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Stars as catalysts: an event-study analysis of the impact of star-scientist recruitment on local research performance in a small open economy

Author

Listed:
  • John McHale
  • Jason Harold
  • Jen-Chung Mei
  • Akhil Sasidharan
  • Anil Yadav

Abstract

There is increasing interest among policymakers in small open economies in the use of star-scientist recruitment policies to catalyse the development of local clusters in targeted research areas. We use Scopus to assemble a dataset on over 1.4 million publications and subsequent citations for Denmark, Ireland and New Zealand from 1990 to 2017. An event-study model is used to estimate the dynamic effects of a star arrival on quality-adjusted research output at both the department and matched individual incumbent levels. Star arrivals are associated with statistically significant increases in department output (excluding the output of the star) of between 12% and 25% after 4 years. At the incumbent level, star arrivals lead to an approximately 5% increase in individual output, with substantially larger increases for incumbents who co-author with the star.

Suggested Citation

  • John McHale & Jason Harold & Jen-Chung Mei & Akhil Sasidharan & Anil Yadav, 2023. "Stars as catalysts: an event-study analysis of the impact of star-scientist recruitment on local research performance in a small open economy," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 23(2), pages 343-369.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jecgeo:v:23:y:2023:i:2:p:343-369.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Star scientists; small open economies; innovation; scientist mobility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions

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