Search results
11 – 20 of over 2000The purpose of this paper is to break down south-north migration along both the skill and the occupational dimension and thus to distinguish and compare several types of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to break down south-north migration along both the skill and the occupational dimension and thus to distinguish and compare several types of south-north migration and brain drain.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents south-north migration rates by occupational category at two distinct levels of disaggregation according to International Standard Classification of Occupations 1988 (ISCO-88). The data sets combine information about the labor market outcomes of immigrants in Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries around the year 2000 provided by the Database on Immigrants in OECD Countries by the OECD with employment data for the developing migrant-sending countries from the International Labour Organization.
Findings
The incidence of south-north migration was highest among Professionals, one of the two occupational categories generally requiring tertiary education, and among clerks and legislators, senior officials and managers. At the more disaggregated level, physical, mathematical and engineering science (associate) professionals, life science and health (associate) professionals, as well as other (associate) professionals exhibited significantly larger brain drain rates than teaching (associate) professionals. The data also suggest non-negligible occupation-education mismatches due to the imperfect transferability of skills acquired through formal education because south-north migrants with a university degree worked more often in occupational categories requiring less than tertiary education compared to OECD natives. The employment shares of most types of professionals and technicians and associate professionals, as well as of clerks and corporate managers were significantly smaller in the migrant-sending countries compared to the receiving countries.
Originality/value
The constructed data sets constitute the first comprehensive data sets on south-north migration by ISCO-88 major and sub-major occupational category for cross-sections of, respectively, 91 and 17 developing countries of emigration.
Details
Keywords
This paper seeks to address two research questions: first, to what extent do highly skilled migrants intend to make personal business and financial investments in their home…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to address two research questions: first, to what extent do highly skilled migrants intend to make personal business and financial investments in their home countries, and second, what factors influence them to invest in their home countries?
Design/methodology/approach
The results are based on face‐to‐face and telephone interviews which took place between September, 2008 and March, 2009 with 64 highly skilled British migrants working in Vancouver, Canada. Respondents were asked a combination of open‐ and closed‐ended questions.
Findings
The results of this study find that the vast majority of respondents are not investing in or intending to return to their home country, which indicates that they contributing to brain circulation in a limited extent.
Practical implications
The paper argues that governments and organisations in the home country can play an important role in facilitating brain circulation in Europe.
Originality/value
Much of the academic literature suggests that the brain drain has now transformed into brain gain. The findings of this study do not support this shift because most of the sample of British expatriates in Vancouver are not intending to invest in or return to Europe. This is significant because highly skilled migrants could be better utilised as resources by European governments and organisations.
Details
Keywords
– The purpose of this paper is to explain the current role of foreign foundations in the cross-border mobility of Russian elite scientists.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explain the current role of foreign foundations in the cross-border mobility of Russian elite scientists.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology is based on a combination of a quantitative survey (December 2004-February 2005) of former Russian Humboldtians and qualitative research (expert interviews in 2005 and in 2012, respectively) of Russian alumni of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation (Germany).
Findings
For Russian elite researchers participating in academic mobility, in 2000s it is rather cross-border mobility’ brain circulation’ rather than “brain drain” a dominant form of academic mobility typical. Even in 2000s, western foundations still played a significant while twofold role – promoting emigration of for a small part of Russian elite researchers, on the one hand, while and getting access to top-level labs, etc. and to international academic chains of excellence for the majority of them, on the other. Coming back to the home country, affiliation with foreign foundations reduces the dependence of Russian elite researchers on hierarchical structures within the national state science system and promotes project teams and network forms of interaction their career. However, Russian scientists dependence on foreign funding affect both the scope of research and their academic status (mostly – second-level positions within research projects, etc.). Among the reasons to for leave leaving Russia it is primarily the desire to remain have closer access to their academic community and the equipment to do on the top level in research. The paper formulates some measures to foster incentives to stay in Russia and respectively to support re-emigration of elite researchers, in form of world class research labs and strengthening the motivation of senior researchers to work in the home country.
Research limitations/implications
Research limitations consist in using of only one of the alumni networks of several western foundations database.
Originality/value
The paper is unique as regards the empirical results; its value consists in their organizational, social and political implications.
Details
Keywords
This paper examines the drivers of brain gain by investigating the motivations of migrants who plan to return and contribute to their home country. It focuses on highly skilled…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the drivers of brain gain by investigating the motivations of migrants who plan to return and contribute to their home country. It focuses on highly skilled Sudanese migrants in Japan, including a group of “plan-to-return” migrants (P-group), who intend to gain knowledge abroad that they will use to contribute to their homeland upon their return.
Design/methodology/approach
The participants are 24 highly skilled Sudanese migrants in Japan, 10 of whom are part of the P-group. To understand their motivation to contribute to their home country, the study applies the qualitative life course approach, using Elder's four life course themes: lives in time and space, the timing of lives, linked lives and human agency.
Findings
The P-group is characterised by a high level of motivation for self-development, which motivates them to study abroad. The analysis finds that the P-group's drive to contribute had been nurtured by a spirit of mutual aid in Sudanese society, which emphasises Islamic values and social ties. Religious norms, personal interactions and emotional ties to Sudan are especially influential on the P-group's motivation to contribute to their home society.
Originality/value
This study identifies drivers that lead to brain gain. Whereas previous studies have noted the relationship between return intentions and willingness to contribute to the home countries; they have not investigated influences on motivations to contribute. The results suggest that Sudan might already possess a system for local human resource development to encourage brain gain.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to closely examine the flows and selectivity of a scientific brain drain from China against the background of global talent competition.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to closely examine the flows and selectivity of a scientific brain drain from China against the background of global talent competition.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is derived from an empirical study, which randomly surveyed 451 Chinese scientists at leading global universities. Based on their biographical information, descriptive analysis and logistic regression not only demonstrates migration patterns of Chinese scientists, but also reveals their demographic profiles between 1998 and 2006.
Findings
The findings of this study show that the scientific community in China experienced increasing personnel exchange with the English academia during the observation period. Emigrant scientists from China were selected positively in terms of educational background, and the pattern seemed to turn stronger over time. By contrast, returnee scientists were selected negatively from those who studied abroad. The predominant mode of migration was both an ongoing brain drain and an emerging brain circulation, and the latter was largely pushed by domestic degree holders with overseas experience.
Originality/value
This empirical study enriches our understanding of international migration in the scientific community, and helps explain China's strategy in achieving rapid scientific development. Although national strategies targeting the research diaspora make a limited contribution in luring prominent scholars back home, a brain circulation can be realized by sending domestic scientists abroad for short‐period training or visiting.
Details
Keywords
Marina Latukha, Mariia Shagalkina, Ekaterina Kalinina and Daria Khasieva
The growing trends in talent migration, which in the extreme lead to brain drain, in step with an increasing female participation in labor markets and migration flows, set…
Abstract
Purpose
The growing trends in talent migration, which in the extreme lead to brain drain, in step with an increasing female participation in labor markets and migration flows, set challenges for both business and governments managing these processes. In this vein, it is proposed that macro talent management (MTM) is effective in managing the above-mentioned macro-level issues. The purpose of this paper is to identify and compare the determinants of talent migration with respect to gender and to analyze the role that talent management (TM) practices may play in the migration of diverse talent groups (male and female) within the Russian context.
Design/methodology/approach
Anticipating the possible differences in talent migration determinants between men and women and using data from 557 Russian graduates, considered to be high-potential talents, the authors found that these determinants converge.
Findings
Male and female talent migration intentions in Russia are influenced by the same industry and individual push factors as well as family reasons, confirming that women are acting as independent economic migrants rather than tied movers. Moreover, the authors identified that talents in our sample evaluate highly the possibility of TM practices to change their migration intentions, and that female talents are more sensitive and responsive in this regard. Therefore, the TM system in the emerging economies' context, in particular Russia, is important for increasing the share of women in the workforce, in particular in leadership positions.
Originality/value
The study's results are important as they provide evidence on the gendered dimension of talent migration in particular in terms of the gendered assessment of talent migration determinants. Moreover, the study shows the positive role of TM in managing talent flows at the country level, in particular the ability of TM practices to attract talents to local organizations and, hence, retain them in a country.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to investigate the way in which Sri Lankan business associations contribute to addressing such issues and the motivation behind their contributions.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the way in which Sri Lankan business associations contribute to addressing such issues and the motivation behind their contributions.
Design/methodology/approach
Data, in this study, came from publicly available sources (online news articles, newspaper articles, reports, etc.) and a series of unstructured elite interviews with leaders of Sri Lanka’s most prominent peak business associations.
Findings
Sri Lankan associations contribute to addressing problems associated with human capital flight because doing so, ultimately, benefits their members and secretariat organisations. Peak bodies make their contributions by easing the push factors that catalyse the outflow of skilled migrants from the island nation and helping to replenish skills in the country by engaging in initiatives aimed at training and developing workers, young people and entrepreneurs.
Research limitations/implications
The behaviours of Sri Lanka’s business interest associations and the logics that drive their actions are similar to those of their counterparts in other countries (as per academic literature in the area), where association membership is not state-mandated. Rational actions of business associations have the potential to produce socially beneficial positive externalities (as in the present case issues around the brain drain).
Social implications
Findings from this research can assist government bodies, non-government organisations and other civil society organisations develop a better collaborative relationship with the private sector in developing nations to tackle problems associated with human capital flight.
Originality/value
While there has been a lively debate, among philosophers and scholars of public policy, on how governments should help address issues associated with this phenomenon, very little attention has been given to the real and potential contributions of non-governmental, non-charity-based civil society groups such as unions and business chambers. This paper seeks to address this gap.
Details
Keywords
Raghida Abdallah Yassine and Ronald Lynn Jacobs
The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of employee development programs on organizational commitment and its subsequent impact on employee turnover intention by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of employee development programs on organizational commitment and its subsequent impact on employee turnover intention by considering individual differences for non-medical staff in a health-care institution in Lebanon. This study is relevant in understanding and addressing the brain drain phenomenon in the Lebanese health-care sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Correlational analysis and hierarchical regression were conducted to examine the relationships among employee development, organizational commitment and turnover intention. The study also made use of Process by Hayes to examine the existence of a moderated mediated relationship, which is the central point of this research.
Findings
Results indicate that when holding constant frequency of training, individuals high in commitment report a lesser intention to leave compared to those low in commitment. As a first-stage moderated mediation model is understood, this finding shows that the indirect effect of frequency of training on turnover intention through organizational commitment is moderated by individual differences.
Originality/value
The findings of this study, based on the human capital theory and social exchange theory, enhance our understanding of how employee development influences organizational commitment, predominantly in the context of Lebanon’s health-care sector grappling with brain drain. Additionally, by integrating both the self-determination theory and the expectancy theory, the study provides a new stance on how intrinsic motivational factors contribute to a better understanding of this complex relationship, especially considering the brain drain dilemma. This study addressed the gap in research studies that failed to explore the extent of the relationship between employee development and turnover intention by highlighting the importance of looking at the relationship as a moderated mediated type of relationship. The findings highlight the importance of organizations implementing the right development programs, as they yield higher levels of organizational commitment and subsequently decrease the intention to leave. This study is important for health-care organizations in Lebanon, suggesting a strategic approach to retain skilled professionals amidst ongoing migration challenges.
Details
Keywords
A.K.M. Ahsan Ullah, Siti Mazidah Mohamad, Noor Hasharina Hassan and Diotima Chattoraj
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it intends to engage in skill gain–lose debate in the contemporary global skill mobility context; and second, it looks into whether…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it intends to engage in skill gain–lose debate in the contemporary global skill mobility context; and second, it looks into whether Southeast Asia (SEA) is losing by experiencing skill deficiency due to over outflow of talents.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were collected through interviews with policy makers, stakeholder and migrant professionals from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Findings
The paper comes up with the brain drain dynamics to better understand the trajectory of skill mobility in and from SEA. Within the skill mobility discourse, it is undoubtedly difficult to conclude who are the losers and the gainers in the long run.
Originality/value
This research is based on relatively small sample. However, this offers a fresh insight into the skill deficiency dynamics in Southeast Asia.
Details
Keywords
Iván Manuel De la Vega Hernández and Luciano Barcellos de Paula
The quintuple helix innovation model allows exploring the sustainable development of countries from the perspective of the capabilities that each of them possesses in terms of…
Abstract
Purpose
The quintuple helix innovation model allows exploring the sustainable development of countries from the perspective of the capabilities that each of them possesses in terms of highly qualified personnel in science and technology. In addition, their distribution among the actors (helices) and the global mobility of this type of people are examined. The purpose of this paper is to dimension and characterise the research structures of the central, emerging and peripheral countries; to estimate the demand and mobility of scientists and technologists in the three selected countries; and to establish whether the concept of brain circulation applies to each of these types of countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach of the work is bibliometric and scientometric. In the first step, two theoretical frameworks were built. In the second step, indicators to measure the overall migration were developed and identified. In the third step, data from previous research were used, and data from Peru were added using the same methodology to be able to compare the three types of countries.
Findings
The study shows that the same terminology cannot be used globally to analyse the mobility of scientists in today’s world, despite technological advances because there is no critical mass in peripheral countries.
Originality/value
This study shows that the concept of brain circulation cannot be applied equally to all countries, because those that do not have critical mass lose capabilities, despite the existence of information and communication technologies.
Details