Toys. The impact of computers on productivity has been examined directly on macro data and indirectly (on wages) using microeconomic data. This study examines the direct impact on the productivity of scholarship by considering how high technology might alter patterns of coauthoring of articles...

This paper explores the relationship between nonprofit board governance practices and government contracting. Monitoring by a board is one way a governmental agency can help to insure quality performance by its contractors. Agencies could thus use both their selection process and their...

New York City provides many of its services via contracts with nonprofit agencies. In this paper, we report on a recent survey of the governance practices of those agencies. The survey collected information from the Executive Directors of over 400 city contractors and more than 4000 of the board...

We examine the impact of communication technology on scholarly productivity by considering patterns of coauthored economics articles. Using articles in three major economics journals from 1970--79 and 1992--96, we find (1) sharp growth from distant coauthorships (authors not in the same...

In the late 1990's, the average university endowment has experienced extraordinary growth. This paper investigates the effects of this growth on donations. In particular, the paper focuses on whether or not donations by particular kinds of donors are "crowded out" by endowment growth. A simple...

Previous studies, including the reports of the Douglas and Kaiser Commission, have suggested that outmoded local regulation of residential construction has impeded technical progress in the industry. In this paper, we try to identify the determinants of differences across communities in these...

This paper presents empirical results of the effects of board structure and composition on individual board level performance using data from New York City nonprofits. The results support a model of executive behavior in which the nonprofit executive uses his or her power to push boards towards...

Economists'productivity over their careers and as measured by publication in leading journals declines very sharply with age. There is no difference by age in the probability that an article submitted to a leading journal will be accepted. Rates of declining productivity are no greater among the...