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Does the Cream Always Rise to the Top? The Misallocation of Talent in Innovation

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  • Celik, Murat Alp

Abstract

The misallocation of talent in innovation – “missing Einsteins” – has a first-order impact on growth and welfare. Surname-level empirical analysis combining inventor and census micro-data reveals people from richer backgrounds are more likely to become inventors, but those from high-education backgrounds become more prolific inventors. Motivated by this discrepancy, an endogenous growth model with financial frictions on the household side is developed. Individuals compete for scarce inventor training. The rich can become inventors even if mediocre through excessive credentialing spending. Shutting down credentialing spending raises innovation, growth, welfare, and inequality. Optimal progressive bequest taxes increase growth and welfare, but reduce inequality.

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  • Celik, Murat Alp, 2023. "Does the Cream Always Rise to the Top? The Misallocation of Talent in Innovation," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 105-128.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:moneco:v:133:y:2023:i:c:p:105-128
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoneco.2022.11.003
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic growth; inequality; innovation; inventors; misallocation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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