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Labor Supply and Automation Innovation

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  • Alexander M. Danzer
  • Carsten Feuerbaum
  • Fabian Gaessler

Abstract

While economic theory suggests substitutability between labor and capital, little evidence exists regarding the causal effect of labor supply on inventing labor-saving technologies. We analyze the impact of exogenous changes in regional labor supply on automation innovation by exploiting an immigrant placement policy in Germany during the 1990s and 2000s. Difference-in-differences estimates indicate that one additional worker per 1,000 manual and unskilled workers reduces automation innovation by 0.05 patents. The effect is most pronounced two years after immigration and confined to industries containing many low-skilled workers. Labor market tightness and external demand are plausible mechanisms for the labor-innovation nexus.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander M. Danzer & Carsten Feuerbaum & Fabian Gaessler, 2020. "Labor Supply and Automation Innovation," CESifo Working Paper Series 8410, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_8410
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    Cited by:

    1. Mann, Katja & Pozzoli, Dario, 2022. "Automation and Low-Skill Labor," IZA Discussion Papers 15791, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Yvonne Giesing, 2023. "The Impact of Technological Change on Immigration and Immigrants," CESifo Working Paper Series 10876, CESifo.
    3. Lichter, Andreas & Löffler, Max & Isphording, Ingo Eduard & Nguyen, Thu-Van & Poege, Felix & Siegloch, Sebastian, 2021. "Profit taxation, R&D spending, and innovation," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-080, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    4. Danzer, Alexander M. & Danzer, Natalia & Feuerbaum, Carsten, 2023. "Military Spending and Innovation: Learning from 19th Century World Fair Exhibition Data," IZA Discussion Papers 16034, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Rude, Britta & Giesing, Yvonne, 2022. "Technological Change and Immigration - A Race for Talent or of Displaced Workers," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264093, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    labor supply; automation; innovation; patents; labor market tightness; quasi-experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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