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Does Mobility Increase the Productivity of Inventors?

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  • Hoisl, Karin

Abstract

Although labor mobility has been recognized as a key mechanism for transferring tacit knowledge, prior research on inventors has so far hardly discussed the impact of a move on inventive performance. Additionally, existing research has neglected the differences in gains from a move between high and lower performing inventors. This paper adds to the current R&D literature by presenting a jointly estimated quantile regression to compare the coefficients of the explanatory variables at different points of the performance distribution. Additionally, dummy variables are used to compare inventive performance prior and in the aftermath of a move. Results reveal that inventors at the upper end of the performance distribution are better able to benefit from a move to draw level with or to overtake non-movers in the post-move period. Whereas at the bottom of the performance distribution a higher level of education has a positive impact on inventive performance, education does not matter significantly at the upper end of the performance distribution. Data for the analysis was derived from a survey of German inventors (N = 3,049).

Suggested Citation

  • Hoisl, Karin, 2006. "Does Mobility Increase the Productivity of Inventors?," Discussion Papers in Business Administration 2023, University of Munich, Munich School of Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:lmu:msmdpa:2023
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    File URL: https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/2023/1/Hoisl_Mobility_160807_Wiss.Beitrag_LMU.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. William Latham & Christian Le Bas & Dmitry Volodin, 2012. "Mobility, Productivity and Patent Value for Asian Prolific Inventors : China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, 1975 - 2010," Working Papers halshs-00734980, HAL.
    2. William Latham & Christian Le Bas & Dmitry Volodin, 2011. "Value of invention, prolific inventor productivity and mobility : evidence from five countries, 1975-2002," Working Papers 1133, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon.
    3. Hussinger, Katrin, 2007. "Inventors? Response to Firm Acquisitions," ZEW Discussion Papers 07-078, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inventor; Mobility; Quantile Regression; Patent;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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