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Patterns and determinants of skilled workers' mobility: evidence from a survey of Italian inventors

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  • Camilla Lenzi

Abstract

Skilled workers' mobility is considered to be one of the most influential channels of knowledge transmission. This has increased the interest of researchers and policy makers because of its implications for innovation diffusion and, consequently, economic welfare. However, little is still known about the determinants of this phenomenon. This paper explores the mobility patterns for a group of Italian inventors in the pharmaceutical sector. It addresses methodological issues related to measures of inventors' mobility through patent statistics and examines the determinants of their mobility choices. The empirical results indicate that career paths of inventors are rarely reflected in their patenting activity and that using patent statistics frequently underestimates the intensity of the mobility phenomenon. The results also show a positive association between productivity and mobility. In particular, the econometric analysis points out that inventor's personal characteristics, inventive productivity, and geographical location matter for mobility choices.

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  • Camilla Lenzi, 2009. "Patterns and determinants of skilled workers' mobility: evidence from a survey of Italian inventors," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 161-179.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ecinnt:v:18:y:2009:i:2:p:161-179
    DOI: 10.1080/10438590701737935
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    1. Tubiana, Matteo & Miguelez, Ernest & Moreno, Rosina, 2022. "In knowledge we trust: Learning-by-interacting and the productivity of inventors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(1).
    2. Corvello, Vincenzo & Belas, Jaroslav & Giglio, Carlo & Iazzolino, Gianpaolo & Troise, Ciro, 2023. "The impact of business owners’ individual characteristics on patenting in the context of digital innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    3. Riccardo Crescenzi & Luisa Gagliardi, 2015. "Moving People with Ideas - Innovation, Inter-regional Mobility and Firm Heterogeneity," SERC Discussion Papers 0174, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    4. Ernest Miguélez & Rosina Moreno, 2013. "Skilled labour mobility, networks and knowledge creation in regions: a panel data approach," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 51(1), pages 191-212, August.
    5. Clément Gorin, 2016. "Patterns and determinants of inventors' mobility across European urban areas," Working Papers halshs-01313086, HAL.
    6. Azoulay, Pierre & Ganguli, Ina & Graff Zivin, Joshua, 2017. "The mobility of elite life scientists: Professional and personal determinants," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 573-590.
    7. Timo Tohmo & Jutta Viinikainen, 2017. "Does intersectoral labour mobility pay for academics?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 113(1), pages 83-103, October.
    8. Stefano Breschi & Camilla Lenzi, 2010. "Spatial patterns of inventors' mobility: Evidence on US urban areas," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(2), pages 235-250, June.
    9. Daniel H. Weinberg, 2013. "Talent Recruitment and Firm Performance: The Business of Major League Sports," Working Papers 13-54, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau, revised Feb 2014.
    10. Diego Useche & Ernest Miguelez & Francesco Lissoni, 2020. "Highly skilled and well connected: Migrant inventors in cross-border M&As," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(5), pages 737-763, July.
    11. Ernest Miguélez & Rosina Moreno & Jordi Suriñach, 2010. "Inventors on the move: Tracing inventors' mobility and its spatial distribution," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(2), pages 251-274, June.
    12. Daniel H. Weinberg, 2013. "Talent Recruitment and Firm Performance: The Business of Major League Sports," Working Papers 13-54r, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau, revised Feb 2014.
    13. Jung, Taehyun & Ejermo, Olof, 2014. "Demographic patterns and trends in patenting: Gender, age, and education of inventors," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 110-124.
    14. Robert Tijssen & Wouter van de Klippe & Alfredo Yegros, 2020. "Localization, regionalization and globalization of university‐business research co‐operation in the United Kingdom," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 99(5), pages 1215-1236, October.
    15. Liu, Meijun & Hu, Xiao, 2022. "Movers’ advantages: The effect of mobility on scientists’ productivity and collaboration," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(3).
    16. Hosein Fallah, M. & Choudhury, Piyasi & Daim, Tugrul U., 2012. "Does movement of inventors between companies affect their productivity?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 196-206.
    17. Daniel H. Weinberg, 2016. "Talent Recruitment and Firm Performance," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 17(8), pages 832-862, December.
    18. Diego Useche & Ernest Miguelez & Francesco Lissoni, 2019. "Highly skilled and well connected: Migrant inventors in cross-border M&As," Post-Print halshs-02024499, HAL.

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