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Technology Adoption Subsidies: An Experiment with Managers

Author

Listed:
  • Rob Aalbers

    (SEO Economic Research, Amsterdam)

  • Eline van der Heijden

    (Tilburg University)

  • Jan Potters

    (Tilburg University)

  • Daan van Soest

    (Tilburg University)

  • Herman Vollebergh

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Abstract

We evaluate the impact of technology adoption subsidies on in- vestment behavior in an individual choice experiment. In a laboratory setting professional managers are confronted with an intertemporal decision problem in which they have to decide whether or not to search for, and possibly adopt, a new technology. Technologies differ in the per-period benefits they yield, and their purchase price increases with the per-period benefits provided. We introduce a subsidy on the more expensive technologies (that also yield the larger per-period benefits), and find that the subsidy scheme induces agents to search for and adopt these more expensive technologies even though the subsidy itself is too small to render these technologies profitable. We speculate that the result is driven by the positive connotation (affect) that the concept 'subsidy' invokes.

Suggested Citation

  • Rob Aalbers & Eline van der Heijden & Jan Potters & Daan van Soest & Herman Vollebergh, 2007. "Technology Adoption Subsidies: An Experiment with Managers," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 07-082/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20070082
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Arjan Ruijs & Herman Vollebergh, 2013. "Lessons from 15 Years of Experience with the Dutch Tax Allowance for Energy Investments for Firms," Working Papers 2013.56, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    2. Rob Aalbers & Henri de Groot & Herman R.J. Vollebergh, 2011. "Reducing Rents from Energy Technology Adoption Programs by Exploiting Observable Information," CPB Discussion Paper 194, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    3. Ezekiel Maphisa & Gillian Marcelle & Radhika Perrot, 2012. "Nuclear energy technology adoption by intensive energy industrial users in South Africa," International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(1/2), pages 158-183.
    4. Pedregal, D.J. & Dejuán, O. & Gómez, N. & Tobarra, M.A., 2009. "Modelling demand for crude oil products in Spain," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 4417-4427, November.
    5. Daan P. van Soest & Herman R.J. Vollebergh, 2011. "Energy Investment Behaviour: Firm Heterogeneity and Subsidy Design," Chapters, in: Raymond J.G.M. Florax & Henri L.F. de Groot & Peter Mulder (ed.), Improving Energy Efficiency through Technology, chapter 9, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Gritli, Mohamed Ilyes & Charfi, Fatma Marrakchi, 2023. "The determinants of oil consumption in Tunisia: Fresh evidence from NARDL approach and asymmetric causality test," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    7. Sjak Smulders & Michael Toman & Cees Withagen, 2014. "Growth Theory and “Green Growthâ€," OxCarre Working Papers 135, Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies, University of Oxford.
    8. Kees Vringer & Eline van der Heijden & Daan van Soest & Herman Vollebergh & Frank Dietz, 2017. "Sustainable Consumption Dilemmas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-21, June.
    9. Collins, Matthew & Curtis, John, 2017. "Advertising and investment spillovers in the diffusion of residential energy efficiency renovations," Papers WP569, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    10. Mengistu, M.G. & Simane, B. & Eshete, G. & Workneh, T.S., 2015. "A review on biogas technology and its contributions to sustainable rural livelihood in Ethiopia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 306-316.
    11. Hlavinka, Alexander N. & Mjelde, James W. & Dharmasena, Senarath & Holland, Christine, 2016. "Forecasting the adoption of residential ductless heat pumps," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 60-67.
    12. Herman R.J. Vollebergh, 2006. "Differential Impact of Environmental Policy Instruments on Technological Change: A Review of the Empirical Literature," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 07-042/3, Tinbergen Institute.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    framed field experiment; search model; technology subsidies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue

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