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Social push and the direction of innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Einiö, Elias
  • Feng, Josh
  • Jaravel, Xavier

Abstract

What are the implications of unequal access to innovation careers for the direction of innovation and inequality? Leveraging novel linked datasets in the United States and Finland, we document that innovators create products more likely to be purchased by consumers like them in terms of gender, socioeconomic status, and age. Homophily exists both within narrow product categories and across industries, and has been stable in recent decades. Incorporating this “social push” channel into a growth model, we estimate that unequal access to innovation careers has a large effect on cost-of-living inequality and long-run growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Einiö, Elias & Feng, Josh & Jaravel, Xavier, 2026. "Social push and the direction of innovation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 130164, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:130164
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    File URL: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/130164/
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    Keywords

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    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
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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