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International Knowledge Spillovers: The Benefits from Employing Immigrants

Author

Listed:
  • Jürgen Bitzer

    (Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg)

  • Erkan Gören

    (Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg and Aarhus University)

  • Sanne Hiller

    (Ruhr-University Bochum and Aarhus University)

Abstract

This paper explores the role of immigrant employees for a firm’s capability to absorb international knowledge. Using matched employer-employee data from Denmark for the years 1999 to 2009, we are able to show that non-Danish employees contribute significantly to a firm’s economic output through their ability to access international knowledge. The immigrants’ impact increases if they come from technological advanced countries, have a high educational level, and are employed in high skilled positions. However, the latter does not hold for immigrant managers.

Suggested Citation

  • Jürgen Bitzer & Erkan Gören & Sanne Hiller, 2014. "International Knowledge Spillovers: The Benefits from Employing Immigrants," Working Paper Series in Economics 323, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:lue:wpaper:323
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    R&D Spillovers; Absorptive Capacity; Firm-Level Analysis; Foreign Workers; Immigrants;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D20 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - General
    • J82 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Labor Force Composition
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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