TY - JOUR
T1 - Automating efficiency
T2 - The impact of industrial robots on labor investment in China
AU - Liu, Yunxin
AU - Cao, Yuqiang
AU - Lu, Meiting
AU - Shan, Yaowen
AU - Xu, Jiangang
PY - 2024/11
Y1 - 2024/11
N2 - This study examines the impact of industrial robot applications on labor investment efficiency. While previous studies have mainly focused on how industrial robots affect productivity, economic structures, and labor markets, their influence on labor investment efficiency has remained relatively underexplored. Using data from Chinese manufacturing firms, our results demonstrate that the adoption of industrial robots significantly improves labor investment efficiency. This improvement is mainly achieved by optimizing the human capital structure and enhancing capital deepening. We also find that this effect is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, in environments with reduced information asymmetry, and in firms with low R&D investment and labor intensity. Overall, our results highlight the positive effect of industrial robot applications on the efficiency of corporate labor investments from a microeconomic perspective, providing important insights for labor investment decisions and resource allocation optimization.
AB - This study examines the impact of industrial robot applications on labor investment efficiency. While previous studies have mainly focused on how industrial robots affect productivity, economic structures, and labor markets, their influence on labor investment efficiency has remained relatively underexplored. Using data from Chinese manufacturing firms, our results demonstrate that the adoption of industrial robots significantly improves labor investment efficiency. This improvement is mainly achieved by optimizing the human capital structure and enhancing capital deepening. We also find that this effect is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, in environments with reduced information asymmetry, and in firms with low R&D investment and labor intensity. Overall, our results highlight the positive effect of industrial robot applications on the efficiency of corporate labor investments from a microeconomic perspective, providing important insights for labor investment decisions and resource allocation optimization.
KW - Capital deepening
KW - Human capital structure
KW - Industrial robots
KW - Labor investment efficiency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85201423974&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.econmod.2024.106849
DO - 10.1016/j.econmod.2024.106849
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85201423974
SN - 0264-9993
VL - 140
SP - 1
EP - 19
JO - Economic Modelling
JF - Economic Modelling
M1 - 106849
ER -