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Technology and employment: the job creation effect of business R&D

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  • Francesco Bogliacino

    (Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota`, Colombia)

  • Mariacristina Piva

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali, Universita` Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza)

  • Marco Vivarelli

    (Istituto di Politica Economica, Universita` Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano)

Abstract

After discussing theory regarding the consequences of technological change on employment, our aim is to test the possible job creation effect of business R&D expenditures, using a unique longitudinal database covering 677 European firms (1990-2008). The main outcome from the dynamic LSDVC (Least Squared Dummy Variable Corrected) estimate is the labour-friendly nature of companies’ R&D, the coefficient of which turns out to be statistically significant. However, the positive impact of R&D on employment is only detectable in services and high-tech manufacturing. This is something that should be borne in mind by European policy makers having employment as one of their aims.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Bogliacino & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2014. "Technology and employment: the job creation effect of business R&D," Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Sociali, Vita e Pensiero, Pubblicazioni dell'Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, vol. 122(3), pages 239-264.
  • Handle: RePEc:vep:journl:y:2014:v:122:i:3:p:239-264
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    2. Becker, Lasse, 2015. "Effectiveness of public innovation support in Europe: Does public support foster turnover, employment and labour productivity?," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 236, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    3. Borsato, Andrea & Lorentz, André, 2023. "The Kaldor–Verdoorn law at the age of robots and AI," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(10).
    4. Jasmine Mondolo, 2022. "The composite link between technological change and employment: A survey of the literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 1027-1068, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; Employment; Manufacturing; Services; LSDVC;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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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