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Selected Works of John B. Hall
Article
Path Dependence and QWERTY's Lock-In: Toward a Veblenian Interpretation
Journal of Economic Issues (2011)
  • John B Hall, Professor, Portland State University
  • Iciar Dominguez Lacasa, Halle Institute for Economic Research
  • Jutta Günther, Halle Institute for Economic Research
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Abstract
In "Clio and the Economics of QWERTY," Paul David challenges an overarching, mainstream assumption that market forces should indeed lead toward efficient and optimal outcomes that include technology selection. David seeks to explain the endurance of technologies that his use of historiography judges inefficient and suboptimal. We challenge David's research, arguing that failure to consider the original institutional economics (OIE) tradition limits his grasp of complex processes to reduced notions of "path dependence" based upon a "lock-in." This inquiry offers an alternative account of QWERTY and technology selection based upon Veblenian thinking, further supported by Paul Dale Bush's emphasis upon the ceremonial.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2011
DOI
10.2753/JEI0021-3624450223
Publisher Statement
Copyright (2011) Taylor & Francis
Citation Information
Hall, J., Lacasa, I. D., & Günther, J. (2011). Path Dependence and QWERTY's Lock-In: Toward a Veblenian Interpretation. Journal of Economic Issues, 45(2), 457-464.