International talent inflow and R&D investment: Firm-level evidence from China

Hao Wei, Ran Yuan and Laixun Zhao

Economic Modelling, 2020, vol. 89, issue C, 32-42

Abstract: Using firm-level R&D data with regional international talent data, we find that international talent increases the R&D investment of Chinese manufacturing firms, a result that is further confirmed with patent data and under a number of robustness checks. These findings stem from two mechanisms: international talent boosts human capital accumulation and provides a diversified labor force. Further, the R&D promoting effect is stronger if firms are located in eastern China rather than in other regions, of small and medium-sized rather than large-sized, of domestic ownership rather than foreign ownership. The policy implication is, the introduction of international talent can be a new way to promoting R&D investment, especially for skilled-labor constrained countries.

Keywords: International talent inflow; Manufacturing firms; R&D; Patent application (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F16 F22 O32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Working Paper: International Talent Inflow and R&D Investment: Firm-level Evidence from China (2019)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:89:y:2020:i:c:p:32-42

DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2019.09.007

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