Hill, Claire A.; McDonnell, Brett H. --- "Introduction: The Evolution of the Economic Analysis of Corporate Law" [2012] ELECD 456; in Hill, A. Claire; McDonnell, H. Brett (eds), "Research Handbook on the Economics of Corporate Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012)

Book Title: Research Handbook on the Economics of Corporate Law

Editor(s): Hill, A. Claire; McDonnell, H. Brett

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781848449589

Section: Chapter 1

Section Title: Introduction: The Evolution of the Economic Analysis of Corporate Law

Author(s): Hill, Claire A.; McDonnell, Brett H.

Number of pages: 14

Extract:

1. Introduction: The evolution of the economic analysis
of corporate law
Claire A. Hill and Brett H. McDonnell



1. INTRODUCTION

Economic analysis plays a crucial role in contemporary scholarly writing on corporate law.
Indeed, although doctrinal analysis remains important and other interdisciplinary perspec-
tives can occasionally be seen, economic analysis dominates most current corporate law
scholarship. Sometimes the economics involves formal mathematical modeling; increasingly
frequently, it involves econometric data analysis, while even more frequently it takes a softer,
more informal form. Still, whatever the form, there is usually some reliance on ideas drawn
from economics.
Thus, a research handbook on the economics of corporate law is hard to distinguish from
a research handbook on corporate law, period. And indeed, in this volume we have felt little
need to try to make that distinction. The collected contributions give an overview of some of
the leading lines of research that scholars today are pursuing in trying to understand and
critique legal developments in corporate law.
This volume is part of a new series of Research Handbooks in Law and Economics,
directed by Francesco Parisi and Judge Richard Posner. As the editors of an earlier volume
said, `[e]ach volume in the series aims to serve as a reference, providing helpful introductions
to important topics, and as a provocateur, suggesting weaknesses and important areas for
further exploration.' (Farber & O'Connell 2010, 1)
We hope that several different audiences will find this volume useful. Scholars in the field
can look to it for a ...