[rattray]

I'm not sure that's as big a problem in academia as in other circles. I would imagine that academic researchers (professors) are highly discerning among their friends based to a large extent on competence.

It's like how recruiting for engineers is best done through the networks of your engineers; they really only hang out with top people anyway (give or take).

[mhurron]

These people are still human, they can and will be swayed by something really well presented. If they weren't it wouldn't be a problem now.