Economics Research in France: Tentative Conclusions Based on EconLit Database

Despite France’s influential role in and significant impact on the development of economic thought in the past, it seems that no recent publication has assembled an up-to-date inventory of its internationally best known contemporary economists. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to produce an exploratory survey for 1998 of the scientific contributions of representative economics research groups in France based on the EconLit bibliographic database. Three indicators, one relating to overall visibility, one to net production and one to international presence, have been used to evaluate and compare two major categories of representative groups: the “French specificity” category [including Conseil National des Universités (CNU) and agrégation groups] and another made up of more “traditional” groups (including editorial committees of journals and the chairmen and management committee of a national association of economists). The results indicate a clear dichotomy between the two. Moreover, the poor performance of the first of the above categories measured by all three indicators raises serious questions about the way the public university system operates in France and the future implications thereof in the light of the globalisation of the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge.