IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ctc/serie5/ispe0075.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Employment Impact of Innovation: Evidence from European Patenting Companies

Author

Listed:
  • Vincent Van Roy

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Varese, Italy)

  • Daniel Vertesy

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Varese, Italy)

  • Marco Vivarelli

    (DISCE, Università Cattolica - SPRU, University of Sussex - Institute for the Study of Labour (IZA), Bonn)

Abstract

This paper explores the possible job creation effect of innovation activity. We analyze a unique panel dataset covering almost 20,000 patenting firms from Europe over the period 2003-2012. The main outcome from the proposed GMM-SYS estimations is the labour-friendly nature of innovation, which we measure in terms of forward-citation weighted patents. However, this positive impact of innovation is statistically significant only for firms in the high-tech manufacturing sectors, while not significant in low-tech manufacturing and services.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincent Van Roy & Daniel Vertesy & Marco Vivarelli, 2015. "The Employment Impact of Innovation: Evidence from European Patenting Companies," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Politica Economica ispe0075, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
  • Handle: RePEc:ctc:serie5:ispe0075
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://istituti.unicatt.it/politica-economica-ISPE0075.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2015
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marco Vivarelli, 2014. "Innovation, Employment and Skills in Advanced and Developing Countries: A Survey of Economic Literature," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(1), pages 123-154.
    2. J. A. Kregel & Egon Matzner & Alessandro Roncaglia (ed.), 1988. "Barriers to Full Employment," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-19233-5.
    3. Van Reenen, John, 1997. "Employment and Technological Innovation: Evidence from U.K. Manufacturing Firms," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 15(2), pages 255-284, April.
    4. Lachenmaier, Stefan & Rottmann, Horst, 2011. "Effects of innovation on employment: A dynamic panel analysis," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 210-220, March.
    5. repec:idb:brikps:78759 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:idb:brikps:publication-detail,7101.html?id=66767 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. David Roodman, 2009. "How to do xtabond2: An introduction to difference and system GMM in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 9(1), pages 86-136, March.
    8. C. Greenhalgh & M. Longland & D. Bosworth, 2001. "Technological Activity and Employment in a Panel of UK Firms," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 48(3), pages 260-282, August.
    9. Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2005. "Innovation and Employment: Evidence from Italian Microdata," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 86(1), pages 65-83, October.
    10. 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.
    11. Bogliacino, Francesco & Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2012. "R&D and employment: An application of the LSDVC estimator using European microdata," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 116(1), pages 56-59.
    12. Harrison, Rupert & Jaumandreu, Jordi & Mairesse, Jacques & Peters, Bettina, 2014. "Does innovation stimulate employment? A firm-level analysis using comparable micro-data from four European countries," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 29-43.
    13. Manuel Trajtenberg, 1990. "A Penny for Your Quotes: Patent Citations and the Value of Innovations," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 21(1), pages 172-187, Spring.
    14. Maria Savona & Rinaldo Evangelista, 2003. "The impact of innovation on employment and skills in services. Evidence from Italy," Post-Print halshs-00247420, HAL.
    15. Jacques Mairesse, 2008. "Employment, innovation, and productivity: evidence from Italian microdata," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 17(4), pages 813-839, August.
    16. 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.
    17. Rinaldo Evangelista & Antonio Vezzani, 2012. "The impact of technological and organizational innovations on employment in European firms," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 21(4), pages 871-899, August.
    18. Dosi, Giovanni, 1988. "Sources, Procedures, and Microeconomic Effects of Innovation," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 26(3), pages 1120-1171, September.
    19. Jan Fagerberg & Staffan Laestadius & Ben R. Martin, 2016. "The Triple Challenge for Europe: The Economy, Climate Change, and Governance," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(3), pages 178-204, May.
    20. Nathalie Greenan & Dominique Guellec, 2000. "Technological Innovation and Employment Reallocation," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 14(4), pages 547-590, December.
    21. Horst Feldmann, 2013. "Technological unemployment in industrial countries," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 1099-1126, November.
    22. Bronwyn H. Hall & Adam Jaffe & Manuel Trajtenberg, 2005. "Market Value and Patent Citations," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 36(1), pages 16-38, Spring.
    23. Charles Edquist & Leif Hommen & Maureen McKelvey, 2001. "Innovation and Employment," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2138.
    24. Gustavo Crespi & Ezequiel Tacsir & Mariano Pereira, 2019. "Effects of innovation on employment in Latin America," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 28(1), pages 139-159.
    25. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    26. Robert Boyer, 1988. "New Technologies and Employment in the 1980s: From Science and Technology to Macroeconomic Modelling," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: J. A. Kregel & Egon Matzner & Alessandro Roncaglia (ed.), Barriers to Full Employment, chapter 9, pages 233-272, Palgrave Macmillan.
    27. Bogliacino, Francesco & Pianta, Mario, 2010. "Innovation and Employment: a Reinvestigation using Revised Pavitt classes," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 799-809, July.
    28. Marco Vivarelli, 2013. "Technology, Employment and Skills: An Interpretative Framework," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 3(1), pages 66-89, June.
    29. Fagerberg, Jan & Laestadius, Staffan & Martin, Ben R. (ed.), 2015. "The Triple Challenge for Europe: Economic Development, Climate Change, and Governance," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198747413.
    30. Richard Blundell & Stephen Bond, 2000. "GMM Estimation with persistent panel data: an application to production functions," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 321-340.
    31. Harhoff, Dietmar & Scherer, Frederic M. & Vopel, Katrin, 2003. "Citations, family size, opposition and the value of patent rights," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(8), pages 1343-1363, September.
    32. Tommaso Antonucci & Mario Pianta, 2002. "Employment Effects of Product and Process Innovation in Europe," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(3), pages 295-307.
    33. Francesco Bogliacino & Marco Vivarelli, 2012. "The Job Creation Effect Of R&D Expenditures," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 96-113, June.
    34. Sinclair, Peter J N, 1981. "When Will Technical Progress Destroy Jobs?," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(1), pages 1-18, March.
    35. Hall, Bronwyn H. & Mairesse, Jacques, 1995. "Exploring the relationship between R&D and productivity in French manufacturing firms," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 263-293, January.
    36. Greenhalgh, C & Longland, M & Bosworth, D, 2001. "Technological Activity and Employment in a Panel of UK Firms," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 48(3), pages 260-282, August.
    37. Giovanni Dosi & Richard Nelson, 2013. "The Evolution of Technologies: An Assessment of the State-of-the-Art," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 3(1), pages 3-46, June.
    38. Peters, Bettina, 2004. "Employment Effects of Different Innovation Activities: Microeconometric Evidence," ZEW Discussion Papers 04-73, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    39. Petit, Pascal, 1993. "Employment and technical change," CEPREMAP Working Papers (Couverture Orange) 9330, CEPREMAP.
    40. Waterson, Michael & Stoneman, Paul, 1985. "Employment, technological diffusion and oligopoly," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 327-344, September.
    41. David Roodman, 2006. "How to Do xtabond2," North American Stata Users' Group Meetings 2006 8, Stata Users Group.
    42. Evangelista, Rinaldo & Savona, Maria, 2003. "Innovation, employment and skills in services. Firm and sectoral evidence," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 449-474, December.
    43. Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2004. "Technological change and employment: some micro evidence from Italy," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(6), pages 373-376.
    44. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    45. Katsoulacos, Y., 1984. "Product innovation and employment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(1-2), pages 83-108.
    46. Richard C. Levin & Alvin K. Klevorick & Richard R. Nelson & Sidney G. Winter, 1987. "Appropriating the Returns from Industrial Research and Development," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 18(3, Specia), pages 783-832.
    47. Marco Vivarelli, 1995. "The Economics of Technology and Employment," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 458.
    48. Arundel, Anthony & Kabla, Isabelle, 1998. "What percentage of innovations are patented? empirical estimates for European firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 127-141, June.
    49. Alex Coad & Rekha Rao, 2011. "The firm-level employment effects of innovations in high-tech US manufacturing industries," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 255-283, May.
    50. Neary, J Peter, 1981. "On the Short-Run Effects of Technological Progress," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(2), pages 224-233, July.
    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. Van Roy, Vincent & Vertesy, Daniel & Vivarelli, Marco, 2015. "Innovation and Employment in Patenting Firms: Empirical Evidence from Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 9147, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Van Roy, Vincent & Vértesy, Dániel & Vivarelli, Marco, 2018. "Technology and employment: Mass unemployment or job creation? Empirical evidence from European patenting firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(9), pages 1762-1776.
    3. 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.
    4. Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2017. "The employment impact of R&D expenditures and capital formation," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Politica Economica ispe0078, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    5. Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2018. "Technological change and employment: is Europe ready for the challenge?," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(1), pages 13-32, March.
    6. Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2017. "Technological Change and Employment: Were Ricardo and Marx Right?," IZA Discussion Papers 10471, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Marco Vivarelli, 2013. "Technology, Employment and Skills: An Interpretative Framework," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 3(1), pages 66-89, June.
    8. Francesco Bogliacino & Marco Vivarelli, 2012. "The Job Creation Effect Of R&D Expenditures," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 96-113, June.
    9. Francesco Bogliacino & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2011. "The impact of R&D on employment in Europe: A firm-level analysis," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali dises1176, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    10. Francesco Bogliacino & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2011. "The impact of R&D on employment in Europe: A firm-level analysis," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali dises1176, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    11. Flavio Calvino & Maria Enrica Virgillito, 2018. "The Innovation†Employment Nexus: A Critical Survey Of Theory And Empirics," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 83-117, February.
    12. Francesco Bogliacino & Marco Vivarelli, 2011. "Innovation and employment: Some evidence from European sectors," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali dises1178, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    13. Francesco Bogliacino & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2011. "Job Creation Effects of R&D Expenditures: Are High-tech Sectors the Key?," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2011-10, Joint Research Centre.
    14. Bogliacino, Francesco & Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2011. "R&D and Employment: Some Evidence from European Microdata," IZA Discussion Papers 5908, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Heijs, Joost & Arenas Díaz, Guillermo & Vergara Reyes, Delia Margarita, 2019. "Impact of innovation on employment in quantitative terms: review of empirical literature based on microdata," MPRA Paper 95326, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2018. "Is Innovation Destroying Jobs? Firm-Level Evidence from the EU," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, April.
    17. Laura Barbieri & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2019. "R&D, embodied technological change, and employment: evidence from Italian microdata," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 28(1), pages 203-218.
    18. Dosi, G. & Piva, M. & Virgillito, M.E. & Vivarelli, M., 2021. "Embodied and disembodied technological change: The sectoral patterns of job-creation and job-destruction," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(4).
    19. Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2017. "R&D Expenditures and Employment: Evidence from Europe," GLO Discussion Paper Series 18, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    20. Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2017. "Is R&D Good for Employment? Microeconometric Evidence from the EU," IZA Discussion Papers 10581, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technological change; innovation; patents; employment; GMM-SYS;
    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

    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:ctc:serie5:ispe0075. 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: Fabio Montobbio (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/dscatit.html .

    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.