Concerns have been raised that the adoption of industrial robots in developed economies may hinder industrialization and displace jobs in emerging economies.However,the growing use of robots in emerging economies may ...Concerns have been raised that the adoption of industrial robots in developed economies may hinder industrialization and displace jobs in emerging economies.However,the growing use of robots in emerging economies may help mitigate these negative effects.This study,drawing on a theoretical model and empirical analysis,reveals that the adoption of robots in China,a developing country,significantly enhanced firms'positions in global value chains(GVCs).A detailed analysis reveals that markups and the structure of intermediate inputs were key mechanisms.The study also found that improvements in human capital enhanced the eficiency of robots,enabling firms to use them more effectively,which further strengthened the firms'position in GVCs.The positive impact of the adoption of robots on GVC upgrading was more pronounced in non-resourcebased cities and cities with high labor costs.Furthermore,the study highlights that robot adoption in medium-and high-tech industries had a greater impact on GVC upgrading.In conclusion,this study suggests that robot adoption in emerging economies can enhance their position in GVCs,with human capital playing a crucial role.展开更多
The diffusion of industrial robot technology has coincided with increasing divergence in firms’market shares,potentially leading to enhanced market power and shifts in the distribution of factor income.This paper inv...The diffusion of industrial robot technology has coincided with increasing divergence in firms’market shares,potentially leading to enhanced market power and shifts in the distribution of factor income.This paper investigates the impact of industrial robot adoption on firms’labor income share and explores the underlying mechanisms,with particular attention to the rise of superstar firms.The findings suggest that,overall,the use of industrial robots contributes to an increase in labor’s income share,reflecting a generally favorable trend for labor’s position in primary income distribution.This effect,however,is markedly heterogeneous across different types of firms,regions,and industries.A significant concern is that robot adoption strengthens firms’relative market power within industries,fueling the emergence of superstar firms.These firms jointly influence labor income share through both a competition effect and a demonstration effect:the former is the main cause of declining labor shares,while the latter introduces a new channel through which labor’s share is further reduced.Although antitrust policies can help improve labor’s income share,they are not well-suited to curbing the market power expansion driven by industrial robot adoption.Thus,the concern over superstar firms’suppression of labor income remains.Amid the intensifying trend of“machines replacing humans”,this paper offers empirical insights into how to address the distributional implications brought about by the rise of superstar firms.展开更多
基金the support of the National Social Science Foundation Major Project(No.121&ZD071)the Wuhan University Graduate Advisor Education Method Innovation Project.
文摘Concerns have been raised that the adoption of industrial robots in developed economies may hinder industrialization and displace jobs in emerging economies.However,the growing use of robots in emerging economies may help mitigate these negative effects.This study,drawing on a theoretical model and empirical analysis,reveals that the adoption of robots in China,a developing country,significantly enhanced firms'positions in global value chains(GVCs).A detailed analysis reveals that markups and the structure of intermediate inputs were key mechanisms.The study also found that improvements in human capital enhanced the eficiency of robots,enabling firms to use them more effectively,which further strengthened the firms'position in GVCs.The positive impact of the adoption of robots on GVC upgrading was more pronounced in non-resourcebased cities and cities with high labor costs.Furthermore,the study highlights that robot adoption in medium-and high-tech industries had a greater impact on GVC upgrading.In conclusion,this study suggests that robot adoption in emerging economies can enhance their position in GVCs,with human capital playing a crucial role.
基金supported by General Project of the National Social Science Fund of China(NSSFC),“Mechanisms and Strategies of Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on Inter-firm Wage Disparities”(Grant No.21BJY097).
文摘The diffusion of industrial robot technology has coincided with increasing divergence in firms’market shares,potentially leading to enhanced market power and shifts in the distribution of factor income.This paper investigates the impact of industrial robot adoption on firms’labor income share and explores the underlying mechanisms,with particular attention to the rise of superstar firms.The findings suggest that,overall,the use of industrial robots contributes to an increase in labor’s income share,reflecting a generally favorable trend for labor’s position in primary income distribution.This effect,however,is markedly heterogeneous across different types of firms,regions,and industries.A significant concern is that robot adoption strengthens firms’relative market power within industries,fueling the emergence of superstar firms.These firms jointly influence labor income share through both a competition effect and a demonstration effect:the former is the main cause of declining labor shares,while the latter introduces a new channel through which labor’s share is further reduced.Although antitrust policies can help improve labor’s income share,they are not well-suited to curbing the market power expansion driven by industrial robot adoption.Thus,the concern over superstar firms’suppression of labor income remains.Amid the intensifying trend of“machines replacing humans”,this paper offers empirical insights into how to address the distributional implications brought about by the rise of superstar firms.
