Publication: International Migration and Technological Progress
Date
2008-02
ISSN
Published
2008-02
Author(s)
Burns, Andrew
Mohapatra, Sanket
Abstract
Along with international trade and
foreign direct investment (FDI), international migration is
an important channel for the transmission of technology and
knowledge. However, the direction and scale of technology
flows that result from international migration are less
clear than for FDI and trade. Remittances to developing
countries have grown steadily in recent years, reaching an
estimated $240 billion in 2007, and are now larger than FDI
and equity inflows in many countries, especially small,
low-income countries. Remittances can support the diffusion
of technology by reducing the credit constraints of
receiving households and encouraging investment and
entrepreneurship. Remittance flows have also contributed to
the extension of banking services (often by using innovative
technologies), including microfinance, to previously
unserved, often rural sectors.
Citation
“Burns, Andrew; Mohapatra, Sanket. 2008. International Migration and Technological Progress. Migration and Development Brief; No. 4. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/0fb964a7-cb8f-546c-a6d8-0e02572beb8d License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”