| Abstract: |
The paper examines the determinants of scientific productivity (number of
articles and journals’ impact factor) for a panel of about 3600 French and
Italian academic physicists active in 2004-05. Endogeneity problems concerning
promotion and productivity are addressed by specifying a generalized Tobit
model, in which a selection probit equation accounts for the individual
scientist’s probability of promotion to her present rank, and a productivity
regression estimates the effects of age, gender, cohort of entry, and
collaboration characteristics, conditional on the scientist’s rank. We find
that the size and international nature of collaborative projects and
co-authors’ past productivity have very significant impacts on current
productivity, while age and gender, and past productivity are also influential
determinants of both productivity and probability of promotion. Furthermore we
show that the stop-and-go policies of recruitment and promotion, typical of
the Italian and French centralized academic systems of governance, can leave
significant long-lasting cohort effects on research productivity. |