Measuring the gains from labor specialization

Decio Coviello, Andrea Ichino, Nicola Persico

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

We estimate the productivity effects of labor specialization using a judicial environment that offers a quasi-experimental setting well suited to this purpose. Judges in this environment are randomly assigned many different types of cases. This assignment generates random streaks of same-type cases, which creates minispecialization events unrelated to the characteristics of judges or cases. We estimate that when judges receive more cases of a certain type, they become faster, that is, more likely to close cases of that type in any one of the corresponding hearings. Quality, as measured by probability of an appeal, is not negatively affected.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)403-426
Number of pages24
JournalJournal of Law and Economics
Volume62
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2019

Funding

This research was conducted in collaboration with the training unit of the Court of Rome. We are grateful to Roman Acosta for outstanding research assistance and Amelia Torrice and Margher-ita Leone for feedback on early versions of the manuscript. This research was undertaken, in part, thanks to funding from the Canada Research Chairs program. The usual caveats apply.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Economics and Econometrics
  • Law

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Measuring the gains from labor specialization'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this