Viral Privilege: Evidence from the Ebola Epidemic
Event details
| Date | 25.05.2020 |
| Hour | 17:00 |
| Speaker | Caroline Fry (MIT Sloan) |
| Location |
Zoom
|
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Caroline Fry (MIT Sloan): "Viral Privilege: Evidence from the Ebola Epidemic" (video)
Discussant: Patrick Gaulé (University of Bath)
Abstract
Relationships with more prominent affiliates can be a central source of productivity and influence. However, the non-random nature of the allocation of relationships with those more elite makes their value very hard to measure. I address this problem by examining the impact of an unexpected opportunity to build relationships with more prominent affiliates. The 2014 West African ebola epidemic afforded scientists working in endemic countries an unanticipated opportunity to build relationships with more prominent affiliates from around the globe. I estimate the impact of the ebola epidemic on publication rates and international collaborations of endemic country scientists by comparing outcomes of endemic country scientists with outcomes of a matched sample of scientists from non-endemic countries before and after the outbreak. I find evidence of a persistent post-epidemic boost in publication rates and international collaborations for endemic country scientists. However, these results only hold for those endemic country scientists who were already well connected with international scientists and working in disease areas similar to ebola before the epidemic. This evidence highlights the importance of opportunities to build relationships with more prominent affiliates, but at the same time raises concerns over the potential implications for inequality of networks outside the exclusive elite.
Keywords: status, science, inequality, emerging economies, innovation, Africa
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.
Discussant: Patrick Gaulé (University of Bath)
Abstract
Relationships with more prominent affiliates can be a central source of productivity and influence. However, the non-random nature of the allocation of relationships with those more elite makes their value very hard to measure. I address this problem by examining the impact of an unexpected opportunity to build relationships with more prominent affiliates. The 2014 West African ebola epidemic afforded scientists working in endemic countries an unanticipated opportunity to build relationships with more prominent affiliates from around the globe. I estimate the impact of the ebola epidemic on publication rates and international collaborations of endemic country scientists by comparing outcomes of endemic country scientists with outcomes of a matched sample of scientists from non-endemic countries before and after the outbreak. I find evidence of a persistent post-epidemic boost in publication rates and international collaborations for endemic country scientists. However, these results only hold for those endemic country scientists who were already well connected with international scientists and working in disease areas similar to ebola before the epidemic. This evidence highlights the importance of opportunities to build relationships with more prominent affiliates, but at the same time raises concerns over the potential implications for inequality of networks outside the exclusive elite.
Keywords: status, science, inequality, emerging economies, innovation, Africa
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