Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Title: Robot Imports and Firm-Level Outcomes
Author-Name: Alessandra Bonfiglioli
Author-Email: a.bonfiglioli@qmul.ac.uk
Author-Name: Rosario Crinò
Author-Email: rosario.crino@unicatt.it
Author-Name: Harald Fadinger
Author-Email: harald.fadinger@uni-mannheim.de
Author-Name: Gino Gancia
Author-Email: g.gancia@qmul.ac.uk

Classification-JEL: J23, J24, O33, D22
Keywords: Automation, Displacement, Firms, Robots

Abstract: We use French data over the 1994-2013 period to study how imports of industrial
robots affect fi…rm-level outcomes. Compared to other fi…rms operating in the same 5-
digit sector, robot importers are larger, more productive, and employ a higher share of
managers and engineers. Over time, robot import occurs after periods of expansion in
fi…rm size, and is followed by improvements in effciency and a fall in demand for labor.
Guided by a simple model, we develop various empirical strategies to identify the causal
effects of robot adoption. Our results suggest that, while demand shocks generate
a positive correlation between robot imports and employment, exogenous changes in
automation lead to job losses. We also fi…nd that robot imports increase productivity
and the employment share of high-skill professions, but have a weak effect on total sales.
The latter result suggests that productivity gains from automation may not be entirely
passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices.

Note: 
Length: 46
Creation-Date: 2020-11
Revision-Date: 
File-URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp243
File-Format: application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:CRCTR224_2020_243