Rune Jørgen Sørensen

Professor Emeritus, Department of Economics
BI Norwegian Business School

Research on democratic institutions, public-sector organization and health economics—connecting administrative data with questions of representation, incentives and public performance.

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Article and supporting background note on the use of Norway’s petroleum revenues.

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Latest publications

2026Universalism: an 11-year longitudinal studyWith Christine Bangum and Benny Geys · Economica2026When are Politicians Incentivized to Vote? Evidence from individual-level panel data (2015–2023)With Benny Geys · Public Choice2025Vetting for Virtue: Democracy’s Challenge in Excluding Criminals from OfficeWith S. S. Arntzen and Jon H. Fiva · American Political Science Review2025Pro-social Preferences and the Paradox of VotingWith Christine Bangum and Benny Geys · Journal of Public Economics2025The Causal Effect of Affluence on Voter Turnout: New Evidence from Lottery WinningsWith Benny Geys · British Journal of Political Science2024Transitory Income Windfalls and Charitable Giving: Evidence from Norwegian Register Data, 1993–2021With Benny Geys · Economic Journal

Complete publication list

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A. International journals and English-language book chapters (58)
Universalism: an 11-year longitudinal study2026 · with Christine Bangum and Benny Geys. Economica.When are Politicians Incentivized to Vote? Evidence from individual-level panel data (2015–2023)2026 · with Benny Geys. Public Choice.Vetting for Virtue: Democracy’s Challenge in Excluding Criminals from Office2025 · with S. S. Arntzen and Jon H. Fiva. American Political Science Review.Pro-social Preferences and the Paradox of Voting2025 · with Christine Bangum and Benny Geys. Journal of Public Economics.The Causal Effect of Affluence on Voter Turnout: New Evidence from Lottery Winnings2025 · with Benny Geys. British Journal of Political Science.Transitory Income Windfalls and Charitable Giving: Evidence from Norwegian Register Data, 1993–20212024 · with Benny Geys. Economic Journal, 135(667), 943–.Are politicians more generous? Evidence from charitable giving2024 · Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 227, 106742.Public Employees as Elected Politicians: Assessing Direct and Indirect Substantive Effects of Passive Representation2024 · with Benny Geys and Zuzana Murdoch. Journal of Politics, 86(1), 170–182.Fertility and immigration2024 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Economics & Human Biology, 101339.A Post-politics Earnings Penalty? Evidence from Individual-level Panel Data2023 · with Benny Geys. Kyklos, 77(1), 57–76.Educated politicians and government efficiency2023 · Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 210, 163–179.Age and Vote Choice: Is There a Conservative Shift Among Older Voters?2022 · with Benny Geys and Tom-Reiel Heggedal. Electoral Studies, 78.The Zero-Rent Society: The Effect of Political Status on Economic Outcomes2022 · with Jørgen Juel Andersen. Journal of Public Economics, 209, 104650.Public Sector Employment and Voter Turnout2022 · with Benny Geys. American Political Science Review, 116(1), 367–373.Political (Over)Representation of Public Sector Employees and the Double-Motive Hypothesis2022 · with Benny Geys and Zuzana Murdoch. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 32(2), 326–341.Moral hazard in electoral teams: List rank and campaign effort2021 · with Gary W. Cox, Jon H. Fiva and Daniel M. Smith. Journal of Public Economics, 200, 104457.Political Alignment and Bureaucratic Pay2021 · with Jon H. Fiva, Benny Geys and Tom-Reiel Heggedal. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 31(3), 596–615.Popular support for environmental protection: A life-cycle perspective2021 · with Tom-Reiel Heggedal and Benny Geys. British Journal of Political Science, 51(3), 1348–1355.Administrative Delegation and Political Selection2020 · with Benny Geys. Kyklos, 73, 477–499.Who dies early? Education, mortality and causes of death in Norway2020 · Social Science & Medicine, 245, 112601.The impact of women above the political glass ceiling2019 · with Benny Geys. Electoral Studies, 60, 1–10.The impact of state television on voter turnout2019 · British Journal of Political Science, 49(1), 257–278.Does Use of Diagnostic Technology Reduce Fetal Mortality?2018 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Health Services Research, 53(6), 4437–4459.The Power of Parties: Evidence from Close Municipal Elections in Norway2018 · with Jon H. Fiva and Olle Folke. Scandinavian Journal of Economics, 120(3), 3–30.Never Change a Winning Policy? Public Sector Performance and Politicians’ Preferences for Reforms2017 · with Benny Geys. Public Administration Review, 78, 206–216.Are bureaucrats paid like CEOs? Performance compensation and turnover of top civil servants2017 · with Benny Geys and Tom-Reiel Heggedal. Journal of Public Economics, 152, 47–54.Saving Newborn Babies: The Benefits of Interventions in Neonatal Care2017 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Health Economics, 26(3), 352–370.Impact of mass media on obstetricians’ behavior2017 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Health Policy, 121(9), 986–993.After the immigration shock: The causal effect of immigration on electoral preferences2016 · Electoral Studies, 44, 1–14.Revenue Scarcity and Government Outsourcing: Empirical Evidence from Norwegian Local Governments2016 · with Benny Geys. Public Administration, 94(3), 769–788.Public–private political cleavage: What happens after retirement?2016 · with Jørn Rattsø. Public Choice, 166(3), 315–333.Partisan bias, electoral volatility, and government efficiency2015 · with Leif Helland. Electoral Studies, 39, 117–128.Practice Guidelines and Practice Variation: A Longitudinal Study of Caesarean Sections2015 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Health Services Research.Political competition, party polarization, and government performance2014 · Public Choice, 161, 427–450.Regionalization and Local Hospital Closure in Norwegian Maternity Care2014 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Health Services Research, 49(4), 1184–1204.Educated mothers, healthy infants: The impact of a school reform on the birth weight of Norwegian infants 1967–20052014 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Social Science & Medicine, 105, 84–92.Does aging affect preferences for welfare spending?2013 · European Journal of Political Economy, 29, 259–271.Do Mothers Decide? The Impact of Maternal Education on Infant Health2013 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Journal of Human Resources, 48(1), 142–168.Persistent rent extraction2012 · with Leif Helland. Public Choice, 153(1–2), 205–213.Adoption of Diagnostic Technology and Variation in Caesarean Section Rates2012 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Health Services Research, 47(6), 2169–2189.Do expert patients get better treatment than others? Agency discrimination and statistical discrimination in obstetrics2011 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Journal of Health Economics, 30(1), 163–180.Impact of hospital revenue on the level and intensity of Caesarean sections2011 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. BMC Health Services Research, 11, 267.Grey power and public budgets: Family altruism helps children, but not the elderly2010 · with Jørn Rattsø. European Journal of Political Economy, 26(2), 222–234.Geographical redistribution with disproportional representation: A politico-economic model of Norwegian road projects2009 · with Leif Helland. Public Choice, 139, 5–19.Patient choice and access to health care: The role of hospital ownership2009 · Health Economics, Policy and Law, 4(1), 11–27.Busy Physicians2008 · with Jostein Grytten and Irene Skau. Journal of Health Economics, 27, 510–518.Does dispersed public ownership impair efficiency? The case of refuse collection in Norway2007 · Public Administration, 85(4), 1045–1058.Primary Physician Services—List size and primary physicians’ service production2007 · with Jostein Grytten. Journal of Health Economics, 26(4), 721–741.Local Government Consolidations: The Impact of Political Transaction Costs2006 · Public Choice, 127, 75–95.Do Parties Matter for Local Revenue Policies?2006 · with Jens Blom-Hansen and Lars Monkerud. European Journal of Political Research, 45, 445–465.Public employees as swing voters: Empirical evidence on opposition to public-sector reform2004 · with Jørn Rattsø. Public Choice, 119, 281–310.The political economy of intergovernmental grants: The Norwegian case2003 · European Journal of Political Research, 42, 77–110.Practice variation and physician-specific effects2003 · with Jostein Grytten. Journal of Health Economics, 22, 403–418.Service production and contract choice in primary physician services2003 · with Jostein Grytten. Health Policy, 66(1), 73–93.Aggregating Spending Preferences: An Empirical Analysis of Demand for Local Public Services2002 · with Lars-Erik Borge. Public Choice, 110, 225–.Type of contract and supplier-induced demand for primary physicians in Norway2001 · with Jostein Grytten. Journal of Health Economics, 20, 379–393.Competition and dental services2000 · with Jostein Grytten. Health Economics, 9(5), 447–461.Competition and supplier-induced demand in a health care system with fixed fees1999 · with Jostein Grytten. Health Economics, 8(6), 497–508.
B. National journals and national book chapters (19)
Smått og godt? Kommunestørrelse, ressurser og tilfredshet med det kommunale tjenestetilbudet2010 · with Lars Monkerud. Norsk Statsvitenskapelig Tidsskrift, 26, 265–295.Forsvaret 1986–2005: Fra territorialforsvar til internasjonal innsats2010 · with Leif Helland and Espen Thorkildsen. Tidsskrift for Samfunnsforskning, 51, 525–549.Ustyrlige statsselskaper?2010 · Beta, 24, 38–56.Hvorfor overlever politisk korrupsjon i demokratier?2009 · with Leif Helland. Norsk Statsvitenskapelig Tidsskrift, 25, 220–234.Pengerikelighetens utfordringer2008 · with Jørn Rattsø. Magma, 11, 28–33.Region søker oppgaver2007 · with Jørn Rattsø. Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning, 48, 565–577.Militær ledelse: En sammenligning med næringslivet2007 · with Øyvind Pettersen and Jan Aambakk. Magma, 10, 51–62.Gir mer penger bedre velferd?2006 · with Lars-Erik Borge. Horisont, 1/2006.Sentraliseringsparadokset: Statlig styring og kommunal innovasjon2005 · with Signy Irene Vabo. Tidsskrift for Samfunnsforskning, 46, 503–537.Et folkestyre i fremgang2005 · Nytt Norsk Tidsskrift, 22, 258–270.Fortsatt grådige fastleger med listepasientsystemet?2005 · with Jostein Grytten. Økonomisk Forum, 6, 12–21.Frivillige sammenslåinger av kommuner—en vakker, men håpløs idé2004 · Samfunnsspeilet, 2/2004.Markedsreformer i offentlig sektor: Elitistisk motebølge eller velferdsdemokratiets redning?2004 · Tidsskrift for Samfunnsforskning, 45, 509–546.Et forvitret demokrati?2004 · Norsk Statsvitenskapelig Tidsskrift, 20, 156–176.Fastlegeordningen: Hva har skjedd med legenes arbeidssituasjon?2004 · with Jostein Grytten, Irene Skau and Olaf Aasland. Tidsskrift for velferdsforskning, 7, 78–89.Grådige leger i Norge?2004 · with Jostein Grytten. Økonomisk Forum, 58, 32–37.Legenes arbeidssituasjon etter ett år med fastlegeordningen2004 · with Jostein Grytten, Irene Skau and Olaf Aasland. Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, 124, 358–361.Endringer i tjenesteproduksjon etter fastlegeordningen2004 · with Jostein Grytten, Irene Skau and Olaf Aasland. Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening, 124, 362–364.Den norske sykehusreformen: Hva som er galt, og hvordan den kan forbedres2004 · with Åge Danielsen and Terje P. Hagen. Økonomisk Forum, 58, 36–42.
C. Norwegian-language textbooks (3)
Kommunal organisering2026 · 9th edition, with Jon H. Fiva and Terje P. Hagen. Universitetsforlaget.En effektiv offentlig sektor: Organisering, styring og ledelse i stat og kommune2020 · 2nd edition, with Carlo Thomsen. Universitetsforlaget.Demokrati og effektivitet2008 · with Leif Helland. Universitetsforlaget.

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