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Multinationals, robots, and the labor share

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  • Leone, Fabrizio

Abstract

Using a panel of Spanish manufacturing firms covering the 1990–2017 period, I document new evidence about affiliates of multinational enterprises (MNEs): after being acquired, they exhibit a higher propensity to use robots, which leads to a reduction in their labor share. These effects are identified using a matched event-study design, which accounts for selection into multinational ownership and robot adoption. The findings are consistent with a model of robot adoption with heterogeneous firms and hold even after considering other explanations for the labor share decline. The estimates imply that without MNEs, the reduction in the manufacturing labor share over the sample period would have been 6.5% smaller. Multinational-induced robot adoption explains about one-third of the overall impact of multinational activity on the labor share.

Suggested Citation

  • Leone, Fabrizio, 2026. "Multinationals, robots, and the labor share," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:186:y:2026:i:c:s0014292126000462
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2026.105302
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    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • F66 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Labor
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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