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Is this time different?: how Industry 4.0 affects firms' labor productivity

Author

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  • Bettiol, Marco
  • Capestro, Mauro
  • Di Maria, Eleonora
  • Ganau, Roberto

Abstract

Does Industry 4.0 technology adoption push firms’ labor productivity? We contribute to the literature debate—mainly focused on robotics and large firms—by analyzing adopters’ labor productivity returns when micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) are concerned. We employ original survey data on Italian MSMEs’ adoption investments related to a multiplicity of technologies and rely on a difference-in-differences estimation strategy. Results highlight that Industry 4.0 technology adoption leads to a 7% increase in labor productivity. However, this effect decreases over time and is highly heterogeneous with respect to the type, the number, and the variety of technologies adopted. We also identify potential channels explaining the labor productivity returns of technology adoption: cost-related efficiency, new knowledge creation, and greater integration/collaboration both within the firm and with suppliers.

Suggested Citation

  • Bettiol, Marco & Capestro, Mauro & Di Maria, Eleonora & Ganau, Roberto, 2024. "Is this time different?: how Industry 4.0 affects firms' labor productivity," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 124545, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:124545
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Industry 4.0; Italy; labor productivity; MSME; technology adoption;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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