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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;

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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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