Bridging the Gap: Evidence from the Return Migration of African Scientists

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Fry, Caroline Viola
• 署名单位: University of Hawaii System; University of Hawaii Manoa
• 刊物名称: ORGANIZATION SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7039
• DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2022.1580
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 404-432
• 关键词: social network; INEQUALITY; economics of science; international migration; knowledge spillovers; global innovation; economics of innovation; AFRICA

摘要

Although prior research has highlighted the benefits that accrue to brokers in innovation networks, much less attention is devoted to understanding who benefits from associating with a broker. This study focuses on the impact of associating with a specific kind of broker???a core/periphery bridge???that is, one that spans central and peripheral actors. I argue that actors associated with a core/periphery bridge benefit more when they have no central connection, or are outsiders in the network, due to their greater need for sponsorship from the broker. I explore this idea in the context of the return migration of American-trained scientists to African institutions, who span the core and the periphery of the global scientific network. I evaluate the impact of their return on the publication outcomes of nonmigrant scientists based in African institutions and find that following the arrival of a returnee in their institution, the nonmigrants who are not already connected to scientists in top global institutions have a greater publication output through improved access to central knowledge and connections. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how brokers can influence innovation systems more broadly.