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The role of labour migration inflows on R&D and innovation activity: evidence from Russian regions

Luigi Aldieri (Department of Economic and Statistical Sciences, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy)
Maxim Kotsemir (Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, Higher School of Economics, National Research University, Moscow, Russian Federation)
Concetto Paolo Vinci (Department of Economic and Statistical Sciences, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy)

Foresight

ISSN: 1463-6689

Article publication date: 16 June 2020

Issue publication date: 25 August 2020

318

Abstract

Purpose

What is the effect of an increase of migration inflows on the R&D and innovative performance of developing countries? The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of migration inflows on the R&D and innovation activity (measured as expenditures on R&D and technological innovations) in Russian regions.

Design/methodology/approach

To this end, the authors use data on 85 Russian regions for the period 2010-2016 through a multi-region economic geography model. In particular, the authors test the hypothesis about the importance of migration inflows on R&D and technological innovation activity (H1) and the hypothesis about the importance of immigrants’ (incoming migrants) human capital (measured by the education level of incoming migrants) on R&D and innovation activity (H2).

Findings

Empirical findings support the evidence in favour of a positive causal link between innovation and migration inflows. Results of our investigation are important because they suggest useful insights for formulating science and innovation policies in Russia, which is a developing country where the recent policies favouring the technological innovation as the transition period have not yet achieved a satisfying outcome.

Originality/value

This paper increases the knowledge in the field with respect to the existing literature, shedding further light on the migration inflows effects, which is a political topic to manage very relevant in all countries.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This article was prepared with the support of the grant of the President of the Russian Federation for young scientists – Candidates of Sciences. Grant Number: MK-1418.2020.6.

Citation

Aldieri, L., Kotsemir, M. and Vinci, C.P. (2020), "The role of labour migration inflows on R&D and innovation activity: evidence from Russian regions", Foresight, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 437-468. https://doi.org/10.1108/FS-03-2020-0035

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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