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On the impact of public policies and wage formation on business investment in research and development

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  • Buyse, Tim
  • Heylen, Freddy
  • Schoonackers, Ruben

Abstract

Against the backdrop of mediocre growth prospects in many countries, governments should do more to promote private investment in research and development (R&D). Public fiscal policies and the characteristics of wage formation are key as they affect both the incentives that firms face and their resources. This paper studies their impact at the macro level in a panel of 14 OECD countries since 1981, while we also account for the impact of unobserved common factors like the world level of knowledge. Tax incentives, government intramural expenditures on R&D, public R&D subsidies (if they are not too low nor too high) and especially investment in tertiary education, encourage business R&D investment. Wage moderation may also contribute to innovation, but only in fairly closed economies and in economies with flexible labour markets. In highly open economies with rigid labour markets, high wage pressure promotes investment in R&D. Innovation may then be the only competitive strategy for firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Buyse, Tim & Heylen, Freddy & Schoonackers, Ruben, 2020. "On the impact of public policies and wage formation on business investment in research and development," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 188-199.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:88:y:2020:i:c:p:188-199
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2019.09.022
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    2. Giovanna Ciaffi & Matteo Deleidi & Enrico Sergio Levrero, 2022. "The Macroeconomic Impact of Public Spending in Research and Development: An Initial Exploration for G7 and 15 Oecd Countries," Bulletin of Political Economy, Bulletin of Political Economy, vol. 16(1), pages 1-19, June.
    3. Boungou, Whelsy & Dufau, Bastien, 2024. "EU ETS phase IV and Industrial performance," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    4. Chenshuo Li & Shihan Feng & Qingyu Yuan & Jiahui Wei & Shiqi Wang & Dongdong Huang, 2025. "The Impact of Preferential Policy on Corporate Green Innovation: A Resource Dependence Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-24, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

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