Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/265210 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
School of Economics Discussion Papers No. 2114
Publisher: 
University of Kent, School of Economics, Canterbury
Abstract: 
Does the successful deployment of digital technologies require complementary investment in skills? We conducted a pilot survey to investigate. The survey elicited information on whether the firm was adopting one of the three digital technologies of interest (AI, robotics, big data), provided in-house training, and whether they experienced any problems recruiting workers. We find evidence that new technologies require complementary skill investments and that firms deem both new technologies and training of their workforce important for productivity. While there is some heterogeneity across the type of technologies (Robotics, AI, Big Data) introduced, firms facing difficulties attracting workers with the right skills are more likely to run own training programmes. This might suggest that there is a skills gap that may be holding back productivity and economic growth. Overall, the findings from our pilot survey demonstrate firms' awareness of the need for skills to complement new technologies to realise the productivity benefits in full.
Subjects: 
capital-skill complementarity
business performance
technology adoption
JEL: 
J24
M53
O33
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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