Abstract: This paper addresses the institutional concentration of authors in 15 top economics journals from 1977 to 1997. The concentration of authors’ Ph.D. affiliations is substantially higher than the concentration of authors’ current affiliations. Relating input indicators, such as population, number of universities with economics departments, or manpower in economics, to publication output reduces the United States’ dominance considerably, whereas Israel and the U.K. come out excellently. Exporters and importers of Ph.D.s among universities are identified. Concentration ratios like the Herfindahl-Index lack a clear time trend. Nevertheless, the position of the U.S. has been weakening in recent years.