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Does Globalization of the Scientific/Engineering Workforce Threaten U.S. Economic Leadership?


Richard B. Freeman


National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Edinburgh - School of Social and Political Studies; Harvard University; London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Centre for Economic Performance (CEP)

July 2005

NBER Working Paper No. w11457

Abstract:     
This paper develops four propositions that show that changes in the global job market for science and engineering (S&E) workers are eroding US dominance in S&E, which diminishes comparative advantage in high tech production and creates problems for American industry and workers: (1) The U.S. share of the world's science and engineering graduates is declining rapidly as European and Asian universities, particularly from China, have increased S&E degrees while US degree production has stagnated. 2) The job market has worsened for young workers in S&E fields relative to many other high-level occupations, which discourages US students from going on in S&E, but which still has sufficient rewards to attract large immigrant flows, particularly from developing countries. 3) Populous low income countries such as China and India can compete with the US in high tech by having many S&E specialists although those workers are a small proportion of their work forces. This threatens to undo the "North-South" pattern of trade in which advanced countries dominate high tech while developing countries specialize in less skilled manufacturing. 4) Diminished comparative advantage in high-tech will create a long period of adjustment for US workers, of which the off-shoring of IT jobs to India, growth of high-tech production in China, and multinational R&D facilities in developing countries, are harbingers. To ease the adjustment to a less dominant position in science and engineering, the US will have to develop new labor market and R&D policies that build on existing strengths and develop new ways of benefitting from scientific and technological advances in other countries.

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Date posted: August 2, 2005  

Suggested Citation

Freeman, Richard B., Does Globalization of the Scientific/Engineering Workforce Threaten U.S. Economic Leadership? (July 2005). NBER Working Paper No. w11457. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=755693

Contact Information

Richard B. Freeman (Contact Author)
National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )
1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
617-868-3900 (Phone)
617-868-2742 (Fax)
University of Edinburgh - School of Social and Political Studies ( email )
Adam Ferguson Building
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LL
United Kingdom
Harvard University ( email )
Littauer Center
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
617-868-3900 (Phone)
London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) ( email )
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
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