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Knowledge diffusion in the network of international business travel

Author

Listed:
  • Michele Coscia

    (Harvard University
    ITU Copenhagen)

  • Frank M. H. Neffke

    (Harvard University)

  • Ricardo Hausmann

    (Harvard University
    Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth)

Abstract

We use aggregated and anonymized information based on international expenditures through corporate payment cards to map the network of global business travel. We combine this network with information on the industrial composition and export baskets of national economies. The business travel network helps to predict which economic activities will grow in a country, which new activities will develop and which old activities will be abandoned. In statistical terms, business travel has the most substantial impact among a range of bilateral relationships between countries, such as trade, foreign direct investments and migration. Moreover, our analysis suggests that this impact is causal: business travel from countries specializing in a specific industry causes growth in that economic activity in the destination country. Our interpretation of this is that business travel helps to diffuse knowledge, and we use our estimates to assess which countries contribute or benefit the most from the diffusion of knowledge through global business travel.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Coscia & Frank M. H. Neffke & Ricardo Hausmann, 2020. "Knowledge diffusion in the network of international business travel," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(10), pages 1011-1020, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:4:y:2020:i:10:d:10.1038_s41562-020-0922-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0922-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Jin, Wenwan & Zhu, Shengjun, 2023. "High-speed rail network and regional convergence/divergence in industrial structure," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    2. Hidalgo, César A., 2023. "The policy implications of economic complexity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(9).
    3. Pauly, Stefan & Stipanicic, Fernando, 2021. "The creation and diffusion of knowledge: Evidence from the Jet Age," CEPREMAP Working Papers (Docweb) 2112, CEPREMAP.
    4. Ernest Miguelez & Andrea Morrison, 2023. "Migrant inventors as agents of technological change," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 669-692, April.
    5. Balland, Pierre-Alexandre & Broekel, Tom & Diodato, Dario & Giuliani, Elisa & Hausmann, Ricardo & O'Clery, Neave & Rigby, David, 2022. "The new paradigm of economic complexity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(3).
    6. Balland, Pierre-Alexandre & Broekel, Tom & Diodato, Dario & Giuliani, Elisa & Hausmann, Ricardo & O'Clery, Neave & Rigby, David, 2022. "Reprint of The new paradigm of economic complexity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(8).
    7. Thierry Mayer & Hillel Rapoport & Camilo Umana Dajud, 2021. "Free Trade Agreements and the Movement of Business People," Working Papers 2021-10, CEPII research center.
    8. Song, Le & Ma, Yinghong, 2022. "Evaluating tacit knowledge diffusion with algebra matrix algorithm based social networks," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 428(C).
    9. Stefan Pauly & Fernando Stipanicic, 2022. "The Creation and Diffusion of Knowledge: Evidence from the Jet Age," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-04067326, HAL.
    10. Teemu Makkonen & Timo Mitze, 2021. "Geo-political conflicts, economic sanctions and international knowledge flows," Papers 2112.00564, arXiv.org.
    11. Stefan Pauly & Fernando Stipanicic, 2022. "The Creation and Diffusion of Knowledge: Evidence from the Jet Age," Working Papers hal-04067326, HAL.
    12. Asier Minondo, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on the trade of goods and services in Spain," Applied Economic Analysis, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(85), pages 58-76, February.
    13. Mathias Heidinger & Fabian Wenner & Sebastian Sager & Paul Sussmann & Alain Thierstein, 2023. "Where do knowledge-intensive firms locate in Germany?—An explanatory framework using exponential random graph modeling [Welche Standorte wählen wissensintensive Unternehmen in Deutschland? – Ein Er," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 43(1), pages 101-124, April.
    14. van der Wouden, Frank & Youn, Hyejin, 2023. "The impact of geographical distance on learning through collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    15. Wu, Lingfei & Kittur, Aniket & Youn, Hyejin & Milojević, Staša & Leahey, Erin & Fiore, Stephen M. & Ahn, Yong-Yeol, 2022. "Metrics and mechanisms: Measuring the unmeasurable in the science of science," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2).

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