Here is the e-mail that was sent to the prediction market scholars listed on Midas Oracle.:
Dear Mr. [PROFESSOR'S NAME GOES HERE],
I am writing on behalf of [PREDICTION MARKET SOFTWARE VENDOR'S NAME], a Netherlands based consulting firm, because our research has identified you as a scholar with some expertise in Prediction Markets or a related field. [THEY JUST SCRAPPED MIDAS ORACLE'S LISTINGS.] We would like to assess your suitability and interest to join the panel of scientific advisors with [PREDICTION MARKET SOFTWARE VENDOR'S NAME] (www.url.com).
In doing so, we propose to explore your area of experience and knowledge of Prediction Markets. Having established this, we would like to list you as our scientific advisor on your area of expertise on Prediction Markets. This will allow us to seek your services for a negotiated fee, once your particular expertise in developing or interpreting a Prediction Market issue is required.
I trust this message clarifies in short the mutual benefits in our cooperation. Please feel free to contact me to discuss further details.
Sincerely,
[LOW-LEVEL EMPLOYEE'S NAME GOES HERE]
Communications Manager
[PREDICTION MARKET SOFTWARE VENDOR'S NAME]
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Some prediction market scholars have responded positively, and are now listed on the Holland-based consultancy firm website. Once the professor has agreed to have his name listed as an “advisor”, the consultancy firm gets a bit of the prestige associated with the first-tier university employing the scholar. The web visitors are lead to believe that those scholars are in deep cooperation with the consultancy firm. But as the letter above shows, the relationships between those US-based scholars and the Dutch consultant are completely shallow.
- You give me your name (associated with your prestigious university) so that I can use it in my publicity.
- If one day, by any chance, one gullible client wants to pay $150/hour for additional advice, we will ring you. {Don’t hold your breath, though.}
This is not a strong relationship. This is a weak relationship. It is not a relationship based on research and development [*] of the prediction market technology, and the pertinence of its applications in the business world. Another reason to be skeptical about the field of enterprise prediction markets.
[*] At the contrary, the relationship between Robin Hanson and Consensus Point is deep and real.
