Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/243500 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
LEM Working Paper Series No. 2021/04
Publisher: 
Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Pisa
Abstract: 
New enabling technologies are shaping the transformation of production activities. This process of change is characterised by growing digitization, inter-connectivity and automation. The diffusion of new technologies is, however, very uneven, and firms display different adoption behaviours. By using panel data on a large representative sample of Italian firms, we explore the patterns and determinants of new digital technology adoption. We build our theoretical framework on the nexus between technology, skills and the organisation of work. We then provide novel econometric evidence on the positive effects of human capital and training. Among the notable results of the paper, labour flexibility does not seem to favour new technology adoption, whereas second-level collective bargaining plays a positive role in the process. Results also show heterogeneous effects between large vs. small and medium-size firms, and between manufacturing and service sectors.
Subjects: 
Digital technologies
Industry 4.0
skills
human capital
work organisation
JEL: 
D20
L23
O33
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
593.56 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.