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The contribution of research and innovation to productivity

Author

Listed:
  • Amani Elnasri

    (The Australian Bureau of Statistics)

  • Kevin J. Fox

    (UNSW)

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of investment in research and innovation on Australian market sector productivity. While previous studies have largely focused on a narrow class of private sector intangible assets as a source of productivity gains, this paper shows that there is a broad range of other business sector intangible assets that can significantly affect productivity. Moreover, the paper pays special attention to the role played by public funding for research and innovation. The empirical results suggest that there are significant spillovers to productivity from public sector R&D spending on research agencies and higher education. No evidence is found for productivity spillovers from indirect public funding for the business enterprise sector, civil sector or defence R&D. These findings have implications for government innovation policy as they provide insights into possible productivity gains from government funding reallocations.

Suggested Citation

  • Amani Elnasri & Kevin J. Fox, 2017. "The contribution of research and innovation to productivity," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 291-308, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jproda:v:47:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s11123-017-0503-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11123-017-0503-9
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

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    2. Schubert, Torben & Jäger, Angela & Türkeli, Serdar & Visentin, Fabiana, 2020. "Addressing the productivity paradox with big data: A literature review and adaptation of the CDM econometric model," MERIT Working Papers 2020-050, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    3. Nathan Chappell & Adam Jaffe, 2018. "Intangible Investment and Firm Performance," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 52(4), pages 509-559, June.
    4. Diewert, Erwin & Fox, Kevin J., 2019. "Productivity Indexes and National Statistics: Theory, Methods and Challenges," Microeconomics.ca working papers erwin_diewert-2019-8, Vancouver School of Economics, revised 25 Apr 2019.
    5. Anna Thum-Thysen & Peter Voigt & Christoph Weiss, 2021. "Reflections on Complementarities in Capital Formation and Production: Tangible and Intangible Assets across Europe," European Economy - Discussion Papers 152, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    6. Roth, Felix, 2019. "Intangible Capital and Labour Productivity Growth: A Review of the Literature," Hamburg Discussion Papers in International Economics 4, University of Hamburg, Department of Economics.
    7. Thum-Thysen, Anna & Voigt, Peter & Weiss, Christoph, 2021. "Complementarities in capital formation and production: Tangible and intangible assets across Europe," EIB Working Papers 2021/12, European Investment Bank (EIB).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Productivity; Innovation; Intangible assets; Public funding;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity
    • H4 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods

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