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Employment, innovation, and productivity: Evidence from italian microdata

Author

Listed:
  • Bronwyn H. Hall

    (University of California, Berkeley)

  • Francesca Lotti

    (Bank of Italy, Research Department)

  • Jacques Mairesse

    (INSEE-CREST)

Abstract

Italian manufacturing firms have been losing ground with respect to many of their European competitors. This paper presents some empirical evidence on the effects of innovation on employment growth and therefore on firms� productivity with the goal of understanding the roots of such poor performance. We use firm level data from the last three surveys on Italian manufacturing firms conducted by Mediocredito-Capitalia, which cover the period 1995-2003. Using a modified version of the model proposed by Harrison, Jaumandreu, Mairesse and Peters (2005), which separates employment growth rates into those associated with old and new products, we provide robust evidence that there is no employment displacement effect stemming from process innovation. The sources of employment growth during the period are split equally between the net contribution of product innovation and the net contribution from sales growth of old products. However, the contribution of product innovation is somewhat lower than that for the four comparison European countries considered by Harrison et al.

Suggested Citation

  • Bronwyn H. Hall & Francesca Lotti & Jacques Mairesse, 2007. "Employment, innovation, and productivity: Evidence from italian microdata," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 622, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
  • Handle: RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_622_07
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peters, Bettina, 2004. "Employment Effects of Different Innovation Activities: Microeconometric Evidence," ZEW Discussion Papers 04-73, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    2. Lachenmaier Stefan & Rottmann Horst, 2007. "Employment Effects of Innovation at the Firm Level," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 227(3), pages 254-272, June.
    3. Zimmermann, Klaus F, 1991. "The Employment Consequences of Technological Advance, Demand and Labor Costs in 16 German Industries," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 253-266.
    4. Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2005. "Innovation and Employment: Evidence from Italian Microdata," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 86(1), pages 65-83, October.
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    6. David Blanchflower & Simon Burgess, 1998. "New Technology And Jobs: Comparative Evidence From A Two Country Study," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(2-4), pages 109-138.
    7. Browyn Hall & Francis Kramakz, 1998. "Effects Of Technology And Innovation On Firm Performance, Employment, And Wages," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(2-4), pages 99-108.
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    10. Zvi Griliches, 1998. "Productivity and R&D at the Firm Level," NBER Chapters, in: R&D and Productivity: The Econometric Evidence, pages 100-133, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    12. Harrison, Rupert & Jaumandreu, Jordi & Mairesse, Jacques & Peters, Bettina, 2005. "Does innovation stimulate employment? A firm-level analysis using comparable micro data on four European countries," MPRA Paper 1245, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Federico Cingano & Alfonso Rosolia, 2006. "People I Know: Workplace Networks and Job Search Outcomes," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 600, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    14. Blechinger, Doris & Kleinknecht, Alfred & Licht, Georg & Pfeiffer, Friedhelm, 1998. "The impact of innovation on employment in Europe: An analysis using CIS data," ZEW Dokumentationen 98-02, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
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    16. Brouwer, Erik & Kleinknecht, Alfred & Reijnen, Jeroen O N, 1993. "Employment Growth and Innovation at the Firm Level," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 153-159, May.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; employment; productivity; Italy.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • 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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