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Did Cheaper Flights Change the Direction of Science?

Author

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  • Catalini, Christian

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Fons-Rosen, Christian

    (University of California, Merced)

  • Gaule, Patrick

    (University of Bristol)

Abstract

We test how a reduction in travel cost affects the rate and direction of scientific research. Using a fine-grained, scientist-level dataset within chemistry (1991-2012), we find that after Southwest Airlines enters a new route, scientific collaboration increases by 50%, an effect that is magnified when weighting output by quality. The benefits from the lower fares, however, are not uniform across scientist types: younger scientists and scientists that are more productive than their local peers respond the most. Thus, cheaper flights, by reducing frictions otherwise induced by geography and allowing for additional face-to-face interactions, seem to enable better matches over distance.

Suggested Citation

  • Catalini, Christian & Fons-Rosen, Christian & Gaule, Patrick, 2016. "Did Cheaper Flights Change the Direction of Science?," IZA Discussion Papers 9897, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9897
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    2. Dong, Xiaofang & Zheng, Siqi & Kahn, Matthew E., 2020. "The role of transportation speed in facilitating high skilled teamwork across cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    3. Yongqiang Chu & Xuan Tian & Wenyu Wang, 2019. "Corporate Innovation Along the Supply Chain," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(6), pages 2445-2466, June.
    4. Söderlund, Bengt, 2023. "The importance of business travel for trade: Evidence from the liberalization of the Soviet airspace," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    5. Ma, Liya & Niu, Dongxiao & Sun, Weizeng, 2021. "Transportation infrastructure and entrepreneurship: Evidence from high-speed railway in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. Duan, Liaoliao & Sun, Weizeng & Zheng, Siqi, 2020. "Transportation network and venture capital mobility: An analysis of air travel and high-speed rail in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    7. Amarante, Veronica & Zurbrigg, Julieta, 2022. "The marginalization of southern researchers in Development," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    8. Yang, Xuehui & Zhang, Huirong & Lin, Shanlang & Zhang, Jiaping & Zeng, Jianlong, 2021. "Does high-speed railway promote regional innovation growth or innovation convergence?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    9. Xiaofang Dong & Siqi Zheng & Matthew E. Kahn, 2018. "The Role of Transportation Speed in Facilitating High Skilled Teamwork," NBER Working Papers 24539, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Blanes i Vidal, Jordi & Kirchmaier, Tom & Battiston, Diego, 2017. "Is Distance Dead? Face-to-Face Communication and Productivity in Teams," CEPR Discussion Papers 11924, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Lukas Kuld & John O'Hagan, 2017. "Rise of Multi-authored Papers in Economics: Demise of the 'Lone Star' and Why?," Trinity Economics Papers tep0517, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
    12. Yafei Xu & Guoli Ou, 2022. "Does High-Speed Railway Promote the Level of Human Capital? An Empirical Analysis Based on Three Urban Agglomerations in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, October.
    13. Söderlund, Bengt, 2020. "The Importance of Business Travel for Trade: Evidence from the Liberalization of the Soviet Airspace," Working Paper Series 1355, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    14. Jian Gao & Bogang Jun & Alex Sandy Pentland & Tao Zhou & Cesar A. Hidalgo, 2017. "Collective Learning in China's Regional Economic Development Formations of Co-Inventors During the Dot-com Bubble in the Research Triangle Region," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1706, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Mar 2017.
    15. Xiaofang Dong & Siqi Zheng & Matthew E. Kahn, 2018. "The Role of Transportation Speed in Facilitating High Skilled Teamwork," NBER Working Papers 24539, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Yang, Xuehui & Zhang, Huirong & Li, Yan, 2022. "High-speed railway, factor flow and enterprise innovation efficiency: An empirical analysis on micro data," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PB).
    17. Wang, Jiating & Cai, Siyuan, 2020. "The construction of high-speed railway and urban innovation capacity: Based on the perspective of knowledge Spillover," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    18. Lukas Kuld & John O’Hagan, 2018. "Rise of multi-authored papers in economics: Demise of the ‘lone star’ and why?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 114(3), pages 1207-1225, March.
    19. Chao Li & Qian Zhou & Shi Chen, 2022. "Bringing Minds Together: High‐speed Railways, Team Building, and Innovation Collaboration," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 30(6), pages 34-58, November.
    20. Jian Gao & Bogang Jun & Alex Sandy Pentland & Tao Zhou & Cesar A. Hidalgo, 2017. "Collective Learning in China's Regional Economic Development," Papers 1703.01369, arXiv.org.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    temporary co-location; air travel; scientific collaboration; face-to-face meetings;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • R4 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics
    • L93 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Air Transportation

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