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Prizes for Basic Research –Human Capital, Economic Might and the Shadow of History

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  • Aizenman, Joshua
  • Noy, Ilan
Abstract
This paper studies the impact of global factors on patterns of basic research across countries and time. We rely on the records of major scientific awards, and on data dealing with global economic and historical trends. Specifically, we investigate the degree to which scale or threshold effects, and path dependency account for countries share of major prizes [Nobel, Fields, Kyoto and Wolf]. We construct a stylized model, predicting that lagged relative GDP of a country relative to the GDP of all countries engaging in basic research is an important explanatory variable of country’s share of prizes. Scale effects imply that the association between the GDP share of a country and its prize share tends to be logistic -- above a threshold, there is a “take off” range, where the prize share increases at an accelerating rate with the relative GDP share of the country, until it reaches “maturity” stage. Our empirical analyses confirm the model’s predictions, showing the non linear effects of GDP shares on prize shares, effects that are consistent with the prominence of scale effects. We validate these findings by examining the massive destructions associated with the two World Wars. With more recent data, we document the growing importance of countries that used to be at the periphery of global research, possibly advancing towards the take off stage.

Suggested Citation

  • Aizenman, Joshua & Noy, Ilan, 2006. "Prizes for Basic Research –Human Capital, Economic Might and the Shadow of History," Santa Cruz Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt6cv239h0, Department of Economics, UC Santa Cruz.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:ucscec:qt6cv239h0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Dailami, Mansoor & Kurlat, Sergio & Lim, Jamus Jerome, 2012. "Bilateral M&A activity from the Global South," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 345-364.
    4. Maria Rosaria Carillo & Erasmo Papagni & Fabian Capitanio, 2008. "Effects of social interactions on scientists' productivity," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(3), pages 263-279, June.
    5. Maria Rosaria Carillo & Erasmo Papagni, 2006. "Social Rewards in Science and Economic Growth," Discussion Papers 10_2006, D.E.S. (Department of Economic Studies), University of Naples "Parthenope", Italy.
    6. Bruce A. Weinberg, 2009. "An Assessment of British Science over the Twentieth Century," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(538), pages 252-269, June.
    7. Yu, Xiaolin & Wan, Kai & Du, Qunyang, 2023. "Can carbon market policies achieve a “point-to-surface” effect?—Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).

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