Measuring Nepotism ... The Case of Italian Academia

Fioravante Patrone1
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Ad ... ne.0021160

Measuring Nepotism through Shared Last Names: The Case of Italian Academia

by:
Stefano Allesina
Department of Ecology and Evolution, Computation Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America

Abstract
Nepotistic practices are detrimental for academia. Here I show how disciplines with a high likelihood of nepotism can be detected using standard statistical techniques based on shared last names among professors. As an example, I analyze the set of all 61,340 Italian academics. I find that nepotism is prominent in Italy, with particular disciplinary sectors being detected as especially problematic. Out of 28 disciplines, 9 – accounting for more than half of Italian professors – display a significant paucity of last names. Moreover, in most disciplines a clear north-south trend emerges, with likelihood of nepotism increasing with latitude. Even accounting for the geographic clustering of last names, I find that for many disciplines the probability of name-sharing is boosted when professors work in the same institution or sub-discipline. Using these techniques policy makers can target cuts and funding in order to promote fair practices.

Risposte
Fioravante Patrone1
"Rggb":
Interessante.

Comunque:[quote="Stefano Allesina"]Using these techniques policy makers can target cuts and funding in order to promote fair practices.

Sci-fi. ;)[/quote]
I agree

Rggb1
Interessante.

Comunque:
"Stefano Allesina":
Using these techniques policy makers can target cuts and funding in order to promote fair practices.

Sci-fi. ;)

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