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Technological Breakthroughs and Productivity Growth

In: Research in Economic History

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  • Harald Edquist
  • Magnus Henrekson

Abstract

This study consists of an examination of productivity growth following three major technological breakthroughs: the steam power revolution, electrification and the ICT revolution. The distinction between sectors producing and sectors using the new technology is emphasized. A major finding for all breakthroughs is that there is a long lag from the time of the original invention until a substantial increase in the rate of productivity growth can be observed. There is also strong evidence of rapid price decreases for steam engines, electricity, electric motors and ICT products. However, there is no persuasive direct evidence that the steam engine producing industry and electric machinery had particularly high productivity growth rates. For the ICT revolution the highest productivity growth rates are found in the ICT-producing industries. We suggest that one explanation could be that hedonic price indexes are not used for the steam engine and the electric motor. Still, it is likely that the rate of technological development has been much more rapid during the ICT revolution compared to any of the previous breakthroughs.

Suggested Citation

  • Harald Edquist & Magnus Henrekson, 2006. "Technological Breakthroughs and Productivity Growth," Research in Economic History, in: Research in Economic History, pages 1-53, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:rehizz:s0363-3268(06)24001-1
    DOI: 10.1016/S0363-3268(06)24001-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Alam, Md. Samsul & Miah, Mohammad Dulal & Hammoudeh, Shawkat & Tiwari, Aviral Kumar, 2018. "The nexus between access to electricity and labour productivity in developing countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 715-726.
    2. Pearson, Peter J.G. & Foxon, Timothy J., 2012. "A low carbon industrial revolution? Insights and challenges from past technological and economic transformations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 117-127.
    3. Harald Edquist, 2010. "Does hedonic price indexing change our interpretation of economic history? Evidence from Swedish electrification," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 63(2), pages 500-523, May.
    4. Nicholas Tsounis & Ian Steedman, 2021. "A New Method for Measuring Total Factor Productivity Growth Based on the Full Industry Equilibrium Approach: The Case of the Greek Economy," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-21, August.
    5. Frédéric Delmar & Karl Wennberg & Karin Hellerstedt, 2011. "Endogenous growth through knowledge spillovers in entrepreneurship : an empirical test," Post-Print hal-02312920, HAL.
    6. Edquist, Harald & Henrekson, Magnus, 2017. "Swedish lessons: How important are ICT and R&D to economic growth?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1-12.
    7. Svante Prado, 2014. "Yeast or mushrooms? Productivity patterns across Swedish manufacturing industries, 1869–1912," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 67(2), pages 382-408, May.
    8. Jalava, Jukka & Pohjola, Matti, 2008. "The roles of electricity and ICT in economic growth: Case Finland," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 270-287, July.
    9. Edquist, Harald, 2005. "Do hedonic price indexes change history? The case of electrification," SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance 586, Stockholm School of Economics, revised 29 Apr 2005.
    10. Edquist, Harald & Henrekson, Magnus, 2017. "Do R&D and ICT affect total factor productivity growth differently?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 106-119.
    11. Fernandes, Silvia & Belo, Ana & Castela, Guilherme, 2016. "Social network enterprise behaviors and patterns in SMEs: Lessons from a Portuguese local community centered around the tourism industry," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 15-22.
    12. Szalavetz, Andrea, 2011. "Innovációvezérelt növekedés? [Innovation-driven growth?]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(5), pages 460-476.
    13. Edquist, Harald & Henrekson, Magnus, 2013. "Product Market Reforms and Incentives to Innovate in Sweden," Working Paper Series 986, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    14. Ana Belo & Silvia Fernandes & Guilherme Castela, 2014. "Social Networks' Users: Profiles and Motivations," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, CinTurs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 2(3), pages 217-228.
    15. Edquist, Harald, 2013. "Can double deflation explain the ICT growth miracle?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 121(2), pages 302-305.
    16. Monica RĂILEANU SZELES & Carmen ANTON & Mirela BABA & Steliana BUSUIOCEANU & Adriana LITRĂ & Titus SUCIU, 2019. "Explaining The EU Regional Economic Growth upon Regional- and Country- Level Achievements in Education," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(1), pages 143-157, March.
    17. Edquist, Harald, 2023. "How important is mobile broadband latency for total factor productivity growth?," 32nd European Regional ITS Conference, Madrid 2023: Realising the digital decade in the European Union – Easier said than done? 277954, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    18. Edquist, Harald, 2022. "The economic impact of mobile broadband speed," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5).
    19. van Ark, Bart & Smits, Jan Pieter, 2005. "Technology Regimes and Productivity Growth in Europe and the United States: A Comparative and Historical Perspective," Institute of European Studies, Working Paper Series qt1td1h23k, Institute of European Studies, UC Berkeley.
    20. Lee, Minkyu & Heshmati, Almas, 2006. "A Dynamic Flexible Partial-Adjustment Model of International Diffusion of the Internet," Ratio Working Papers 99, The Ratio Institute.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N10 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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