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Reassessing the Impact of IT in the Production Function: A Meta-Analysis and Sensitivity Tests

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  • Kevin J. Stiroh

Abstract

This paper analyzes and extends the growing econometric literature on the economic impact of information technology (IT). I begin with a "meta-analysis" to systematically examine the results of twenty empirical studies and show that much of the observed variation in estimates of the output elasticity of IT is predictable and due to differences in model specification and econometric technique. Using a single dataset for U.S. industries, I then find similar variation across alternative specifications and estimation methods. Most results show a productivity effect from IT-use, but the point estimate of the elasticity is fragile and depends on the details of the estimation.

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  • Kevin J. Stiroh, 2005. "Reassessing the Impact of IT in the Production Function: A Meta-Analysis and Sensitivity Tests," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 79-80, pages 529-561.
    • Handle: RePEc:adr:anecst:y:2005:i:79-80:p:529-561
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    Cited by:

    1. Prasanna Tambe & Lorin M. Hitt & Erik Brynjolfsson, 2012. "The Extroverted Firm: How External Information Practices Affect Innovation and Productivity," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(5), pages 843-859, May.
    2. Stefan Schweikl & Robert Obermaier, 2020. "Lessons from three decades of IT productivity research: towards a better understanding of IT-induced productivity effects," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 70(4), pages 461-507, November.
    3. Audi, Marc & Ali, Amjad, 2019. "The Advancement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Economic Development: A Panel Analysis," MPRA Paper 93476, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Thomas Niebel & Mary O'Mahony & Marianne Saam, 2017. "The Contribution of Intangible Assets to Sectoral Productivity Growth in the EU," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 63, pages 49-67, February.
    5. Edquist, Harald & Henrekson, Magnus, 2017. "Do R&D and ICT affect total factor productivity growth differently?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 106-119.
    6. Prasanna Tambe & Lorin M. Hitt, 2012. "The Productivity of Information Technology Investments: New Evidence from IT Labor Data," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 23(3-part-1), pages 599-617, September.
    7. Hannu Piekkola, 2016. "Intangible Investment and Market Valuation," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 62(1), pages 28-51, March.
    8. Polák, Petr, 2017. "The productivity paradox: A meta-analysis," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 38-54.
    9. Hüseyin Taştan & Feride Gönel, 2020. "ICT labor, software usage, and productivity: firm-level evidence from Turkey," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 265-285, April.
    10. Bertschek, Irene & Niebel, Thomas & Ohnemus, Jörg & Rasel, Fabienne & Saam, Marianne & Schulte, Patrick & Schleife, Katrin & Stiehler, Andreas & Ortwein, Tobias & Heinzl, Armin & Nöhren, Marko, 2014. "Produktivität IT-basierter Dienstleistungen: Wie kann man sie messen und steuern?," ZEW Dokumentationen 14-02, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    11. Bakari, Sayef & Tiba, Sofien, 2020. "The Impact of Internet on Economic Growth in North Africa: New empirical and policy analysis," MPRA Paper 100609, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Vu, Khuong & Hanafizadeh, Payam & Bohlin, Erik, 2020. "ICT as a driver of economic growth: A survey of the literature and directions for future research," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2).
    13. Axenbeck, Janna & Niebel, Thomas, 2021. "Climate protection potentials of digitalized production processes: Microeconometric evidence?," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-105, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    14. Edquist, Harald & Henrekson, Magnus, 2017. "Swedish lessons: How important are ICT and R&D to economic growth?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1-12.
    15. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Fernández, Gastón P. & Rammer, Christian, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and firm-level productivity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 188-205.
    16. Odhiambo, Nicholas M., 2022. "Information technology, income inequality and economic growth in sub-Saharan African countries," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(6).
    17. Gaglio, Cyrielle & Kraemer-Mbula, Erika & Lorenz, Edward, 2022. "The effects of digital transformation on innovation and productivity: Firm-level evidence of South African manufacturing micro and small enterprises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    18. T. D. Stanley & Hristos Doucouliagos & Piers Steel, 2018. "Does Ict Generate Economic Growth? A Meta†Regression Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(3), pages 705-726, July.
    19. Stanley, T. D. & Doucouliagos, Chris & Steel, Piers, 2015. "Does ICT generate economic growth? A meta-regression analysis," Working Papers eco_2015_9, Deakin University, Department of Economics.
    20. Sawng, Yeong-wha & Kim, Pang-ryong & Park, JiYoung, 2021. "ICT investment and GDP growth: Causality analysis for the case of Korea," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(7).
    21. Raquel Ortega-Argilés, 2012. "The Transatlantic Productivity Gap: A Survey Of The Main Causes," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 395-419, July.
    22. Niebel, Thomas, 2018. "ICT and economic growth – Comparing developing, emerging and developed countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 197-211.
    23. Amat Adarov & David Klenert & Robert Marschinski & Robert Stehrer, 2022. "Productivity drivers: empirical evidence on the role of digital and intangible capital, FDI and integration," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(48), pages 5515-5531, October.
    24. Haskel, Jonathan & Edquist, Harald & Goodridge, Peter, 2019. "Productivity, Network Effects and Telecommunications Capital: Evidence from the US and Europe," CEPR Discussion Papers 13910, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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