Abstract :
In this paper, a new indicator called the performance index (p-index) is used to rank a 100 most prolific economists. The p-index strikes the best balance between activity (total citations C) and excellence (mean citation rate C/P). The surprise is that the h-index, which is now universally accepted almost as a canonical tool for research assessment of individuals, research faculties and institutions and even for comparing performance of journals and countries, is actually a poor indicator of performance.
