Stars and Brokers: Knowledge Spillovers Among Medical Scientists

Myra Mohnen

Management Science, 2022, vol. 68, issue 4, 2513-2532

Abstract: This paper estimates the heterogeneity in peer effects among research scientists in terms of network position. I propose a new measure, brokerage degree , that determines the extent to which a scientist depends on a coauthor to provide him unique access to other scientists further away. I apply this measure to the coauthorship network of medical scientists. I show that network position is crucial for productivity by facilitating access to nonredundant knowledge. Identification results from variation in brokerage degree among coauthors linked to a star scientist who dies. A one standard deviation increase in the brokerage degree of a deceased star is associated with a 10% decrease in annual publications of his coauthor. By applying brokerage degree to topics, I provide evidence that access to knowledge flows embodied in scientists further away can account for a large proportion of the identified heterogeneity effect.

Keywords: productivity; innovation; network; peer effects; knowledge transmission; scientific collaboration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:68:y:2022:i:4:p:2513-2532

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