Career progress in centralized academic systems: Social capital and institutions in France and Italy

Michele Pezzoni, Valerio Sterzi and Francesco Lissoni

Research Policy, 2012, vol. 41, issue 4, 704-719

Abstract: We analyze the role of social capital in academic careers. We distinguish between ties with reputed scientists and laboratories (scientific and technical human capital) and ties with influential actors with respect to recruitment/promotion decisions (political capital). We use institution-wise bibliometric indicators to measure separately the two types of capital for a large sample of French and Italian academic physicists between 2000 and 2003/2005. Controlling for scientific productivity, seniority and gender issues, career progress is explained by: the scientist's affiliation to important public research organizations (scientific and technical human capital – France); his/her social ties with senior members of the discipline, who exercise control over careers (political capital – Italy), and the commitment to work with senior colleagues in his/her own university (political capital – Italy). Significant differences exist between the two countries also with respect to the importance of productivity, seniority, and gender.

Keywords: Academic careers; Economics of science; Social capital; Gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I23 J45 M51 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (46)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Career progress in centralized academic systems: Social capital and institutions in France and Italy (2012)
Working Paper: Career progress in centralized academic systems: social capital and institutions in France and Italy (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:respol:v:41:y:2012:i:4:p:704-719

DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2011.12.009

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