Passionate Voices of Those Left Behind: Conversations with Ghanaian Professionals on the Brain Drain and Its Net Gains

2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-61
Author(s):  
Kwabena O. Akurang-Parry
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Brain Gain ◽  
Extant Literature ◽  
Pressure Groups ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
The Brain

Since the late 1970s, scholars, organizations, pressure groups, conferences, and governments have examined the brain drain phenomenon in Africa. More recently, brain gain, the antithesis of brain drain, has also attracted considerable attention. The focal point of the brain gain across the continent has been postapartheid South Africa, which has witnessed a large influx of professionals from other regions. Considering Africa as a whole, except for South Africa, the extant literature has overemphasized the debit side of the brain drain.

scholarly journals Brain Circulation, the Phenomenon and Challenges

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Lajda Bana
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Political Instability ◽  
Mechanical Action ◽  
Brain Circulation ◽  
Brain Gain ◽  
Political Consequences ◽  
The People ◽  
The Brain

The world of today which seeks globalization, while the economic inequality, corruption, political instability, and moreover wars prevail, it is always associated with the movement of people towards what might be called the ‘best for their future’. This movement is not just a mechanical action, but is a phenomenon associated with social, economic and political consequences not only to the country of origin but also for the host country. The departure of the people from their land is a well-known and proven phenomenon mainly of the developing countries. This phenomenon includes also the so-called brain drain emigration, the departure of skilled people, professionals and researchers from their own country to other places. The brain drain is not only a phenomenon that belongs to developing countries, or former communist states, or those countries in war, but it can also affect the developed Western countries. Brain drain does not always constitute a brain gain in the host country. In most of the cases, people who have to leave the countries in political instability or former communist countries, even if they are qualified and holders of university degrees, they are obliged to work in humble jobs which can be simply exercised by persons without university qualifications. Consequently, the brain drain phenomenon is not automatically turned into a benefit 'brain gain' for the host country; on the contrary, it might even be turned into the so-called brain-waste. A social challenge in this context remains the turn of "brain drain" into "brain gain" or "brain circulation". Therefore, one of the current priorities for governments is to create effective economic and social conditions which would enhance the integration of the graduates, researchers and professionals into their national and regional markets

South African Clinical Psychology, Employment (In)Equity and the “Brain Drain”

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony L. Pillay ◽  
Anne L. Kramers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Clinical Psychology ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Psychology Training ◽  
Clinical Psychology Training ◽  
The Brain

The current study investigated race, gender and the “brain drain” in the Midlands Hospital (Pietermaritzburg) intern clinical psychology training programme. During the 20-year period between 1981 and 2000 a total of 128 interns were accepted into the programme. Almost three-quarters of the interns were White, and the majority of the sample was unskilled in the predominant language spoken in the region. Approximately 60% of the interns trained were female. No significant increase in the intake of Black interns was observed during the post-apartheid period (i.e.1994 to 2000). However, a significant increase in female interns was noted during that period. At the time of writing this article, almost one-quarter of the interns were working outside South Africa, the majority in Europe. Considering the findings, it is imperative that the profession re-examines its goals in post-apartheid South Africa, and makes concerted efforts to develop the mechanism to attain these. In addition, the profession and government need to take very seriously the “brain drain” problem and jointly develop acceptable ways of alleviating it.

scholarly journals Return Intentions of Malaysia’s Diaspora: The Push and Pull Factors

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Quah Chun Hoo ◽  
Siti Rohaida M. Zainal ◽  
Guok Eng Chai
Keyword(s):  
Brain Drain ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Pull Factors ◽  
Brain Gain ◽  
Push And Pull Factors ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Return Intentions ◽  
Push And Pull ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Science Technology And Innovation

Despite the huge allocation on funds and attention channeled towards solving the brain drain issue by the Malaysian government, this issue is still far from being resolved. Agencies such as Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysian Development Corporation (MDC) and others have been established to try to lure back our top talents from abroad. MOSTI launched its first brain gain programme in 1995 till 2000, which successfully attracted 94 scientists, of whom only one remains in Malaysia. The second brain gain scheme which was implemented from 2001 to 2004 was intended to attract 5000 talents a year. Unfortunately, only 200 took advantage of the offer. Then, to better coordinate the plan, Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad was established under the Prime Minister’s Department with the objective of wooing foreign talent and overcoming the barriers for them to settle down in Malaysia, among others (Starbizweek, 2011b). Unfortunately, the reception to these initiatives is far from encouraging. Even though the study on brain drain is not new among researchers; in Malaysia, empirical studies on this issue is still limited. Drawing on the push and pull factors identified by previous researchers, this paper attempts to conceptualize which of these factors have the greatest potential of influencing the return intentions of Malaysia’s top talents working abroad. Proposing two propositions, these conceptual papers then analyzes related articles on the facts about brain drain. The implications of this paper are discussed from two perspectives namely are from the company as well as from the country perspectives. In conclusion, this paper manages to highlight the push and the pull factors influencing brain drain phenomenon in Malaysia.

Conceptualizing a Win-Win in the Refugee and Higher Education Enigma

2021 ◽  
pp. 328-348
Author(s):  
Alice Ncube ◽  
Faith Mkwananzi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Social Mobility ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Brain Gain ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Collective Development ◽  
Economic Assets

Focusing on the subject of brain drain/brain gain in South Africa, the authors argue that as refugees flee their home countries, they possess, or have the opportunity to acquire, skills and knowledge necessary for individual and collective development through higher education. Consequently, such refugees may be seen to possess capabilities necessary for decent economic and social mobility in the host country. On the contrary, to their home country, they are viewed as lost assets as they leave with skills and knowledge. Drawing on the discourse of brain drain/brain gain, the argument in this chapter moves beyond focusing on the individuals as economic assets to focus on other valued dimensions as a result of higher education. The authors adopt the human development informed capability approach which focuses on the freedoms and opportunities that individuals have to pursue the lives they have reason to value.

scholarly journals Eight Questions about Brain Drain

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gibson ◽  
David McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Skilled Migration ◽  
Brain Gain ◽  
Popular Discourse ◽  
Production Externalities ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Key Questions

The term “brain drain” dominates popular discourse on high-skilled migration, and for this reason, we use it in this article. However, as Harry Johnson noted, it is a loaded phrase implying serious loss. It is far from clear that such a loss actually occurs in practice; indeed, there is an increasing recognition of the possible benefits that skilled migration can offer both for migrants and for sending countries. This paper builds upon a recent wave of empirical research to answer eight key questions underlying much of the brain drain debate: 1) What is brain drain? 2) Why should economists care about it? 3) Is brain drain increasing? 4) Is there a positive relationship between skilled and unskilled migration? 5) What makes brain drain more likely? 6) Does brain gain exist? 7) Do high-skilled workers remit, invest, and share knowledge back home? 8) What do we know about the fiscal and production externalities of brain drain?

scholarly journals Brain Circulation, the Phenomenon and Challenges

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lajda Bana
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Political Instability ◽  
Mechanical Action ◽  
Brain Circulation ◽  
Brain Gain ◽  
Political Consequences ◽  
The People ◽  
The Brain

The world of today which seeks globalization, while the economic inequality, corruption, political instability, and moreover wars prevail, it is always associated with the movement of people towards what might be called the ‘best for their future’. This movement is not just a mechanical action, but is a phenomenon associated with social, economic and political consequences not only to the country of origin but also for the host country. The departure of the people from their land is a well-known and proven phenomenon mainly of the developing countries. This phenomenon includes also the so-called brain drain emigration, the departure of skilled people, professionals and researchers from their own country to other places. The brain drain is not only a phenomenon that belongs to developing countries, or former communist states, or those countries in war, but it can also affect the developed Western countries. Brain drain does not always constitute a brain gain in the host country. In most of the cases, people who have to leave the countries in political instability or former communist countries, even if they are qualified and holders of university degrees, they are obliged to work in humble jobs which can be simply exercised by persons without university qualifications. Consequently, the brain drain phenomenon is not automatically turned into a benefit 'brain gain' for the host country; on the contrary, it might even be turned into the so-called brain-waste. A social challenge in this context remains the turn of "brain drain" into "brain gain" or "brain circulation". Therefore, one of the current priorities for governments is to create effective economic and social conditions which would enhance the integration of the graduates, researchers and professionals into their national and regional markets

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