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Productivity effects of knowledge transfers through labour mobility

Author

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  • Neil Foster-McGregor

    (UNU-MERIT)

  • Johannes Pöschl

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies)

Abstract

This paper examines whether there are productivity gains due to technology being transmitted across industries through the movement of skilled workers embodying human capital. The empirical analysis is based on household survey and industry-level data for a sample of 12 European Union countries covering the years 1995–2005. The estimates provide evidence of positive cross-sectoral knowledge spillovers and indicate that labour mobility has considerable beneficial effects on industry productivity. The paper further shows that the spillover effects vary considerably by technology level of the giving industry. While workers moving from high-tech and medium-tech industries are found to produce positive productivity effects for the receiving industry, no significant or even negative effects are found for those coming from low-tech industries.

Suggested Citation

  • Neil Foster-McGregor & Johannes Pöschl, 2016. "Productivity effects of knowledge transfers through labour mobility," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 169-184, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jproda:v:46:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s11123-016-0478-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11123-016-0478-y
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Knowledge spillovers; Labour mobility; Productivity; Human capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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