Ethnic Scientific Communities and International Technology Diffusion
研究美国族裔科学家社群如何通过隐性知识转移促进国际技术扩散，发现与前沿科学联系更强的国家制造业产出弹性约0.3，且对发展中与发达经济体的影响机制不同。
This study explores the importance of tacit knowledge transfer for international technology diffusion by examining ethnic scientific communities in the US and their ties to their home countries. US ethnic research communities are quantified by applying an ethnic-name database to individual patent records. International patent citations confirm knowledge diffuses through ethnic networks, and manufacturing output in foreign countries increases with an elasticity of approximately 0.3 to stronger scientific integration with the US frontier. To address reverse-causality concerns, reduced-form specifications exploit exogenous changes in US immigration quotas. Consistent with a model of sector reallocation, output growth in less developed economies is facilitated by employment gains, while more advanced economies experience sharper increases in labor productivity. The findings suggest tacit knowledge channels partly shape the effective technology frontiers of developing economies.