Knowledge diffusion in the network of international business travel

Michele Coscia, Frank Neffke, Ricardo Hausmann

Research output: Journal Article or Conference Article in JournalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

We use aggregated and anonymized information based on international expenditures through corporate payment cards to map the network of global business travel. We combine this network with information on the industrial composition and export baskets of national economies. The business travel network helps to predict which economic activities will grow in a country, which new activities will develop and which old activities will be abandoned. In statistical terms, business travel has the most substantial impact among a range of bilateral relationships between countries, such as trade, foreign direct investments and migration. Moreover, our analysis suggests that this impact is causal: business travel from countries specializing in a specific industry causes growth in that economic activity in the destination country. Our interpretation of this is that business travel helps to diffuse knowledge, and we use our estimates to assess which countries contribute or benefit the most from the diffusion of knowledge through global business travel.
Original languageEnglish
JournalNature Human Behavior
Pages (from-to)1-10
Number of pages10
ISSN2397-3374
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Aug 2020

Keywords

  • network analysis
  • economics
  • business travel
  • tacit knowledge

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