Dan A. Fuller

Consensus Among Economists: Revisited

Abstract The authors explore consensus among economists on specific propositions on the basis of a fall 2000 survey of American Economic Association members. Because some propositions are drawn from earlier studies, the results illustrate the dynamics of opinion within the profession. The authors generally find consensus within the profession, although the degree of consensus varies between propositions that are international, macroeconomic, and microeconomic in nature. Consensus is particularly strong for propositions of free international trade and capital flows. In contrast, macroeconomic propositions exhibit a lower degree of consensus, partly because of increased agreement with monetarist and supply-side propositions over time. The profession displays substantial skepticism concerning claims of the “New Economy.”

Consensus Among Economists—An Update

In this article, the authors explore consensus among economists on specific propositions based on a fall 2011 survey of American Economic Association members. Results are based on 568 responses and provide evidence of changes in opinion over time by including propositions from earlier studies in 2000 (Fuller and Geide-Stevenson 2003) and 1992 (Alston, Kearl, and Vaughan 1992). Propositions focus on microeconomics, macroeconomics, distributional and international topics, as well as pedagogy. Results indicate a movement toward an overall higher level of consensus, mainly because of a drop in the incidence of no consensus. Especially in the area of distributional propositions, economists display an increased concern with income inequality and potential effects on growth. In the area of macroeconomics, current opinions are more similar to those of the 1992 survey than the 2000 survey.

Alternative scale measures and the behaviour of average costs in steam electric generation

Abstract A lack of consensus exists in studies of electricity generation concerning the appropriate measure of scale: cumulative output or generation capacity. This paper argues that the correct measure of scale is dictated by the technical characteristics of the output and institutional constraints. While for many products cumulative output is appropriate, the inability to store electricity and the institutional requirement that instantaneous demand be satisfied suggests that generation capacity is the correct measure of scale. This study estimates two models of coal-fired plant technology under emissions constraints using alternative measures of scale. The results indicate that models which use cumulative output to represent scale over-estimate the extent of economies of scale. There isalso evidence that emission constraints have reduced economies of scale.

Antitrust Concerns About Evolving Vertical Relationships in Health Care

Abstract The greatest challenges faced by any organization are those generated by a dynamic environment. Health-care organizations have faced, and will continue to face, significant demands imposed by changes in the practice of medicine, technology, markets, and government regulation. Provider responses to these environmental changes range from denial and opposition to the active pursuit of strategies of modification and evolution. Mergers, alliances, and other strategic relationships are being used to gain stronger market presence and both to meet and resist changing market conditions. Because many of these relationships have potential competitive impacts, the level of antitrust surveillance of health-care providers has correspondingly increased. This antitrust surveillance is a source of concern among health-care providers.