Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/141656 
Year of Publication: 
2016
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 9897
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We test how a reduction in travel cost affects the rate and direction of scientific research. Using a fine-grained, scientist-level dataset within chemistry (1991-2012), we find that after Southwest Airlines enters a new route, scientific collaboration increases by 50%, an effect that is magnified when weighting output by quality. The benefits from the lower fares, however, are not uniform across scientist types: younger scientists and scientists that are more productive than their local peers respond the most. Thus, cheaper flights, by reducing frictions otherwise induced by geography and allowing for additional face-to-face interactions, seem to enable better matches over distance.
Subjects: 
scientific collaboration
air travel
temporary co-location
face-to-face meetings
JEL: 
O3
R4
L93
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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