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Brain drain from Turkey: the case of professionals abroad

Author

Listed:
  • Nil Demet Güngör
  • Aysıt Tansel
Abstract
Purpose - The paper aims to present research findings on the return intentions of Turkish professionals residing abroad, where the targeted group comprises individuals working at a full‐time job abroad who possess at least a tertiary level degree. Design/methodology/approach - The study uses a descriptive framework to establish the validity of several proposed models of non‐return. The results are based on an internet survey of Turkish professionals conducted by the authors during the first half of 2002. A combination of internet search and referral sampling methods is used to collect the data. Correspondence analysis is used to examine the relationship between return intentions and various factors that may affect this intention. Findings - The results emphasize the importance of student non‐return versus traditional brain and appear to complement the various theories of student non‐return. Many Turkish professionals working abroad are non‐returning post‐graduate students rather than holders of higher degrees obtained in Turkey who subsequently moved. The respondents appear to come from relatively well‐to‐do families with highly educated parents. Many have earned their degrees from universities that have foreign language instruction. The recent economic crises in Turkey have negatively affected return intentions. It is verified that return intentions are indeed linked closely with initial return plans, and that this relationship weakens with stay duration. Specialized study and work experience in the host country also all appear to contribute to explaining the incidence of non‐return. Return intentions are weaker for those working in an academic environment. Originality/value - The study is the first of its kind for Turkey and other developing countries in terms of the number of responses received and the kind of information collected. Implications are valuable for Turkish and other developing country planners.

Suggested Citation

  • Nil Demet Güngör & Aysıt Tansel, 2008. "Brain drain from Turkey: the case of professionals abroad," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(4), pages 323-347, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:ijmpps:v:29:y:2008:i:4:p:323-347
    DOI: 10.1108/01437720810884746
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stark, Oded & Helmenstein, Christian & Prskawetz, Alexia, 1997. "A brain gain with a brain drain," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 227-234, August.
    2. Nil Demet Gungor & Aysıt Tansel, 2008. "Brain drain from Turkey: an investigation of students' return intentions," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(23), pages 3069-3087.
    3. Bewley, Truman F, 1995. "A Depressed Labor Market as Explained by Participants," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 85(2), pages 250-254, May.
    4. Faini, Riccardo, 2006. "Remittances and the Brain Drain," CEPR Discussion Papers 5720, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Aysit Tansel & Nil Demet Gungor, 2003. "Brain Drain from Turkey: Survey Evidence of Student Non-Return," Working Papers 0307, Economic Research Forum, revised Mar 2003.
    6. Psacharopoulos, George & Papakonstantinou, George, 2005. "The real university cost in a "free" higher education country," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 103-108, February.
    7. Beine, Michel & Docquier, Frederic & Rapoport, Hillel, 2001. "Brain drain and economic growth: theory and evidence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 275-289, February.
    8. Tain-Jy Chen & Hsien-Yang Su, 1995. "On the-job training as a cause of brain drain," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 131(3), pages 526-541, September.
    9. Tansel, Aysit, 2002. "Determinants of school attainment of boys and girls in Turkey: individual, household and community factors," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 455-470, October.
    10. Bewley, Truman F., 1998. "Why not cut pay?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(3-5), pages 459-490, May.
    11. Stark, Oded & Helmenstein, Christian & Prskawetz, Alexia, 1998. "Human capital depletion, human capital formation, and migration: a blessing or a "curse"?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 363-367, September.
    12. Docquier, Frédéric, 2006. "Brain Drain and Inequality Across Nations," IZA Discussion Papers 2440, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    Cited by:

    1. Henseler Miriam & Plesch Joachim, 2009. "How Can Scholarship Institutions Foster the Return of Foreign Students?," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(4), pages 382-409, August.
    2. Nil Demet Gungor & Aysit Tansel, 2009. "Brain Drain from Turkey: Return Intentions of Skilled Migrants," ERC Working Papers 0902, ERC - Economic Research Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Oct 2009.
    3. Abdulkerim YAVUZASLAN, 2017. "Perceptions and Attitudes of Turkish Youth Studying at Hungarian Universities – A Quantitative and Qualitative Approach," Book chapters-LUMEN Proceedings, in: Camelia IGNATESCU & Antonio SANDU & Tomita CIULEI (ed.), Rethinking Social Action. Core Values in Practice, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 91, pages 1007-1015, Editura Lumen.
    4. Ilka Steiner, 2019. "Settlement or Mobility? Immigrants’ Re-migration Decision-Making Process in a High-Income Country Setting," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 223-245, February.
    5. repec:rsc:rsceui:2008/39 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Alessandra Venturini, 2008. "Circular Migration as an Employment Strategy for Mediterranean Countries," RSCAS Working Papers carim2008/39, European University Institute.
    7. Hakan Kilic & Gudrun Biffl, 2022. "Turkish Migration Policy from the 1960s Until Today: What National Development Plans Tell Us," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 2047-2073, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Skilled workers; Immigration; Expatriates; Higher education; Turkey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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