My research interests are varied and cover many aspects of applied economics including industrial organisation, the economics of innovation, regulatory economics and, recently, economic demography.
Bargaining
Bilateral Bargaining with Externalities (with Catherine C. de Fontenay) (2007)
This paper provides an analysis of a non-cooperative pairwise bargaining game between agents in a...
Economic demography
Born (Again) on the First of July: Another Experiment in Birth Timing (with Andrew Leigh) (2007)
In an earlier paper (Gans and Leigh, 2006a), we analysed the effect of the introduction...
Toying with Death and Taxes: Some Lessons from Down Under (with Andrew Leigh), The Economists' Voice (2006)
Economists think many (most?) things are subject to incentives. The evidence from ''Down Under'' suggests...
Born on the First of July: An (Un)natural Experiment in Birth Timing (with Andrew Leigh) (2006)
It is well understood that government policies can distort behavior. But what is less often...
Economics of innovation
Assessing Australia's Innovative Capacity: 2007 Update (with Richard Hayes) (2008)
This report updates the Innovation Index created by Michael Porter and Scott Stern with data...
Start-Up Commercialisation Strategy and Innovative Dynamics (2007)
This paper endogenises a start-up’s choice between competitive and cooperative commercialisation in a dynamic environment....
The Impact of Uncertainty Intellectual Property Rights on the Market for Ideas: Evidence from Patent Grant Delays (with David H. Hsu and Scott Stern) (2007)
This paper considers the impact of the intellectual property (IP) system on the timing of...
Patent Renewal Fees and Self-Funding Patent Offices (with Stephen P King and Ryan Lampe), The B.E. Journals in Theoretical Economics (2005)
A socially optimal structure of application and renewal fees for patents would encourage the maximal...
Environmental economics
Carbon Offset Provision with Guilt-Ridden Consumers (2008)
Carbon offsets can be purchased by consumers who wish to mitigate their emissions. In a...
Financial Economics
AussieMac: Postscript (with Christopher Joye), IdeaPITCH (Postscript) (2008)
The purpose of this postscript is to review the many responses to our AussieMac proposal...
Aussie Mac: A Policy Proposal for Australia (with Christopher R. Joye) (2008)
There is a new global financial crisis emerging caused by the collapse of sub-prime lending...
H26
Did the Death of Australian Inheritance Taxes Affect Deaths? (with Andrew Leigh), Topics in Economic Analysis & Policy (2007)
In 1979, Australia abolished federal inheritance taxes. Using daily deaths data, we show that approximately...
I12
Did the Death of Australian Inheritance Taxes Affect Deaths? (with Andrew Leigh), Topics in Economic Analysis & Policy (2007)
In 1979, Australia abolished federal inheritance taxes. Using daily deaths data, we show that approximately...
Industrial organisation
Bilateral Bargaining with Externalities (with Catherine C. de Fontenay) (2007)
This paper provides an analysis of a non-cooperative pairwise bargaining game between agents in a...
Remedies for Tying in Computer Applications (2007)
Recent anti-trust decisions have proposed remedies for tying of different computer software and applications. The...
Why Tie a Product Consumers do not Use? (with Dennis W. Carlton and Michael Waldman) (2007)
This paper provides a new explanation for tying that is not based on any of...
The Neutrality of Interchange Fees in Payment Systems (with Stephen P King), The B.E. Journals in Economic Analysis & Policy (2003)
There has been considerable public debate over the effect of interchange fees on credit card...
Regulating Endogenous Customer Switching Costs (with Stephen P. King), The B.E. Journals in Theoretical Economics (2001)
Recent concern has arisen with regard to the potential for introducing competition in previously protected...
L94
Do Voluntary Carbon Offsets Work?, The Economists' Voice (2007)
Voluntary purchases of offsets for carbon emissions have been criticized as potentially increasing emissions. However,...
Public economics
Return to Work Credits, IdeaPITCH (2008)
This report examines policy options for parental leave and evaluates them from an economics perspective....
Q42
Do Voluntary Carbon Offsets Work?, The Economists' Voice (2007)
Voluntary purchases of offsets for carbon emissions have been criticized as potentially increasing emissions. However,...
Q58
Do Voluntary Carbon Offsets Work?, The Economists' Voice (2007)
Voluntary purchases of offsets for carbon emissions have been criticized as potentially increasing emissions. However,...
Theory of the firm
Markets for Ownership, RAND Journal of Economics (2005)
The prevailing theory of the firm demonstrates that ownership by dispensable, outside parties is inefficient...