Exploring-by-Hiring: High-Skilled Migration as a Source of Exploration?
Event details
Date | 07.12.2020 |
Hour | 17:00 |
Speaker | Wolf-Hendrik Uhlbach (Copenhagen Business School) |
Location |
Zoom
|
Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Wolf-Hendrik Uhlbach (Copenhagen Business School)
"Exploring-by-Hiring: High-Skilled Migration as a Source of Exploration?"
Discussant: Dang Wang (Columbia Business School)
Abstract
This paper examines how firms’ recruitment of high-skilled foreign R&D workers affects firm-level exploration. We argue that by hiring foreign R&D workers, firms are more likely to gain access to novel and complementary knowledge, which will foster exploration. Examining a sample of 376 Danish R&D active firms over the period from 2001 to 2013, we show the effect is most pronounced when foreign R&D hires originate from geographical backgrounds that are represented to a lesser extent within firms’ incumbent R&D workforce. Moreover, we show that this effect holds, even when the cognitive distance between these new hires and firms’ incumbent R&D workforce is low. Finally, we highlight the temporary nature of this “exploration premium” as these results only hold for newly hired foreign workers.
EPFL Virtual Innovation Seminar
EVIS is a bi-weekly virtual seminar series focusing on Science, Technology and Innovation topics studied through the lens of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Finance.
"Exploring-by-Hiring: High-Skilled Migration as a Source of Exploration?"
Discussant: Dang Wang (Columbia Business School)
Abstract
This paper examines how firms’ recruitment of high-skilled foreign R&D workers affects firm-level exploration. We argue that by hiring foreign R&D workers, firms are more likely to gain access to novel and complementary knowledge, which will foster exploration. Examining a sample of 376 Danish R&D active firms over the period from 2001 to 2013, we show the effect is most pronounced when foreign R&D hires originate from geographical backgrounds that are represented to a lesser extent within firms’ incumbent R&D workforce. Moreover, we show that this effect holds, even when the cognitive distance between these new hires and firms’ incumbent R&D workforce is low. Finally, we highlight the temporary nature of this “exploration premium” as these results only hold for newly hired foreign workers.
EPFL Virtual Innovation Seminar
EVIS is a bi-weekly virtual seminar series focusing on Science, Technology and Innovation topics studied through the lens of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Finance.
Practical information
- General public
- Free