Networks in the Market for Researchers

Abstract

We study the role of networks in the labor market for young scientists in the United States. Nearly one in five PhD graduates that publish after PhD graduation do so at a university where their advisor has a former co-author; graduates that have such a connection are more than twice as likely to match with the university, even within fine-grained peer groups. We document a citation premium of 12 to 36% for graduates placed through the advisor’s network. However, we find no evidence for private information about productivity being revealed through the network.

Publication
R&R Economic Journal