The dynamics of ICT adaptation and the productivity gaps across advanced nations

摘要

This paper concerns the relationship between ICT and the emerged productivity gaps across the advanced nations. It is shown theoretically that the standard output elasticity estimation methods may lead to underestimate the role of ICT in generating productivity gaps, when there is a trade-off between speed of introducing technologies and the need to assimilate those as reflected by the inefficiency with which the new technology is used. The trade-off generates leader-follower patterns and mutes the relationship between productivity and ICT. The paper tests several economic hypotheses derived from the theory of technology adaptation using data envelope analysis, a novel growth factorization, and a range of panel econometrics techniques. It finds new evidence for the importance of ICT capital.