Economic research on migration and knowledge diffusion

Francesco Lissoni

Chapter 2 in A Research Agenda for Migration and Innovation, 2025, pp 21-32 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter examines the role of migration as a driver of knowledge diffusion, a central theme in the intersection of migration and innovation studies. Tacit knowledge, transferred through personal interactions, is pivotal for innovation, as recognized in growth theory, economics of intellectual property, and economic geography. Migration, as an extreme form of spatial mobility, fosters diffusion through four distinct patterns: from origin to destination, within destinations, from destination to origin, and across destinations. While patterns like origin-to-destination and destination-to-origin have received substantial scholarly attention, within-destination and cross-destination exchanges remain underexplored. This chapter reviews the methodologies and findings of studies—primarily those leveraging inventor and patent data—that trace the mobility of knowledge-rich individuals and their interactions. By highlighting both achievements and research gaps, the chapter underscores the uneven focus and methodological diversity in this field, offering insights into the mechanisms of knowledge exchange and identifying avenues for future research.

Keywords: Knowledge diffusion; Tacit knowledge; Methodology; Mechanisms; Patent; Inventors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035308460
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.elgaronline.com/doi/10.4337/9781035308477.00012 (application/pdf)
Our link check indicates that this URL is bad, the error code is: 403 Forbidden

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:22149_2

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.e-elgar.com

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Jack Sweeney ().