A Quantitative Investigation of the Determinants of Brain Drain.

Case Study: Romania

Authors: Emilia Titan, Ph.D Simona Ghita, Ph.D Cristina Boboc, Ph.D Daniela Todose, Ph.D Mihaela Covrig, Ph.D Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania Department of Statistics and Econometrics The size of Romanian migration flows has exponentially increased since 1990. The top recipient countries are Italy and Spain. According to EUROSTAT data, in these countries are living almost one million inhabitants with Romanian citizenship. Thus, we think it is important to investigate and to understand the causes that generate migration flows, focusing on brain drain phenomenon. We share the block of brain drain determinants into two groups: 1. economic and social inequalities, between the origin and the destination country, according to the neoclassical theory of migration (Hatton and Williamson, 2002; Marshall and Kegels, 2003; Mullan, 2005; Rooth and Saarela, 2007; Massey, 2008); 2. globalization and integration process (Zolberg, 1989, 1999). In order to achieve our objectives, we have performed an analysis of migration flows in Romania before and after joining the European Union, highlighting the changes in the two periods. Moreover, we have analyzed the migration phenomenon in correlation with living standards or poverty trends recorded in Romania. In order to highlight the place occupied by Romania between European countries regarding migration, we have performed a multicriteria ranking analysis. According to the two groups of brain drain determinants, we have structured the ranking criteria into two blocks. Finally, a comparative analysis of the hierarchy results is performed.