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Curtis R. Taylor

Professor of Economics
Economics
Box 90097, Durham, NC 27708-0097
315 Social Sciences, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


Taylor's primary research interest  is microeconomic theory with emphasis on the areas of Industrial Organization, Political Economy, and the Theory of Contracts.  He has worked on a variety of topics such as: the optimal design of research contests, the causes and timing of market crashes, and consumer privacy. Professor Taylor's research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of  Agriculture, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, among others. 

He served as an associate editor for the  American Economic Review from 1995 to 2001, and is currently on the editorial boards of the RAND Journal of Economics, the Journal of Industrial Organization, the BE  Journal of Theoretical Economics, and the BE Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of Economics · 2000 - Present Economics, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

In the News


Published August 31, 2015
Dancing Duke economics professor overcomes challenges
Published August 30, 2015
Dancing Duke Economics Professor Overcomes Vision Challenges

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Recent Publications


Setbacks, Shutdowns, and Overruns

Journal Article Econometrica · May 1, 2024 We investigate optimal project management in a setting plagued by an indefinite number of setbacks that are discovered en route to project completion. The contractor can cover up delays in progress due to shirking either by making false claims of setbacks ... Full text Cite

Make it 'til you fake it

Journal Article Journal of Economic Theory · April 1, 2024 We study the dynamics of fraud and trust in a continuous-time reputation game. The principal wishes to approve a real project and reject a fake. The agent is either an ethical type that produces a real project, or a strategic type that also can produce a f ... Full text Cite

Working for References

Journal Article American Economic Journal: Microeconomics · January 1, 2023 We analyze the incentive and welfare consequences of job references in a large economy marked by moral hazard, limited liability, exogenous job separation, and structural unemployment. In the firm-optimal equilibrium, employers provide references whenever ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


Collaborative Research: Monotone Methods in Dynamic Screening Contracts

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2011 - 2015

Privacy and Information Acquisition in Competitive Markets

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2004 - 2008

Consumer Profiles, Consumer Privacy, and the Information Marketplace

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2002 - 2004

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Education, Training & Certifications


Yale University · 1992 Ph.D.
University of Washington · 1986 B.A.

External Links


Personal Website