arXiv subjects

Yann Bramoullé

Publications and source records attributed to Yann Bramoullé.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Measurement Error and Peer Effects in Networks

In many practical applications, only noisy proxies for the true regressors are available, which is commonly believed to induce an attenuation bias. In the linear-in-means model, however, estimated peer effects might be inflated, potentially leading to false positives. This paper shows that the asymptotic bias depends on the interplay between individual characteristics and network links and demonstrates how the network structure can facilitate identification without the need for additional external information. Based on these identification results, we present consistent GMM and 2SLS estimators that are easily implementable. Our results are illustrated by means of a Monte Carlo simulation.

econ.EM↗

arXiv2026

Promotion through Connections: Favors or Information?

Connections appear to be helpful in many contexts such as obtaining a job, a promotion, a grant, a loan, or publishing a paper. This may be due to favoritism or to information conveyed by connections. Building on earlier work on discrimination, we propose a new method that identifies these channels using data observed at the time of promotion. The method exploits distinct implications of the two effects on the relationship between observables and success. We show that extra information on connected candidates generates excess variance in latent errors while favors yield different promotion thresholds. We characterize the conditions under which both effects are identified and operationalize these ideas econometrically within a semiparametric framework. We also derive testable restrictions of the model and show how to account for connection endogeneity. We reanalyze data on academic promotions in Spain and Italy and political promotions in China. We detect evidence of favoritism for all types of candidates and of information effects for candidates applying to junior positions. We find strong support for the model's testable restrictions.

econ.GN↗

arXiv2026

The Matching Function: A Unified Look into the Black Box

In this paper, we use tools from network theory to trace the properties of the matching function to the structure of granular connections between applicants and vacancies. We unify seemingly disparate parts of the literature by recovering multiple functional forms as special cases including the CES. We derive a testable condition under which matching in any network from the broad class we analyze can be thought "as if" it comes from a CES matching function, up to a first-order approximation. We provide a theory of match efficacy in which inequality in search intensities is the key determinant of how well the matching process works. A robust finding of our analysis is that dispersion of search intensities on either side of the market is bad for the matching process. We also show that a rise in the market's mean search intensity can reduce match efficacy when it is associated with a higher Gini coefficient of search intensities.

econ.TH↗

arXiv2012

Homophily and Long-Run Integration in Social Networks

We model network formation when heterogeneous nodes enter sequentially and form connections through both random meetings and network-based search, but with type-dependent biases. We show that there is "long-run integration," whereby the composition of types in sufficiently old nodes' neighborhoods approaches the global type distribution, provided that the network-based search is unbiased. However, younger nodes' connections still reflect the biased meetings process. We derive the type-based degree distributions and group-level homophily patterns when there are two types and location-based biases. Finally, we illustrate aspects of the model with an empirical application to data on citations in physics journals.

physics.soc-ph↗