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on Economics of Human Migration |
| By: | Peter Huber |
| Abstract: | The migration literature shows that cross-border skill transfer is associated with a risk of increased job-education mismatch. This paper examines whether the problems of job-education mismatch often found among migrants also apply to cross-border commuters and compares cross-border commuters to within-country commuters as well as non-commuters and recent and established migrants in this respect. We find that cross-border commuters and recent migrants from EU15 countries have lower over- but higher under-education rates than non-commuters, but that for cross-border commuters and recent migrants from the NMS12 the opposite applies. Within-country commuters finally have lower over- but higher under-education rates than non-commuters in both regions. Please note: The alternative choice regarding Session theme is K. Spatial issues of the labour market |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p112&r=mig |
| By: | Andrés RodrÃÂguez-Pose; Tobias Ketterer |
| Abstract: | Most immigration theories tend to highlight that migration follows wealth and economic dynamism, but is this also the case across regions in Europe? The aim of the paper is to investigate whether migrants in Europe indeed follow the money and to contrast this with a variety of potential alternative explanations, including the presence of migrants from a similar origin. The analysis is based on panel data estimations including 133 European regions over a time period of 17 years. Different lag structures have been employed in order to distinguish between short- and long-run effects. The results cast some doubt about the prominence of pecuniary factors as a determinant of cross regional migration in Europe, with little evidence to support the idea that migration follows economic dynamism. Network effects, human capital related-, and ‘territorially embedded' innovation enhancing regional characteristics, by contrast, seem to play a much stronger role than hitherto considered. The study also reveals important differences among EU countries in the factors which determine regional migration. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p191&r=mig |
| By: | Gary Bosworth |
| Abstract: | This paper reports on findings from business surveys and face to face interviews conducted in the North East and East Midlands regions of the UK. Previous studies into residential counterurbanisation have shown a range of factors influencing individuals’ choices to move house. Here, it is hypothesised that for some commercial counterurbanisers, those rural in-migrants running businesses in their new rural locality, there will be different influences. Focusing on two groups of commercial counterurbanisers, the planned and un-planned business starters, it is also hypothesised that the different expectations and influences will affect their subsequent perceptions of the rural area as a place to do business. Greater understanding of the characteristics of place that are attractive to business starters and latent entrepreneurs can guide spatial economic policy which has become increasingly concerned with “place competitiveness†(Bristow, 2011). Keywords: Commercial Counterurbanisation, entrepreneurship, place competition, competitiveness, rural business, rural economy. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1662&r=mig |
| By: | Edward Bergman |
| Abstract: | European universities have lost--and partially regained--key research academics to North American and other attractive university systems. EU efforts to reverse the cycle revolve around the establishment of an attractive European Research Area, within which future academic mobility--and commercial knowledge transmission--might be confined. This paper draws upon a survey of 1800 academics in 200 of Europe's most research-intensive universities to understand the principal reasons that underlie contemporary academic mobility. Mobility is conceptualised in Hirschmann terms as 'exit' from an inadequately performing university, rather than remaining 'loyal' to its existing regime or staying to exercise 'voice' in bringing about necessary improvements. The results from logit modeling of choices and options indicate clearly that academics who evidence either 'loyalty' or 'voice' are significantly less likely to be mobile. Moreover, those who are mobile refuse to restrict possible destinations to the ERA if they value better material conditions or better quality of colleagues, students or university reputation. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1134&r=mig |
| By: | Fabio Sforzi; Silvia Lombardi; Flavio Verrecchia |
| Abstract: | Chinese migration flows represent a relatively new phenomenon in Italy. Its entrepreneurial nature is reflected in massive flows Chinese businessman employed both in manufacturing and commercial activities, with a dense concentration in correspondence of some industrial districts. The aim of the paper is to shed some light on current Chinese specialization of economic activities and localization across Italian regions and industrial districts, to test interpretative research hypothesis on Chinese entrepreneurship models and identify agglomeration forces underlying the emergence of so-called Chinese ethnic businesses. Some reflections on the manufacturing and commercial attitude of Chinese entrepreneurship will also be considered. The utilization of native-Chinese entrepreneurs as unit of observation represents an innovative methodological contribution based on ASIA-ISTAT archives. The exercise of explorative analysis based on data processing and spatial analysis will finally highlight business migration patterns, which represent new socio-economic challenges for Italian industrial districts |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p626&r=mig |
| By: | Jose Villaverde; Adolfo Maza; MarÃa Hierro |
| Abstract: | International migration issues are at the forefront of the political debate in the European Union (EU). Some reasons justify the increasing relevance of this topic, being the unprecedented scale of international migration flows, especially in countries such as Spain, the most prominent. In fact, adequate responses to the necessity for controlling effectively large flows of irregular immigration, and also safeguarding the internal security, are insistently demanded and always placed in the center of the political debate. Thus, recent studies portraying immigration experiences in the EU have been prolific in the literature on international migration. Some of these were applied to Spain as a representative country of changes in international migration patterns. However, and although some contributions to the analysis of international migration in Spain have been made, an examination of the international migration distribution (IMD) is still a pending question that needs further analysis. Accordingly, the aim of this paper is to analyse some relevant aspects on IMD in Spain at regional level. After a descriptive analysis showing the importance that international migration plays in today’s Spanish demography and economy, the paper examines the IMD’s external shape and its intra-distribution mobility. Subsequently, an analysis of the factors that might be behind the IMD and its dynamics is carried out. The results will give information about the role played by factors such as geographical location, per capita income, industry mix, employment density and social networks in explaining this issue. Keywords: international migration; Spanish regions; distribution dynamics; highest density regions |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p530&r=mig |
| By: | Lukasz Olipra; Ewa Pancer-Cybulska; Ewa Szostak |
| Abstract: | After the accession of Poland to the European Union in 2004 we could observe two phenomena: huge emigration of Poles to the old member states of the EU (mainly to United Kingdom and Ireland) and on the second hand a very dynamic increase in the number of flight destinations from regional airports served by low cost carriers (what meant also increase in the number of passengers). The aim of this article is to answer the question, whether directions of the emigration after accession of Poland to the European Union had a significant impact on the routes of low cost airlines in Poland. Whether we can say, that the migration forced LCCs to establish new flights and connections in a particular direction or not? And if yes - to what extent. What is happening when emigrants are coming back to Poland. If there are significant relation between movement of migrants and number of flights of low cost carriers from Polish airports? Finally, can we say, that growing emigration and growing number of LCCs flights helped to improve territorial cohesion of Polish regions with the core of Europe? What is the scale of this improvement and what is the mechanism of this? What kind of policy can regional authorities introduce in this area to strengthen territorial cohesion of Polish regions with the rest of Europe? To answer all these questions authors want to compare and analyze statistics of migration and original data concerning number and destination of LCCs flights from Polish regional airports. To answer questions stated above statistical methods will be used. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1774&r=mig |
| By: | Zizi Goschin; Monica Roman; Aura Popa |
| Abstract: | In the past few years, there has been a renewed interest in remittances of international migrants, as their strong recent increase shed more light on the effects at both micro and macro level. The remittances not only contribute to the well-being of the receiving households, but are also a large source of external financing, second only to FDI. The remittances are particularly important for Romania as in 2010 it was on the 5th place in the European top of emigration countries and on the 4th place as remittance recipient country. Therefore the determinants of remittance behavior need to be better understood. Following increasing interest and significant public debate on migration in Romania, our paper examines the significance of selected economic and demographic factors associated with the remittance behavior of Romanian international migrants, as characterized by the propensity to remit and the amount remitted. In particular we address the question of the role played by the geographic distance, as potentially affecting the immigrants’ ties with their homeland and consequently the remittance decisions. Our present work builds on a recent source of data on immigrant cohort resulting from an online survey conducted during August-December 2010. Respondents were asked questions on a variety of topics including income, employment, remittances, regions of origin and destination, graduated studies both in Romania and in emigration country, length of migration and intention to return to Romania. The final database consisted of 1514 Romanian immigrants from 55 destination countries. We developed several multivariate models to study the determinants of remittances by employing regression analysis. Among the main findings is that the geographic distance is not related to the remittances. Although contrasting with the existing literature, this result can be explained by factors such as modern instant communication and fast travel supporting very strong and resilient transnational links despite geographic distance. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1001&r=mig |
| By: | Burge Elvan Erginli; Tuzin Baycan |
| Abstract: | Urban spaces are dynamic entities and to understand the socio-spatial processes of these entities is hard to analyze and evaluate. Residential mobility is one of the most important socio-spatial dynamics proceeding in an urban space through which socio-economic changes are produced consistently. This study aims to figure out the intra-metropolitan mobility in Marmara Region and to find out the interaction between the districts of Istanbul and the other districts in Marmara Region. Residential mobility of the individuals within Marmara Region has been analyzed and evaluated in order to map out the interaction between the districts of Istanbul and the other districts of Marmara Region. All quantitative data of the study is derived from the census of 1990 and 2000. Turkish Statistical Institute's (TURKSTAT) both censuses of 1990 and 2000 contain 5% sample of all population in Turkey. Two different methods have been consecutively used for the analysis of the data. First, Lebart's Procedure based on Combined Use of Cluster Analysis has been used to summarize and depict the qualitative contrast invisible to the naked eye. Second, Correspondence Analysis -a variant of factor analysis devised for reducing large data sets- has been deployed. By clustering the origin and destination units according to their distinctive and similar arrival and departure profiles, a chaotic picture of a huge original interaction matrix of 1985-1990 and 1995-2000 mobility flows can be perceptible. The results of the empirical study show that the mobility patterns in both periods are very similar to each other. From the south-west, people significantly moved to the south-west, and from the districts of Bursa, people significantly moved to the districts of Bursa. The mobility patterns in the north-east of Marmara and Thracian districts are different in two periods. In the 1985-1990 period, these districts are placed with the districts of Istanbul as origin units. However, in the 1995-2000 period, the interaction between these districts decreased and they generate different groups according to their arrival profiles. Key words: Intra-metropolitan mobility, residential mobility, Marmara Region, Istanbul, interaction, correspondence analysis, Lebart's procedure, data reduction |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p125&r=mig |
| By: | Zizi Goschin; Monica Roman |
| Abstract: | Although migration and religion studies have traditionally developed as separate research topics, in the current context of globalization and transnationalism attention begins to focus on the way they may interconnect. Consequently, recent studies of migration raise the importance and role of religion in the international migration flows, distinguish between the socio-economic and religious inclusion of the immigrants in the host country or discuss the role that migration plays in the reconfiguration of religions in the contemporary world. Religion often inspires migration, as religious minority groups facing persecutions in the homeland may decide to move to more religious tolerant places. Conversely, migration almost always affects religion as the religion tradition and practice is usually modified following the resettlement and immigrants’ daily life routines irremediably alter. In Romania religion also received some attention in recent theoretical and empirical analyses of migration, but there are only a few studies undertaken so far. Using the results of our online survey conducted during August-December 2010 among Romanian international migrants of different religious faiths, this paper aims to raise interest in migration-religion relationship and, at the same time, to improve the understanding of the factors of economic performance in a migration context by focusing on the distinctive characteristics of Romanian religious minorities. We address both the theoretical and the empirical dimension of this topic, making use of various statistical methods. Our main findings are consistent with the assumption that religious belief is reflecting upon the behavior and economic performance of Romanian migrants. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p686&r=mig |
| By: | Denis Requier-Desjardins |
| Abstract: | In developing countries, the contribution of the growing amount of migrant remittances to development remains an unsettled issue. At the macroeconomic level remittances do represent an external flow way above official aid and often in line with FDI. Hence the widely shared optimistic view about this until now “hidden source of development financeâ€Â. At the microeconomic level remittances raise incomes and have an impact on consumption expenses and therefore on welfare. They can also finance investment in productive assets, such as physical capital and more conspicuously, human capital through education and health expenses. They can therefore improve the resilience of concerned household livelihoods, although it is not granted that remittances necessarily accrue to the poorest households. Remittances on the whole have an impact on poverty abatement but this impact can vary widely. At the meso-economic level relevant data show that migration and remittances concentrate in specific place, raising the issue of their contribution to local development of concerned areas. Concerning the impact of productive investments financed by remittances, picture is rather contrasted with contradictory results from various case-studies. Staying at the meso level, we will compare in this paper two models which have been used, albeit tentatively, to assess the contribution of remittances to local development. • Dutch disease approach, in its sub-national version which features the impact of remittances on real exchange rate. • Residential economy approach which rest on the use of a Keynesian export multiplier applied at an area level to an “economic base†which can be productive but also residential, remittances being considered as a component of this residential basis. These two approaches predict changes in the system of activities due to remittances. However their vision of the consequences of these changes diverge. Their comparative analysis can allow for the identification of key factors of remittance capability to shape a local development path. To achieve that, we shall draw from the huge literature on remittances relating to various countries as well as public statistical data bases. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p156&r=mig |
| By: | Stefan Groot |
| Abstract: | This paper considers diversity of the knowledge of expats as a complementary dimension of human capital that may generate spillovers. Such, often intangible, knowledge about foreign markets, management skills, and other complementary information may enhance the productivity of these expats, or the people who interact with them. However, due to a lack of knowledge about local culture and language, productivity may also decline. We explore an extensive set of microdata from Statistics Netherlands, and use an augmented Mincer approach to simultaneously identify the private and social returns to the presence of foreign knowledge workers. Private returns are found to be negative and statistically significant, while no evidence for – either negative or positive – social returns is found. |
| Date: | 2011–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa11p1338&r=mig |