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Health and creativity: Evidence from corporate innovation

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  • Do, Truc (Peter)
  • Tan, Kelvin Jui Keng
  • Wu, Yanhui

Abstract

This study examines how workforce health affects corporate innovation output. At the inventor level, we show that healthier individual inventors, measured using facial recognition-based estimates of Body Mass Index, produce more valuable patents. At the firm level, we show that better workforce health is associated with improved innovation output, particularly in the presence of increased creative destruction and product market competition. Improved workforce health enhances corporate innovation primarily through efficiency gains. This study highlights the importance of workforce health as one of the key drivers of innovation and emphasizes the need for firms to prioritize employee health in their innovation strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Do, Truc (Peter) & Tan, Kelvin Jui Keng & Wu, Yanhui, 2025. "Health and creativity: Evidence from corporate innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(9).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:54:y:2025:i:9:s0048733325001398
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105310
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    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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