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Innovation, Reallocation and Growth

Author

Listed:
  • Daron Acemoglu

    (Department of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Ufuk Akcigit

    (Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania)

  • Nicholas Bloom

    (Department of Economics, Stanford University)

  • William R. Kerr

    (Entrepreneurial Management Unit, Harvard University)

Abstract

We build a model of firm-level innovation, productivity growth and reallocation featuring endogenous entry and exit. A key feature is the selection between high- and low-type firms, which differ in terms of their innovative capacity. We estimate the parameters of the model using detailed US Census micro data on firm-level output, R&D and patenting. The model provides a good fit to the dynamics of firm entry and exit, output and R&D, and its implied elasticities are in the ballpark of a range of micro estimates. We find industrial policy subsidizing either the R&D or the continued operation of incumbents reduces growth and welfare. For example, a subsidy to incumbent R&D equivalent to 5% of GDP reduces welfare by about 1.5% because it deters entry of new high-type firms. 0n the contrary, substantial improvements (of the order of 5% improvement in welfare) are possible if the continued operation of incumbents is taxed while at the same time R&D by incumbents and new entrants is subsidized. This is because of a strong selection effect: R&D resources (skilled labor) are inefficiently used by low-type incumbent firms. Subsidies to incumbents encourage the survival and expansion of these firms at the expense of potential high-type entrants. We show that optimal policy encourages the exit of low-type firms and supports R&D by high-type incumbents and entry.

Suggested Citation

  • Daron Acemoglu & Ufuk Akcigit & Nicholas Bloom & William R. Kerr, 2013. "Innovation, Reallocation and Growth," PIER Working Paper Archive 13-018, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
  • Handle: RePEc:pen:papers:13-018
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    entry; growth; industrial policy; innovation; R&D; reallocation; selection;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance

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