IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/cep/cepdps/dp2095.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Creative destruction through innovation bursts

Author

Listed:
  • Giuseppe Berlingieri
  • Maarten De Ridder
  • Danial Lashkari
  • Davide Rigo

Abstract

In theories of creative destruction, product innovation is a key driver of aggregate growth. In this paper, we confront the predictions of these theories about product dynamics with empirical patterns in product-level data on the near-universe of French manufacturing firms. We find that the process of product innovation frequently exhibits bursts-episodes in which firms rapidly add multiple products to their portfolio. Such bursts lead to substantial shifts in revenue and explain the majority of the variance in firm-level growth. We introduce a model of firm product innovation compatible with such a process that also nests the canonical models of creative destruction. We show that innovation bursts alter the equilibrium composition of age, size, and innovation efficiency of firms, and further explain the concentration of production among superstar firms. Our model thus enables the joint study of the determinants of industry concentration and growth in a setting consistent with the empirical patterns of product dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Berlingieri & Maarten De Ridder & Danial Lashkari & Davide Rigo, 2025. "Creative destruction through innovation bursts," CEP Discussion Papers dp2095, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp2095
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp2095.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Albornoz, Facundo & Calvo Pardo, Héctor F. & Corcos, Gregory & Ornelas, Emanuel, 2023. "Sequentially exporting products across countries," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    2. Luis Garicano & Claire Lelarge & John Van Reenen, 2016. "Firm Size Distortions and the Productivity Distribution: Evidence from France," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(11), pages 3439-3479, November.
    3. Maarten De Ridder, 2024. "Market Power and Innovation in the Intangible Economy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(1), pages 199-251, January.
    4. Nicholas Bloom & Charles I. Jones & John Van Reenen & Michael Webb, 2020. "Are Ideas Getting Harder to Find?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(4), pages 1104-1144, April.
    5. Xavier Gabaix & Jean‐Michel Lasry & Pierre‐Louis Lions & Benjamin Moll, 2016. "The Dynamics of Inequality," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 84, pages 2071-2111, November.
    6. Robert C. Feenstra & Robert Inklaar & Marcel P. Timmer, 2015. "The Next Generation of the Penn World Table," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(10), pages 3150-3182, October.
    7. Ufuk Akcigit & William R. Kerr, 2018. "Growth through Heterogeneous Innovations," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(4), pages 1374-1443.
    8. Bloom, Nick & Griffith, Rachel & Van Reenen, John, 2002. "Do R&D tax credits work? Evidence from a panel of countries 1979-1997," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(1), pages 1-31, July.
    9. Daron Acemoglu & Ufuk Akcigit & Harun Alp & Nicholas Bloom & William Kerr, 2018. "Innovation, Reallocation, and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(11), pages 3450-3491, November.
    10. Rasmus Lentz & Dale T. Mortensen, 2008. "An Empirical Model of Growth Through Product Innovation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 76(6), pages 1317-1373, November.
    11. Aghion, Philippe & Howitt, Peter, 1992. "A Model of Growth through Creative Destruction," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 60(2), pages 323-351, March.
    12. Daniel Garcia‐Macia & Chang‐Tai Hsieh & Peter J. Klenow, 2019. "How Destructive Is Innovation?," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 87(5), pages 1507-1541, September.
    13. Marc J. Melitz, 2003. "The Impact of Trade on Intra-Industry Reallocations and Aggregate Industry Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(6), pages 1695-1725, November.
    14. Erzo G. J. Luttmer, 2010. "Models of firm heterogeneity and growth," Working Papers 678, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    15. Andrew B. Bernard & Esther Ann Boler & Renzo Massari & Jose-Daniel Reyes & Daria Taglioni, 2017. "Exporter Dynamics and Partial-Year Effects," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(10), pages 3211-3228, October.
    16. Philippe Aghion & Antonin Bergeaud & Timo Boppart & Peter J Klenow & Huiyu Li, 2023. "A Theory of Falling Growth and Rising Rents," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 90(6), pages 2675-2702.
    17. Ufuk Akcigit & Sina T. Ates, 2023. "What Happened to US Business Dynamism?," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 131(8), pages 2059-2124.
    18. David Autor & David Dorn & Lawrence F Katz & Christina Patterson & John Van Reenen, 2020. "The Fall of the Labor Share and the Rise of Superstar Firms [“Automation and New Tasks: How Technology Displaces and Reinstates Labor”]," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 135(2), pages 645-709.
    19. Serdar Ozkan ⓡ & Joachim Hubmer ⓡ & Sergio Salgado ⓡ & Elin Halvorsen ⓡ & Serdar Ozkan, 2023. "Why Are the Wealthiest So Wealthy? A Longitudinal Empirical Investigation," CESifo Working Paper Series 10324, CESifo.
    20. Ufuk Akcigit & Sina T. Ates, 2021. "Ten Facts on Declining Business Dynamism and Lessons from Endogenous Growth Theory," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 13(1), pages 257-298, January.
    21. Erzo G. J. Luttmer, 2007. "Selection, Growth, and the Size Distribution of Firms," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(3), pages 1103-1144.
    22. Colin J. Hottman & Stephen J. Redding & David E. Weinstein, 2016. "Quantifying the Sources of Firm Heterogeneity," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 131(3), pages 1291-1364.
    23. Davide Melcangi & Silvia Sarpietro, 2024. "Nonlinear Firm Dynamics," Staff Reports 1088, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    24. Robert DEKLE & Atsushi KAWAKAMI & Nobuhiro KIYOTAKI & Tsutomu MIYAGAWA, 2015. "Product Dynamics and Aggregate Shocks: Evidence from Japanese product and firm level data," Discussion papers 15137, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    25. Benguria, Felipe & Matsumoto, Hidehiko & Saffie, Felipe, 2022. "Productivity and trade dynamics in sudden stops," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    26. Christian Broda & David E. Weinstein, 2010. "Product Creation and Destruction: Evidence and Price Implications," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(3), pages 691-723, June.
    27. Fatih Guvenen & Fatih Karahan & Serdar Ozkan & Jae Song, 2021. "What Do Data on Millions of U.S. Workers Reveal About Lifecycle Earnings Dynamics?," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(5), pages 2303-2339, September.
    28. Erzo G.J. Luttmer, 2010. "Models of Growth and Firm Heterogeneity," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 2(1), pages 547-576, September.
    29. Hugo A. Hopenhayn, 2014. "Firms, Misallocation, and Aggregate Productivity: A Review," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 6(1), pages 735-770, August.
    30. Tor Jakob Klette & Samuel Kortum, 2004. "Innovating Firms and Aggregate Innovation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 112(5), pages 986-1018, October.
    31. Erzo G. J. Luttmer, 2011. "On the Mechanics of Firm Growth," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 78(3), pages 1042-1068.
    32. Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), 2014. "Handbook of Economic Growth," Handbook of Economic Growth, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 2, number 2.
    33. Maarten De Ridder & Basile Grassi & Giovanni Morzenti, 2021. "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Markup Estimation," Working Papers 677, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    34. Xavier Gabaix, 2009. "Power Laws in Economics and Finance," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 1(1), pages 255-294, May.
    35. Rasmus Lentz & Dale Mortensen, 2016. "Optimal Growth Through Product Innovation," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 19, pages 4-19, January.
    36. Robert Dekle & Atsushi Kawakami & Nobuhiro Kiyotaki & Tsutomu Miyagawa, 2015. "Product Dynamics and Aggregate Shocks: Evidence from Japanese Product and Firm Level Data," Working Papers 2015-3, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    37. Spencer Y. Kwon & Yueran Ma & Kaspar Zimmermann, 2024. "100 Years of Rising Corporate Concentration," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(7), pages 2111-2140, July.
    38. Michael Peters & Conor Walsh, 2021. "Population Growth and Firm Dynamics," NBER Working Papers 29424, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    39. Michael Peters, 2020. "Heterogeneous Markups, Growth, and Endogenous Misallocation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(5), pages 2037-2073, September.
    40. Daron Acemoglu & Ufuk Akcigit & Murat Alp Celik, 2022. "Radical and Incremental Innovation: The Roles of Firms, Managers, and Innovators," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 199-249, July.
    41. Baslandze, Salomé & Argente, David & Hanley, Douglas & Moreira, Sara, 2020. "Patents to Products: Product Innovation and Firm Dynamics," CEPR Discussion Papers 14692, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    42. David Argente & Munseob Lee & Sara Moreira, 2024. "The Life Cycle of Products: Evidence and Implications," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 132(2), pages 337-390.
    43. Nir Jaimovich & Stephen J. Terry & Nicolas Vincent, 2023. "The Empirical Distribution of Firm Dynamics and Its Macro Implications," NBER Working Papers 31337, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    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. Maarten De Ridder, 2024. "Market Power and Innovation in the Intangible Economy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(1), pages 199-251, January.
    2. Jo, Karam & Kim, Seula, 2024. "Heterogeneous Innovations and Growth Under Imperfect Technology Spillovers," IZA Discussion Papers 17581, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Karam Jo & Seula Kim, 2024. "Competition, Firm Innovation, and Growth under Imperfect Technology Spillovers," Working Papers 24-40, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    4. Tetsugen HARUYAMA, 2021. "A Schumpeterian Exploration of Gini and Top/Bottom Income Shares," Discussion Papers 2125, Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University.
    5. Dan Cao & Erick Sager & Henry Hyatt & Toshihiko Mukoyama, 2019. "Firm Growth through New Establishments," 2019 Meeting Papers 1484, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    6. Acemoglu, Daron & Cao, Dan, 2015. "Innovation by entrants and incumbents," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 255-294.
    7. Ernest Liu & Atif Mian & Amir Sufi, 2022. "Low Interest Rates, Market Power, and Productivity Growth," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 90(1), pages 193-221, January.
    8. Ufuk Akcigit & William R. Kerr, 2018. "Growth through Heterogeneous Innovations," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(4), pages 1374-1443.
    9. Philippe Aghion & Antonin Bergeaud & Timo Boppart & Peter J. Klenow & Huiyu Li, 2019. "Missing Growth from Creative Destruction," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(8), pages 2795-2822, August.
    10. Hugo Hopenhayn & Julian Neira & Rish Singhania, 2022. "From Population Growth to Firm Demographics: Implications for Concentration, Entrepreneurship and the Labor Share," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 90(4), pages 1879-1914, July.
    11. Ufuk Akcigit & Salomé Baslandze & Francesca Lotti, 2023. "Connecting to Power: Political Connections, Innovation, and Firm Dynamics," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 91(2), pages 529-564, March.
    12. Andrew Atkeson & Ariel Burstein, 2019. "Aggregate Implications of Innovation Policy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(6), pages 2625-2683.
    13. Kjetil Storesletten & Bo Zhao & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2019. "Business Cycle during Structural Change: Arthur Lewis' Theory from a Neoclassical Perspective," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 2191, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    14. Ian Goldin & Pantelis Koutroumpis & François Lafond & Julian Winkler, 2024. "Why Is Productivity Slowing Down?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 62(1), pages 196-268, March.
    15. Santiago Caicedo & Jeremy Pearce, 2024. "Need for Speed: Quality of Innovations and the Allocation of Inventors," Staff Reports 1127, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    16. Michael König & Kjetil Storesletten & Zheng Song & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2022. "From Imitation to Innovation: Where Is All That Chinese R&D Going?," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 90(4), pages 1615-1654, July.
    17. Daisuke Miyakawa & Koki Oikawa & Kozo Ueda, 2022. "Reallocation Effects Of Monetary Policy," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 63(2), pages 947-975, May.
    18. Jess Benhabib & Jesse Perla & Christopher Tonetti, 2021. "Reconciling Models of Diffusion and Innovation: A Theory of the Productivity Distribution and Technology Frontier," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(5), pages 2261-2301, September.
    19. Laurent Cavenaile & Pau Roldan-Blanco, 2021. "Advertising, Innovation, and Economic Growth," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 13(3), pages 251-303, July.
    20. Jingong Huang, 2018. "Technology Network, Innovation And Growth," 2018 Meeting Papers 178, Society for Economic Dynamics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    productivity; endogenous growth; firms; innovation;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:cep:cepdps:dp2095. 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: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://cep.lse.ac.uk/_new/publications/discussion-papers/ .

    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.