Alonso-Borrego, CésarRomero-Medina, AntonioSanchez Mangas, Rocio2017-08-282018-01-012017-01-01Alonso-Borrego, C., Romero-Medina, A. and Sánchez-Mangas, R. (2017). The impact of public research contracts on scientific productivity. Applied Economics, v. 49, n. 5, pp. 417-430003-6846https://hdl.handle.net/10016/25142We analyse a competitive research-oriented public programme established in Spain, the Ramon y Cajal Programme, intended to offer contracts in public research centres to high-quality researchers. We study the effects of the programme on the ex post scientific productivity of its recipients, relative to non-granted applicants with comparable curricula at the time of application. The full sample results demonstrate that the programme has a positive and significant effect on the scientific productivity of the recipients, as measured both by the amount of published contribution and by the impact of their publications. Consequently, receiving a contract affects the quantity, but also increases the quality, of the contract recipients' publications.application/pdfeng© Taylor & FrancisRamon y cajal programmeBrain gainResearch productivityGovernment research programmesHuman capitalPolicy evaluationMatchingMatching estimatorsSpainPlanresearch articleO38D78C21I23O31Economíahttps://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2016.1200181open access4175432Applied economics49AR/0000018549