Premium
2017 KLEIN LECTURE: THE SCIENCE OF USING SCIENCE: TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE THREATS TO SCALABILITY
Author(s) -
AlUbaydli Omar,
List John A.,
Suskind Dana
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international economic review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.658
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1468-2354
pISSN - 0020-6598
DOI - 10.1111/iere.12476
Subject(s) - scalability , computer science , data science , scaling , simple (philosophy) , population , scale (ratio) , through the lens metering , empirical evidence , management science , epistemology , sociology , lens (geology) , economics , engineering , physics , mathematics , philosophy , geometry , demography , quantum mechanics , database , petroleum engineering
Policymakers are increasingly facing the challenge of scaling empirical insights. This study provides a theoretical lens into the science of how to use science. Through a simple model, we highlight three elements of the scale‐up problem: (1) when does evidence become actionable; (2) properties of the population; and (3) properties of the situation. Until these three areas are fully understood, the threats to scalability will render any scaling exercise as particularly vulnerable. Accordingly, our work represents a call for more policy‐based evidence, whereby the nature and extent of the various threats to scalability are explored in the original research program.