Migrant Inventors and Environmental-Related Technologies: A Life Cycle Perspective in US MSAs

Salvatore Viola (), Ernest Miguelez (), Rosina Moreno (), Davide Consoli and François Perruchas
Additional contact information
Salvatore Viola: AQR-IREA, University of Barcelona
Ernest Miguelez: AQR-IREA, University of Barcelona
Rosina Moreno: AQR-IREA, University of Barcelona
Davide Consoli: Universitat Politècnica de València - CSIC-UPV

No 202508, AQR Working Papers from University of Barcelona, Regional Quantitative Analysis Group

Abstract: One important factor in addressing climate change is the development and deployment of environmental-related, or green, technologies (GT). Environmental-related technologies are distinct, requiring specific conditions to be developed which vary depending on their relative level of technological maturity. Recent studies have focused on the role of migrant inventors in creating these conditions and spurring regional diversification into new technological domains. Regional diversification helps regions avoid lock-in and even escape fossil fuel dependencies. While the contribution of migrants to science and innovation is well documented, less attention has been given to migrants and diversification, especially in the case of GT and along the technological life cycle. In this study, we investigate the role of US-based migrant inventors in regional GT diversification using patent data from the USPTO between the year 1990 and 2012. We find that migrant inventors are positively associated with regional GT diversification, partly as a result of their previous patenting experience as well as the specializations of their countries of origin. With regard to the technological life cycle, while geographically diffused technologies rely on corresponding inventor experience, emergent technological diversification benefits from inventors from specialized countries. These findings highlight the bridging role that migrant inventors in international knowledge transfer and their importance in regional diversification in particular environmental-related technologies.

Keywords: Regional Diversification; Green Technology; Immigration; Technological Life Cycle JEL classification:O33; Q55; J61; R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 52 pages
Date: 2025-11, Revised 2025-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-env, nep-ino, nep-lab, nep-mig, nep-sbm and nep-tid
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.ub.edu/irea/working_papers/2025/202517.pdf (application/pdf)

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:aqr:wpaper:202508

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in AQR Working Papers from University of Barcelona, Regional Quantitative Analysis Group Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Bibiana Barnadas ().