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Does Mobility across Universities Raise Scientific Productivity?

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  • Olof Ejermo
  • Claudio Fassio
  • John Källström

Abstract

Using a highly comprehensive new data set on Swedish researchers, we investigate the effects of inter‐university mobility on researcher productivity. Our study suggests substantial gains from mobility on scientific output. The empirical analysis addresses selection using inverse probability treatment censoring weights. We find that mobility induces a long‐lasting increase in a researcher's publications by 32% and citations by 63%. Such mobility effects are not explained by promotions taking place jointly with a move. Positive effects are found among individuals who move between universities and not for those who move to or from university colleges. Moreover, we find that the positive effect of moving only applies to researchers in medicine, natural sciences and engineering and technology, with no effect of mobility found in the social sciences and in the humanities.

Suggested Citation

  • Olof Ejermo & Claudio Fassio & John Källström, 2020. "Does Mobility across Universities Raise Scientific Productivity?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 82(3), pages 603-624, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:obuest:v:82:y:2020:i:3:p:603-624
    DOI: 10.1111/obes.12346
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    Cited by:

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    4. Wumei Du & Zheng Xie & Yiqin Lv, 2021. "Predicting publication productivity for authors: Shallow or deep architecture?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(7), pages 5855-5879, July.

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    JEL classification:

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

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