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Uncertainty, flexible labour relations and R&D expenditure

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  • Marco Di Cintio
  • Emanuele Grassi

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of uncertainty and flexible labour contracts on the Research and Development (R&D) expenditure. Using a panel of Italian manufacturing firms, we find a hump-shaped relationship between workforce flexibility and R&D outlays. Moreover, as predicted by the real options theory, our results suggest that product market uncertainty reduces R&D efforts and that flexible labour contracts countervail the adverse effect of uncertainty on R&D.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Di Cintio & Emanuele Grassi, 2013. "Uncertainty, flexible labour relations and R&D expenditure," EERI Research Paper Series EERI RP 2013/13, Economics and Econometrics Research Institute (EERI), Brussels.
    • Handle: RePEc:eei:rpaper:eeri_rp_2013_13
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    File URL: http://www.eeri.eu/documents/wp/EERI_RP_2013_13.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Trabelsi Ramzi & Jouini Wiem, 2019. "Causality Nexus between Economic Growth, Inflation and Innovation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(1), pages 35-58, March.
    2. Di Cintio, Marco & Ghosh, Sucharita & Grassi, Emanuele, 2017. "Firm growth, R&D expenditures and exports: An empirical analysis of italian SMEs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 836-852.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Real options theory; R&D; uncertainty; temporary workers.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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