Start of Main Content
Journal Article
The role of pilot studies in financial regulation
The Review of Corporate Finance Studies
Author(s)
Financial regulators considering the desirability of a new rule or regulation sometimes use pilot
studies as a tool for evidence-based decision-making. Although pilot studies can generate new
knowledge, they also can be expensive and potentially subject to serious selection biases, spillover
problems, and the infeasibility of setting up a blind design. Alternatively, regulators often can
effectively evaluate a proposed regulation’s potential impact by analyzing archival data or applying
theory based on well-accepted economic principles. We discuss why pilot studies can be useful, but
also why regulators and industry participants sometimes favor pilot studies with little scientific
value. We illustrate these issues with a discussion of various SEC pilot studies.
Date Published:
2026
Citations:
Harris, Lawrence, Charles Kahn, Robert L. McDonald, Chester Spatt. 2026. The role of pilot studies in financial regulation. The Review of Corporate Finance Studies.