Working Paper: NBER ID: w17800
Authors: George J. Borjas; Kirk B. Doran
Abstract: It has been difficult to open up the black box of knowledge production. We use unique international data on the publications, citations, and affiliations of mathematicians to examine the impact of a large post-1992 influx of Soviet mathematicians on the productivity of their American counterparts. We find a negative productivity effect on those mathematicians whose research overlapped with that of the Soviets. We also document an increased mobility rate (to lower-quality institutions and out of active publishing) and a reduced likelihood of producing "home run" papers. Although the total product of the pre-existing American mathematicians shrank, the Soviet contribution to American mathematics filled in the gap. However, there is no evidence that the Soviets greatly increased the size of the "mathematics pie." Finally, we find that there are significant international differences in the productivity effects of the collapse of the Soviet Union, and that these international differences can be explained by both differences in the size of the émigré flow into the various countries and in how connected each country is to the global market for mathematical publications.
Keywords: Soviet mathematicians; American mathematics; Productivity; Knowledge production; Immigration
JEL Codes: J61; O31
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Soviet influx (P33) | productivity decrease of American mathematicians with research overlap (D29) |
| Soviet influx (P33) | decreased likelihood of producing high-impact papers for American mathematicians with research overlap (A14) |
| Soviet influx (P33) | increased mobility rate to lower-quality institutions for American mathematicians with research overlap (J62) |
| Soviet influx (P33) | reduced likelihood of remaining active in publishing for American mathematicians with research overlap (A14) |
| Soviet influx (P33) | productivity fill gaps left by American mathematicians (O49) |