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Beyond Additionality: Are Innovation Subsidies Counterproductive?

Author

Listed:
  • Catozzella, Alessandra

    (University of Pavia)

  • Vivarelli, Marco

    (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)

Abstract

Building on a standard policy evaluation literature mainly aimed at estimating the additional effect of subsidies on either firms' innovative expenditures or innovative outputs only, this paper tries to move one step further, combining the two (input and output) dimensions of innovation into a unique efficiency perspective. To this aim, the impact of public funding on the ratio between innovative sales and innovative expenditures (innovative productivity) is estimated using a sample of firm-level data drawn from the third Italian Community Innovation Survey (CIS). A bivariate endogenous switching model has been developed in order to free the analysis of any ex ante sources of sample selection and firm heterogeneity, at the same time getting rid of the two sources of endogeneity potentially affecting the results, i.e. the possible simultaneity between subsidy allocation and the qualitative composition of the innovative output, as well as the endogeneity of public support with respect to innovative performance. Results show that innovative productivity is negatively affected by the innovation subsidy; far from 'doing better' as a result of government intervention, supported firms appear to exhaust their advantage through merely increasing their innovative expenditures.

Suggested Citation

  • Catozzella, Alessandra & Vivarelli, Marco, 2011. "Beyond Additionality: Are Innovation Subsidies Counterproductive?," IZA Discussion Papers 5746, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5746
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Richard Blundell & Monica Costa Dias, 2000. "Evaluation methods for non-experimental data," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 21(4), pages 427-468, January.
    2. Charles Bérubé & Pierre Mohnen, 2009. "Are firms that receive R&D subsidies more innovative?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 42(1), pages 206-225, February.
    3. Xulia González & Jordi Jaumandreu & Consuelo Pazo, 2005. "Barriers to Innovation and Subsidy Effectiveness," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 36(4), pages 930-949, Winter.
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    Cited by:

    1. Oleg Sidorkin & Martin Srholec, 2022. "Do Direct Subsidies Stimulate New R&D Outputs in Firms? Evidence from the Czech Republic," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2203-2229, September.
    2. Jose-Luis Hervas-Oliver & Francisca Sempere-Ripoll & Carles Boronat-Moll, 2014. "Process innovation strategy in SMEs, organizational innovation and performance: a misleading debate?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 873-886, December.
    3. Kai Zhao & Wanshu Wu, 2022. "Innovation of Family-Owned Enterprises and Government Subsidies: From A Policy-Oriented Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-18, October.
    4. Liu, Yuandan & Tang, Tingfeng & Li, Haiyang & Luo, Limin, 2024. "How do government subsidies affect OFDI of private enterprises? Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 241-251.
    5. Gustafsson, Anders & Gustavsson Tingvall, Patrik & Halvarsson, Daniel, 2017. "Subsidy Entrepreneurs," Ratio Working Papers 303, The Ratio Institute.
    6. Agata Sudolska & Justyna Łapińska, 2020. "Exploring Determinants of Innovation Capability in Manufacturing Companies Operating in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-21, August.
    7. Simachev, Y. & Kuzyk, M. & Zudin, N., 2017. "The Impact of Public Funding and Tax Incentives on Russian Firms: Additionality Effects Evaluation," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 34(2), pages 59-93.
    8. Zhang, Xiaoming & Luo, Weijie & Xiang, Di, 2025. "Strategic emerging industries and innovation: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Thomas H. W. Ziesemer, 2021. "The Effects of R&D Subsidies and Publicly Performed R&D on Business R&D: A Survey," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 236(1), pages 171-205, March.
    10. Dragana Radicic & Geoffrey Pugh & Hugo Hollanders & René Wintjes & Jon Fairburn, 2016. "The impact of innovation support programs on small and medium enterprises innovation in traditional manufacturing industries: An evaluation for seven European Union regions," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 34(8), pages 1425-1452, December.
    11. Anders Gustafsson & Patrik Gustavsson Tingvall & Daniel Halvarsson, 2020. "Subsidy Entrepreneurs: an Inquiry into Firms Seeking Public Grants," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 439-478, September.
    12. Segarra Blasco, Agustí, 1958- & Teruel, Mercedes & Bové Sans, Miquel Àngel, 2014. "A territorial approach to R&D subsidies: Empirical evidence for Catalonian firms," Working Papers 2072/242275, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    13. Kai Zhao & Wanshu Wu & Junmei Ye, 2023. "The impact of “Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation” policy on SMEs’ innovation: Using quasi‐natural experiments," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(2), pages 348-365, April.
    14. Maria Figueroa-Armijos & Thomas G. Johnson, 2016. "Entrepreneurship policy and economic growth: Solution or delusion? Evidence from a state initiative," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 1033-1047, December.
    15. Jin, Yue & Wang, Pengcheng, 2024. "R&D subsidies, tax reductions and innovation outsourcing of enterprises," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    16. Wanshu Wu & Kai Zhao & Lei Li, 2021. "Can government subsidy strategies and strategy combinations effectively stimulate enterprise innovation? Theory and evidence," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(2), pages 423-446, July.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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