IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/ecopln/v56y2023i6d10.1007_s10644-023-09550-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Higher education expansion and robot imports: evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Keqi Huang

    (Xi’an University of Finance and Economics)

  • Julan Du

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, N.T.)

  • Jiawu Dai

    (Hunan Normal University)

Abstract

We investigate the impact of higher education expansion policy (HEEP) on robot imports in a developing open economy such as China. First, we treat the HEEP as a quasi-natural experiment and adopt a difference-in-differences strategy to undertake detailed empirical analysis after conducting the common trends tests. Second, we find that the HEEP significantly increases robot imports of firms by both extensive and intensive margins; the impact is mainly concentrated in industries with medium human capital intensity. Specifically, firms in the low (high) human capital intensity sector tend to increase (decrease) robot imports. Third, we explore the underlying mechanism and conduct a series of empirical tests to check robustness; these include adopting a non-linear relationship with the quadratic form, using alternative measures of human capital intensity, excluding observations after 2007, excluding possible distributors, teasing out the potential effects engendered by China’s World Trade Organization accession, as well as excluding the confounding effects of 3-year graduates. We obtain similar results. Our findings shed light on the impact of the higher education expansion policy on robot imports in developing and transition countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Keqi Huang & Julan Du & Jiawu Dai, 2023. "Higher education expansion and robot imports: evidence from China," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 4339-4369, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:56:y:2023:i:6:d:10.1007_s10644-023-09550-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10644-023-09550-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10644-023-09550-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10644-023-09550-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jay Dixon & Bryan Hong & Lynn Wu, 2021. "The Robot Revolution: Managerial and Employment Consequences for Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(9), pages 5586-5605, September.
    2. Fan, Haichao & Hu, Yichuan & Tang, Lixin, 2021. "Labor costs and the adoption of robots in China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 608-631.
    3. Casarico, Alessandra & Devillanova, Carlo, 2008. "Capital-skill complementarity and the redistributive effects of Social Security Reform," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(3-4), pages 672-683, April.
    4. Fleisher, Belton & Li, Haizheng & Zhao, Min Qiang, 2010. "Human capital, economic growth, and regional inequality in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 215-231, July.
    5. Kong, Dongmin & Zhang, Bohui & Zhang, Jian, 2022. "Higher education and corporate innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    6. Fallon, P R & Layard, P R G, 1975. "Capital-Skill Complementarity, Income Distribution, and Output Accounting," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 83(2), pages 279-301, April.
    7. Ahn, JaeBin & Khandelwal, Amit K. & Wei, Shang-Jin, 2011. "The role of intermediaries in facilitating trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 73-85, May.
    8. Chang-Tai Hsieh & Peter J. Klenow, 2009. "Misallocation and Manufacturing TFP in China and India," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(4), pages 1403-1448.
    9. Brandt, Loren & Van Biesebroeck, Johannes & Zhang, Yifan, 2012. "Creative accounting or creative destruction? Firm-level productivity growth in Chinese manufacturing," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 339-351.
    10. Dekle, Robert, 2020. "Robots and industrial labor: Evidence from Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    11. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2020. "Robots and Jobs: Evidence from US Labor Markets," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(6), pages 2188-2244.
    12. Antonio Ciccone & Elias Papaioannou, 2009. "Human Capital, the Structure of Production, and Growth," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 66-82, February.
    13. Yi Che & Lei Zhang, 2018. "Human Capital, Technology Adoption and Firm Performance: Impacts of China's Higher Education Expansion in the Late 1990s," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(614), pages 2282-2320, September.
    14. Miaojie Yu, 2015. "Processing Trade, Tariff Reductions and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Chinese Firms," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 125(585), pages 943-988, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Huang, Keqi & Liu, Qiren & Tang, Chengjian, 2023. "Which firms benefit from robot adoption? Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    2. Fan, Haichao & Hu, Yichuan & Tang, Lixin, 2021. "Labor costs and the adoption of robots in China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 608-631.
    3. L. An & C. Hu & Yong Tan, 2017. "Regional effects of export tax rebate on exporting firms: Evidence from China," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 774-798, September.
    4. Lihua Zhang & Tian Gan & Jiachen Fan, 2023. "Do industrial robots affect the labour market? Evidence from China," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 787-817, July.
    5. Tang, Yuwei & He, Zhenyu, 2024. "Extreme heat and firms' robot adoption: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    6. Jurkat, Anne & Klump, Rainer & Schneider, Florian, 2023. "Robots and Wages: A Meta-Analysis," EconStor Preprints 274156, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    7. Liang, Yue & Lu, Wencong, 2024. "Do export tax rebates promote firm upgrading? Evidences from labor-intensive firms in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    8. Feng, Xiao & Wang, Yongjin & Zhao, Laixun, 2022. "Export capacity constraints and distortions," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    9. Shu, Li & Wang, Wei, 2023. "Human capital and trademarks: Evidence from higher education expansion in China," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(10).
    10. Gan, Jiawu & Liu, Lihua & Qiao, Gang & Zhang, Qin, 2023. "The role of robot adoption in green innovation: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    11. Chen, Shiyi & Song, Hong & Wu, Chenyu, 2021. "Human capital investment and firms’ industrial emissions: Evidence and mechanism," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 162-184.
    12. Huang, Geng & He, Ling-Yun & Lin, Xi, 2022. "Robot adoption and energy performance: Evidence from Chinese industrial firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    13. Weixian Cai & John Whalley, 2014. "Effective VAT Rates and Administrative Discretion in China," CESifo Working Paper Series 4746, CESifo.
    14. Tian, Wei & Yu, Miaojie, 2020. "Distribution, outward FDI, and productivity heterogeneity: China and cross-countries’ evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    15. Xiaogang He & Ruifeng Teng & Dawei Feng, 2024. "Climbing the Export Quality Ladder: Role of Human Capital," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 32(2), pages 125-159, March.
    16. He, Zhenyu & Tang, Yuwei, 2023. "Local environmental constraints and firms’ export product quality: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    17. Liu, Shasha & Wu, Yuhuan & Kong, Gaowen, 2024. "Politics and Robots," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    18. Jie Bai & Jiahua Liu, 2019. "The Impact of Intranational Trade Barriers on Exports: Evidence from a Nationwide VAT Rebate Reform in China," CID Working Papers 373, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    19. Du, Yan & Yan, Jie & Cao, Fangzhou & Li, Yifei & Zhou, Mao, 2023. "Higher education expansion and domestic value added in exports: Theory and evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    20. Ma, Yue & Tang, Heiwai & Zhang, Yifan, 2014. "Factor Intensity, product switching, and productivity: Evidence from Chinese exporters," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 349-362.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Industrial robots; Higher education expansion policy; Low human capital intensity sector; High human capital intensity sector; Difference-in-differences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:56:y:2023:i:6:d:10.1007_s10644-023-09550-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.