Social Networks and Mobility in Dynamic Economies

建议编号：0617847机构：布朗大学国家科学基金会项目：经济学首席研究员：孟希，凯文标题：社会流动网络和动态经济中的流动摘要到目前为止，人们普遍认为，在许多情况下，特别是在发展中国家，社会网络是决定经济结果的重要机构。经济学中关于网络的文献认为，尽管这些机构在面对经济变化时可能具有弹性，但它们将随着市场的扩大和变得更有效率而衰败。这项研究认为，虽然传统网络可能会限制移动性，但在动态的经济中，新的网络也在不断形成。这项研究使用了在印度和美国收集的三个新的独特数据集，研究了网络如何在充满活力的经济体中形成和鼓励流动性。第一个申请是基于印度钻石行业不断变化的结构。使用新的公司级数据，这项研究将检查允许低种姓Kathiawis与现有社区成功竞争的社会网络，并了解该行业潜在社区网络和市场结构之间的动态互动。第二个应用是在美国的生物医学研发实验室，人们观察到，由外国调查人员领导的实验室中，来自负责人原籍国的实验室工作人员数量不成比例。他们的论点是，领导者利用他们的家庭人脉来解决信息问题，挑选最有能力的研究人员，而不是简单地表现出对来自本国的工人的狭隘偏好。第三个项目着眼于社会网络和印度地方民主之间的联系，使用印度农村一项新调查的数据，探讨身份政治在调查种姓网络在通过民主政治进程为其成员调动资源方面所发挥的作用方面的经济学。该研究项目的科学价值是更好地了解社会网络是如何形成的，并适应不断变化的环境，以便在几个动态的经济和社会环境中提高流动性，并在此过程中塑造和被市场变化塑造。例如，钻石项目揭示了社会网络在全球化经济体的创业发展中所发挥的作用。这项研究的结果将为一些社会政策提供指导，如发展创业、贸易、研发和民主化。这些都是全球化世界中特别是低收入国家和一般世界经济体制发展的重要经验教训。最后，为这一研究项目收集的独特数据集将对其他研究人员有用。

Proposal No: 0617847 Institution: Brown University NSF Program: ECONOMICS Principal Investigator: Munshi, Kaivan Title: Social Mobility Networks and Mobility in Dynamic EconomiesABSTRACTIt is by now generally agreed that social networks are important institutions that determine economic outcomes in many settings, especially in developing countries. The literature on networks in economics takes the view that while these institutions may be resilient in the face of economic change, they will decay as markets expand and grow more efficient. This research argues that while traditional networks might restrict mobility, new networks are also constantly forming in dynamic economies. This research studies how networks form and encourage mobility in dynamic economies, using three new and unique data sets that have been collected in India and the United States. The first application is based on the changing structure of the Indian diamond industry. Using new firm-level data, this research will examine social networks that permitted low caste Kathiawaris, who hitherto had no experience in the industry to compete successfully with the established communities, and to understand the dynamic interaction between the underlying community networks and market structure in this industry. The second application is to US biomedical R&D labs, where it is observed that labs headed by foreign investigators have a disproportionate number of lab-staff from the heads' origin countries. The argument is that heads exploit their home connections to solve an information problem and pick the most able researchers, instead of simply showing a parochial preference for workers from their own countries. The third project looks at the link between social networks and local democracy in India, using data from a new survey in rural India to explore the economics of identity politics in investigating the role played by caste networks in mobilizing resources for their members through the democratic political process.The scientific merit of this research project is a better understand how social networks form, and adapt to changing circumstances so as to enhance mobility in several dynamic economic and social settings and, in the process, shape and be shaped by changes in the market. For example, the diamond project sheds light on the role social network plays in the development of entrepreneurship in globalizing economies. The results of this research will provide guidance for several social policies, such as the development of entrepreneurship, trade, R&D, and democratization. These are key lessons for institutional development in low income countries in particular and the world economy generally in a globalizing world. Finally, the unique data sets collected for this research project will be useful to other researchers.