the laboratory. This study will particularly focus on two institutions: reputation and intellectual property.Reputation serves a key role in enhancing trade and production. Reputation, in turn, depends upon information flows. Our current theoretical work shows that effective reputations require that there neither be too little information - nor too much. This theory will be elaborated and subject to scrutiny in the laboratory.A second key to modern institutions' growth and innovation is intellectual property. This, too, is an institution deserving of scrutiny. Do patents lead to less trade secrecy? Does IP enhance innovation by increasing incentives, or does it make it difficult to build on existing ideas? This study will pursue both theoretical and empirical answers to these questions.