Citation

Lemay-Hébert N, Marcelin LH, Pallage S, Cela T. Disasters 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Country Coordinator of the Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/disa.12382

PMID

31251412

Abstract

Building on empirical material gathered in Haiti, this article advances a new and innovative understanding of the internal brain drain phenomenon-the poaching of local skilled workers by international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) or international organisations (IOs)-by conceptualising it as an equilibrium. This equilibrium is composed of two sets of tensions: (1) the tensions between the salary conditions in the public sector and the salary conditions offered to local staff working for IOs and INGOs; and (2) the tensions inherent in the dual salary scale used by IOs and INGOs for local and international staff. The two sets of tensions contribute in their specific ways to international migration-as such the internal brain drain contributes to external brain drain dynamics. Finally, the article addresses the difficult policy choices facing development and humanitarian organisations, as every set of policies impacting one side of the equilibrium is bound to impact the other side of equilibrium. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

aid economy; humanitarian aid; political economy of interventions