TY - JOUR
T1 - Firm-Level Automation: Evidence from the Netherlands
AU - Bessen, James
AU - Goos, Maarten
AU - Salomons, Anna
AU - van den Berge, Wiljan
PY - 2020/1
Y1 - 2020/1
N2 - Studying firm-level adjustments is important for understanding the economic effects of workplace automation. So far, emerging firm-level evidence is focused on robotics and the manufacturing sector. In this paper, we document that the adoption of automation technologies extends beyond manufacturing firms. We identify firm-level automation events and show that automating firms experience faster employment and revenue growth than do nonautomating firms. However, around automation events themselves, employment growth slows markedly. Notably, we find that these effects are similar for manufacturing and nonmanufacturing firms, suggesting that an increasing diffusion of automation technology has important consequences for firms and their workers.
AB - Studying firm-level adjustments is important for understanding the economic effects of workplace automation. So far, emerging firm-level evidence is focused on robotics and the manufacturing sector. In this paper, we document that the adoption of automation technologies extends beyond manufacturing firms. We identify firm-level automation events and show that automating firms experience faster employment and revenue growth than do nonautomating firms. However, around automation events themselves, employment growth slows markedly. Notably, we find that these effects are similar for manufacturing and nonmanufacturing firms, suggesting that an increasing diffusion of automation technology has important consequences for firms and their workers.
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/f1700ca6-283c-3467-b8d8-ca4cc7907a8f/
U2 - 10.1257/pandp.20201004
DO - 10.1257/pandp.20201004
M3 - Article
VL - 110
SP - 389
EP - 393
JO - AEA Papers and Proceedings
JF - AEA Papers and Proceedings
ER -