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Brain drain and institutions of governance: Educational attainment of immigrants to the US 1988-1998

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  • Bang, James T.
  • Mitra, Aniruddha

Abstract

We investigate the impact of home country institutions on the skill level of immigrants to the United States over 1988-1998. Specifically, we explore the hypothesis that institutions are multidimensional and that the different dimensions have conflicting impacts on the migration of skilled labor. Using an exploratory factor analysis on fifteen institutional variables, we identify the following dimensions of institutional character: credibility, transparency, democracy, and the security of civil society. We find that credibility and transparency increase the magnitude of brain drain, security reduces it, and democracy has no significant impact.

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  • Bang, James T. & Mitra, Aniruddha, 2011. "Brain drain and institutions of governance: Educational attainment of immigrants to the US 1988-1998," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 335-354, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecosys:v:35:y:2011:i:3:p:335-354
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    3. Mitra, Aniruddha & Bang, James T. & Wunnava, Phanindra V., 2011. "Financial Liberalization and the Brain Drain: A Panel Data Analysis," IZA Discussion Papers 5953, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Abolfazl Shahabadi & Marzieh Salehi & Seyed Ehsan Hosseinidoust, 2020. "The Impact of Competitiveness on Brain Drain, GMM Panel Approach," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(2), pages 558-573, June.
    5. Michel Beine & Khalid Sekkat, 2014. "Emigration and origin country's institutions: does the destination country matter?," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 20-44, January.
    6. Simplice Asongu & Jacinta Nwachukwu & Sara le Roux, 2019. "The role of inclusive development and military expenditure in modulating the effect of terrorism on governance," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 46(3), pages 681-709, August.
    7. Adovor, E. & Czaika, M. & Docquier, F. & Moullan, Y., 2021. "Medical brain drain: How many, where and why?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    8. James T. Bang & Aniruddha Mitra & Phanindra V. Wunnava, 2015. "Financial liberalization and remittances: Recent panel evidence," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(8), pages 1077-1102, December.
    9. Fanyu Chen & Zi Wen Vivien Wong & Siong Hook Law, 2024. "Brain drain: what is the role of institutions?," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 51(3), pages 605-628, September.
    10. Phanindra V. Wunnava & Aniruddha Mitra & Robert E. Prasch, 2015. "Globalization and the Ethnic Divide: Recent Longitudinal Evidence," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1475-1492, November.
    11. Aniruddha Mitra & James Bang & Phanindra Wunnava, 2014. "Financial liberalization and the selection of emigrants: a cross-national analysis," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 199-226, August.
    12. Wunnava, Phanindra V. & Mitra, Aniruddha & Prasch, Robert E., 2012. "Globalization, Institutions, and the Ethnic Divide: Recent Longitudinal Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 6459, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Qiantao A. Zhang & Brian M. Lucey, 2019. "Globalisation, the Mobility of Skilled Workers, and Economic Growth: Constructing a Novel Brain Drain/Gain Index for European Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(4), pages 1620-1642, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Immigration Institutions Political instability Brain drain;

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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