The path to a successful academic career in economics is often shaped by more than just intellectual ability or hard work. Over the years, research has revealed that factors like institutional prestige, elite networks, and gender disparities play a major role in determining who gets hired, promoted, and recognized in the field. Scholars from top-ranked universities tend to benefit from better mentorship, greater visibility, and stronger professional connections. In contrast, women and researchers from less prestigious institutions often face tougher standards and fewer opportunities for recognition and collaboration.
A new dimension has emerged in this landscape: the increasing importance of administrative data. These large, detailed datasets, often maintained by government agencies, are now central to cutting-edge economic research, especially in applied fields like labor economics and public policy. But as this type of data becomes more essential for producing high-impact research, an important question arises: Does access to administrative data help level the playing field for early-career researchers, or does it further entrench existing academic hierarchies?
The case of VisitINPS
In a new IZA discussion paper, Anthony Lepinteur and Roberto Nistico address this question using a unique case: VisitINPS, a program run by the Italian Social Security Institute (INPS), which gives researchers access to rich administrative datasets on Italian workers, firms, and employment history. The authors follow nearly all early-career researchers who applied to VisitINPS over time, analyzing how data access affected their research output, visibility in the academic community, and job market outcomes.
The results show that access to administrative data can significantly shape academic careers. Researchers who gained access to the INPS data didn’t simply publish more papers. Instead, they were more likely to publish in prestigious field journals, especially in labor economics, where this data is particularly relevant. They also became more visible in the profession through working papers, conference presentations, and increased networking. These factors improved their standing in the academic job market, not necessarily through a sheer quantity of research, but by enhancing the quality and signals of their potential as scholars.
Interestingly, the impact of data access was not evenly distributed. Researchers from top-ranked PhD programs were particularly adept at converting data access into career benefits. On the other hand, even though women who accessed the data produced strong research, they didn’t experience a corresponding boost in career advancement. Additionally, data access also influenced where researchers ended up: while it reduced the probability of securing a position in a top world-ranked economics department, it increased their chances of getting hired at top departments within Italy, helping them build strong domestic careers.
Contributions and policy questions
This study offers several important contributions to ongoing debates in the economics profession. First, the paper adds to the growing literature on how resources and signals influence academic success. Just as graduating from a prestigious university or publishing in a top journal can open doors, access to administrative data is now another important career asset. This research highlights the growing importance of data access not only for individual academic careers, but also for the broader goals of scientific progress and evidence-based policymaking.
Second, the findings raise important policy questions. As programs like VisitINPS are publicly funded, understanding who benefits most from such programs is central to evaluating their distributional impact, not just on research outcomes but on the composition of the academic community itself. If those already well-positioned in academia are most likely to benefit from access to administrative data, such programs risk unintentionally reinforcing the very inequalities they seek to address.
Conclusion
In summary, the study offers a timely and thought-provoking look at how administrative data access affects academic careers in economics. As economics continues to evolve into a data-intensive discipline, who gets access to this data and who can make the most of it will play a defining role in shaping the next generation of scholars. While access to administrative data can be a powerful tool for research and professional advancement, its benefits are not automatically equitable.
Ensuring that all researchers can turn data into meaningful career opportunities will require more inclusive policy design. If programs like VisitINPS are to truly democratize research opportunities, they must ensure that access to data is paired with support mechanisms (such as training, mentoring, and infrastructure) that help researchers from diverse backgrounds succeed. Otherwise, the authors argue, the promise of data-driven research may remain out of reach for many talented scholars.