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The Innovation-Employment nexus: a critical survey of theory and empirics

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  • Flavio Calvino
  • Maria Enrica Virgillito

Abstract

Understanding whether technical change is beneficial or detrimental for employment is at the center of the policy debate, especially in phases of economic recession. So far, the effects of innovation in its manifold declinations and intrinsic complexity on labour demand have proven to be not unequivocal. This essay critically reviews the role of technical change in shaping employment dynamics at different levels of aggregation. Firstly, it disentangles theoretically the role of different compensation mechanisms through which employment adjusts after an innovation is introduced. Secondly, it critically presents the most recent empirical evidence on the topic, with a focus on methods and limitations. Finally, it provides an attempt to conceptualize a number of stylized facts and empirical regularities on the innovation-employment nexus.

Suggested Citation

  • Flavio Calvino & Maria Enrica Virgillito, 2016. "The Innovation-Employment nexus: a critical survey of theory and empirics," LEM Papers Series 2016/10, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2016/10
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    Cited by:

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    2. Giovanni DOSI & Maria Enrica VIRGILLITO, 2019. "Whither the evolution of the contemporary social fabric? New technologies and old socio‐economic trends," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 158(4), pages 593-625, December.
    3. Luca VOTA, 2022. "Employment Impact Of Firms' Innovation: What Is The Role Of Regional Institutions? Evidence From Italy," Regional Science Inquiry, Hellenic Association of Regional Scientists, vol. 0(2), pages 11-24, June.
    4. Giovanni Dosi & Xiaodan Yu, 2017. "Technological catching-up, sales dynamics and employment growth: evidence from China's manufacturing firms," LEM Papers Series 2017/27, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    5. Bianchini, Stefano & Pellegrino, Gabriele, 2019. "Innovation persistence and employment dynamics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(5), pages 1171-1186.
    6. Ricardo Seidl da Fonseca, 2017. "The Future of Employment: Evaluating Impact of STI Foresight Exercises," Foresight and STI Governance (Foresight-Russia till No. 3/2015), National Research University Higher School of Economics, vol. 11(4), pages 9-22.
    7. MENON, Seetha; SALVATORI, Andrea; ZWYSEN, Wouter, 2018. "The effect of computer use on job quality: evidence from Europe," Economics Working Papers MWP 2018/02, European University Institute.
    8. Vivarelli, Marco, 2018. "Globalisation, structural change and innovation in emerging economies: The impact on employment and skills," MERIT Working Papers 2018-037, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    9. Martin Falk & Eva Hagsten, 2018. "Employment impacts of market novelty sales: evidence for nine European Countries," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(2), pages 119-137, June.
    10. Rajarshi Majumder, 2018. "Technology and Labour Market: Insights from Indian Manufacturing Sector," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 61(2), pages 321-338, June.
    11. Lucrezia Fanti, 2018. "An AB-SFC Model of Induced Technical Change along Classical and Keynesian Lines," Working Papers 3/18, Sapienza University of Rome, DISS.
    12. Julia Bock-Schappelwein & Michael Böheim & Elisabeth Christen & Stefan Ederer & Matthias Firgo & Klaus Friesenbichler & Werner Hölzl & Mathias Kirchner & Angela Köppl & Agnes Kügler & Christine Mayrhu, 2018. "Politischer Handlungsspielraum zur optimalen Nutzung der Vorteile der Digitalisierung für Wirtschaftswachstum, Beschäftigung und Wohlstand," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 61256, January.
    13. Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2018. "Technological change and employment: is Europe ready for the challenge?," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(1), pages 13-32, March.
    14. Laura Barbieri & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2019. "R&D, embodied technological change, and employment: evidence from Italian microdata," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 28(1), pages 203-218.
    15. Tommaso Ciarli & Alberto Marzucchi & Edgar Salgado & Maria Savona, 2018. "The Effect of R&D Growth on Employment and Self-Employment in Local Labour Markets," SPRU Working Paper Series 2018-08, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    16. Flavio Calvino, 2016. "Technological Innovation and the Distribution of Employment Growth: a firm-level analysis," LEM Papers Series 2016/37, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    17. Laura Barbieri & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2016. "The Employment Impact of Different Forms of Innovation: Evidence from Italian Community Innovation Survey," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali dises1620, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).

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    Keywords

    Innovation; Technological Unemployment; Compensation Mechanisms;
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