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The ‘Added Value’ of Researchers: The Impact of Doctorate Holders on Economic Development

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The Science and Technology Labor Force

Abstract

This manuscript provides an exploration of the professional trajectories of doctorate holders in an emergent economy. It presents an analysis of original data from more than 4000 PhDs in Brazil and examines it from the perspective of the country’s research and innovation situation. The manuscript is intended to address two main areas of interest: the ways in which an emergent country with around 13,000 PhDs graduating per year is creating advanced capabilities; and the economic and social impacts of these trends.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    While PhD is not the only path to gaining a doctoral level qualification, it is the most traditional form. This manuscript will therefore refer to doctorate holders, doctoral graduates and PhDs interchangeably.

  2. 2.

    Post-doctorate (or post-doc) refers to a person who has taken a doctoral degree and spends some further time training in research before taking tenure-track jobs. In some countries like Brazil, it is also possible to get post-doc positions temporarily even after taking a permanent job position as a mean to improve some research skills or develop a new research field.

  3. 3.

    By ‘complete responses’ is understood questionnaires with all required information about undergraduate and graduate education.

  4. 4.

    Information from monthly Employment Survey (PME) from Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

  5. 5.

    This classification is based on the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE) of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

  6. 6.

    Conversions made using rates from 2012 (US$1 = R$1.95) and National Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA) to update values.

  7. 7.

    Data from Central Register of Enterprises—IBGE.

  8. 8.

    Ibdem.

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Correspondence to Adriana Bin .

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Bin, A., Salles-Filho, S., Colugnati, F.A.B., Campos, F.R. (2016). The ‘Added Value’ of Researchers: The Impact of Doctorate Holders on Economic Development. In: Gokhberg, L., Shmatko, N., Auriol, L. (eds) The Science and Technology Labor Force. Science, Technology and Innovation Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27210-8_14

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