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Listen to Me, Learn with Me: International Migration and Knowledge Transfer

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  • Allan M. Williams

Abstract

Existing research on the economic contribution of individual international labour migrants has been couched largely in terms of skills, and has focused on mobility within transnational corporations. This article explores some of the broader links between the literatures on international migration and management, and addresses four main questions: is migrant knowledge selective, is it distinctive, what are the barriers to migrant knowledge transfer and what are the implications for individual migrants and firms. This largely conceptual review is informed by three main premises: the value of adopting a knowledge as opposed to a skills perspective on migration; the importance of examining the cycle of migration rather than static snapshots at particular stages, and the need to consider inter‐firm and extra‐firm migration, as well as intra‐firm mobility.

Suggested Citation

  • Allan M. Williams, 2007. "Listen to Me, Learn with Me: International Migration and Knowledge Transfer," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 45(2), pages 361-382, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:45:y:2007:i:2:p:361-382
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2007.00618.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Regets, Mark, 2001. "Research and Policy Issues in High-Skilled International Migration: A Perspective with Data from the United States," IZA Discussion Papers 366, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Brown, Phillip & Green, Andy & Lauder, Hugh, 2001. "High Skills: Globalization, Competitiveness, and Skill Formation," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199244201, Decembrie.
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    3. Ilse van Liempt & Gery Nijenhuis, 2020. "Socio-Economic Participation of Somali Refugees in the Netherlands, Transnational Networks and Boundary Spanning," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 264-274.
    4. Alireza Naghavi & Chiara Strozzi, 2017. "Intellectual property rights and diaspora knowledge networks: Can patent protection generate brain gain from skilled migration?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 50(4), pages 995-1022, November.
    5. Alireza Naghavi & Chiara Strozzi, "undated". "Intellectual Property Rights and Diaspora Knowledge Networks," Development Working Papers 380, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    6. Alireza Naghavi & Chiara Strozzi, "undated". "Can Intellectual Property Rights Protection Generate Brain Gain from International Migration?," Development Working Papers 374, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    7. Anna D’Ambrosio & Sandro Montresor & Mario Davide Parrilli & Francesco Quatraro, 2019. "Migration, communities on the move and international innovation networks: an empirical analysis of Spanish regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(1), pages 6-16, January.
    8. Mario Davide Parrilli, 2010. "Heterogeneous Social Capitals: A New Window of Opportunity for Local Economies," Working Papers 2010R06, Orkestra - Basque Institute of Competitiveness.
    9. Williams, Allan M. & Baláz, Vladimir, 2008. "International return mobility, learning and knowledge transfer: A case study of Slovak doctors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(11), pages 1924-1933, December.
    10. Ilse van Liempt & Gery Nijenhuis, 2020. "Socio-Economic Participation of Somali Refugees in the Netherlands, Transnational Networks and Boundary Spanning," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 264-274.
    11. Colombelli, Alessandra & D'Ambrosio, Anna & Meliciani, Valentina & Francesco Quatraro,, 2016. "Explaining the industrial variety of newborn firms: The role of cultural and technological diversity," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis LEI & BRICK - Laboratory of Economics of Innovation "Franco Momigliano", Bureau of Research in Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge, Collegio 201606, University of Turin.
    12. Jitamitra Behera & Akriti Jain & Ruchi Sharma, 2024. "The nexus between labour mobility and innovation: an empirical analysis," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 51(3), pages 551-584, September.
    13. Alireza Naghavi & Chiara Strozzi, 2011. "Intellectual Property Rights, Migration, and Diaspora," Working Papers 2011.60, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    14. Ferreira, João J. & Fernandes, Cristina I. & Guo, Ying & Rammal, Hussain G., 2022. "Knowledge worker mobility and knowledge management in MNEs: A bibliometric analysis and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 464-475.
    15. Brixy, Udo & Brunow, Stephan & D'Ambrosio, Anna, 2017. "Ethnic diversity in start-ups and its impact on innovation," IAB-Discussion Paper 201725, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    16. Aija Lulle, 2022. "Life Course Justice and Learning," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(4), pages 76-78.
    17. Helena Barnard & David Deeds & Ram Mudambi & Paul M. Vaaler, 2019. "Migrants, migration policies, and international business research: Current trends and new directions," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(4), pages 275-288, December.
    18. Lugosi, Peter & Ndiuini, Ann, 2022. "Migrant mobility and value creation in hospitality labour," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    19. Eddy Bekkers & Michael Landesmann & Indre Macskasi, 2017. "Trade in Services versus Trade in Manufactures: The Relation between the Role of Tacit Knowledge, the Scope for Catch up, and Income Elasticity," wiiw Working Papers 139, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    20. Izabela Grabowska, 2018. "Social Skills, Workplaces and Social Remittances: A Case of Post-Accession Migrants," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 32(5), pages 868-886, October.
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    22. Chengguang Li & Rodrigo Isidor & Luis Alfonso Dau & Rudy Kabst, 2018. "The More the Merrier? Immigrant Share and Entrepreneurial Activities," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 42(5), pages 698-733, September.

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