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The Elite Brain Drain

Author Info

Listed author(s):
  • Hunter, Rosalind S.

    (University of Warwick)

  • Oswald, Andrew J.

    ()

    (University of Warwick)

  • Charlton, Bruce G.

    ()

    (Newcastle University)

Abstract

We collect data on the movement and productivity of elite scientists. Their mobility is remarkable: nearly half of the world's most-cited physicists work outside their country of birth. We show they migrate systematically towards nations with large R&D spending. Our study cannot adjudicate on whether migration improves scientists' productivity, but we find that movers and stayers have identical h-index citations scores. Immigrants in the UK and US now win Nobel Prizes proportionately less often than earlier. US residents' h-indexes are relatively high. We describe a framework where a key role is played by low mobility costs in the modern world.

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File URL: http://ftp.iza.org/dp4005.pdf
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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 4005.

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Length: 40 pages
Date of creation: Feb 2009
Publication status: published in: Economic Journal, 2009, 119 (538), F231 - F251
Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4005
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Keywords: mobility; science; brain drain; citations;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
  • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers

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  16. Beine, Michel & Docquier, Frederic & Rapoport, Hillel, 2001. "Brain drain and economic growth: theory and evidence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 275-289, February.
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  21. Hartmut Egger & Josef Falkinger & Volker Grossmann, 2012. "Brain Drain, Fiscal Competition, and Public Education Expenditure," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(1), pages 81-94, 02.
  22. Dietz, James S. & Bozeman, Barry, 2005. "Academic careers, patents, and productivity: industry experience as scientific and technical human capital," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 349-367, April.
  23. Schiff, Maurice, 2005. "Brain Gain: Claims about Its Size and Impact on Welfare and Growth Are Greatly Exaggerated," IZA Discussion Papers 1599, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
  24. Bruce A. Weinberg & David W. Galenson, 2005. "Creative Careers: The Life Cycles of Nobel Laureates in Economics," NBER Working Papers 11799, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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