The Impact of Public Research Contracts on Scientific Productivity

33 Pages Posted: 27 Mar 2014

See all articles by Cesar Alonso-Borrego

Cesar Alonso-Borrego

Charles III University of Madrid - Department of Economics

Antonio Romero-Medina

Charles III University of Madrid - Department of Economics

Rocio Sanchez‐Mangas

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid - Department Estructura Economica

Date Written: March 26, 2014

Abstract

We analyze a competitive research-oriented public program established in Spain, the Ramon y Cajal Program, intended to offer contracts in public research centers to high-quality researchers. We study the effects of the Program on the ex-post scientific productivity of its recipients, relative to unsuccessful applicants with comparable curricula at the time of application. The full sample results demonstrate that the Program has a positive and significant effect on the scientific impact of the recipients, as measured by the average and the maximum impact factors, but the effect on the number of published papers is not significant. Consequently, receiving a contract does not significantly affect the quantity, but increases the quality, of the contract recipients' publications. This result is primarily driven by the particular relevance of experimental sciences in the Program.

Keywords: Ramon y Cajal Program, Brain Gain, Research Productivity, Government Research Programs, Human Capital, Policy Evaluation, Matching.

JEL Classification: O38, D78, C21, I23, O31

Suggested Citation

Alonso-Borrego, Cesar and Romero-Medina, Antonio and Sanchez-Mangas, Rocio, The Impact of Public Research Contracts on Scientific Productivity (March 26, 2014). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2416228 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2416228

Cesar Alonso-Borrego (Contact Author)

Charles III University of Madrid - Department of Economics ( email )

Calle Madrid 126
Getafe, 28903
Spain
+34 91 6249749 (Phone)
+34 91 6249849 (Fax)

Antonio Romero-Medina

Charles III University of Madrid - Department of Economics ( email )

Calle Madrid 126-128
Getafe, Madrid 28903
Spain

Rocio Sanchez-Mangas

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid - Department Estructura Economica ( email )

Carretera Colmenar Viejo
Madrid, E-28049
Spain

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