Poster #46 - Exploring the drivers and consequences of elite coach migration

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

Does global talent migration reduce or reinforce inequality among countries? In the era of migration, collaboration among nations has become more important than ever. Advocates of brain circulation argue that the migration of high-skilled workers can benefit both sending and receiving countries, thereby improving global equality. According to this view, when high-skilled individuals move across borders, they do more than exchange technical knowledge—they help reduce inequality, contribute to the creation of fairer public policies, and build public trust. This study examines why elite sports coaches move across borders and what unintended consequences their migration may produce, based on in-depth interviews with six Korean Taekwondo coaches and panel data covering 111 countries across six Olympic Games from 2000 to 2020. This study uses Taekwondo as a case because it offers a compelling context: South Korea has long dominated the sport, and Korean-born coaches have been widely recruited by countries across all continents. The findings demonstrate that, first, one of the main drivers of coach migration is the pursuit of intrinsic motivations—such as discovering and training athletes and exercising full autonomy over coaching methods—rather than monetary incentives. These results align with the aspiration–capability framework, which emphasizes challenge-seeking and curiosity fulfillment as key migration motivators over economic considerations (de Haas, 2021). Migration motivations also changed over time, shaped by family dynamics and fluctuations in Olympic performance. This supports the view that migration reflects broader social transformations influencing individual aspirations and capabilities. Second, the analysis reveals a statistically significant and positive association between the adoption of Korean coaches and improved Olympic performance, even after accounting for rule changes such as electronic scoring and GDP per capita. This finding is consistent with previous research showing that migrated athletes can enhance their host countries’ medal counts (Horowitz & McDaniel, 2014). Finally, and notably, elite coach migration appears to reduce inequality among countries rather than increase it. The number of countries with at least one gold medalist rose from four in 2008 to eight in 2012, and seven in 2020. Meanwhile, countries with more than three gold medals disappeared after 2012. This suggests that the migration of elite coaches in Taekwondo has contributed to the diffusion of specialized knowledge and skills to underdeveloped countries, thereby helping to level the global playing field. Overall, this study illustrates how migration in the sports sector—often overlooked in policy discourse—provides valuable insights into building resilient and transformative policy solutions. By integrating qualitative and quantitative evidence, it contributes to inclusive frameworks for managing global talent mobility and sustaining international competitiveness through strategic partnerships.

Authors

• Yoojin Shin, Kyung Hee University
  Presenting Author

• Do Han Kim, Kyung Hee University, South Korea
  Non-Presenting Co-Author