101. Automation and population growth: Theory and cross-country evidence
- Author
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Abeliansky, Ana Lucia and Prettner, Klaus
- Subjects
Robotics industry -- Growth -- Analysis ,Robots -- Analysis ,Population -- Growth ,Company growth ,Robotics industry ,Robot ,Business ,Economics - Abstract
Keywords Automation; Industrial robots; Demographic change; Declining fertility Highlights * An extension of the Solow model shows that slow population growth is a major driver of automation. * Estimates show that a 1% fall in population growth is associated with a 2% rise in growth of robot density. * Automation is a strategy to cope with demographic change. Abstract We analyse the relationship between declining population growth and automation. Theoretical considerations imply that countries with lower population growth introduce automation technologies faster. We test the theoretical implication on panel data for 60 countries over the time span 1993--2013. Regression estimates support the theoretical implication, suggesting that a 1% increase in population growth is associated with an approximately 2% reduction in the growth rate of robot density. Our results are robust to the inclusion of standard control variables, different estimation methods, dynamic specifications, and changes with respect to the measurement of the stock of robots. Author Affiliation: (a) Vienna University of Business and Economics, Department of Economics, Welthandelsplatz 1, Vienna, 1020, Vienna, Austria (b) Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital (Univ. Vienna, IIASA, VID/ÖAW), Vordere Zollamtsstraße 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria * Corresponding author. Article History: Received 22 May 2022; Revised 3 January 2023; Accepted 8 February 2023 (footnote)[white star] An earlier version of this paper circulated under the title 'Automation and Demographic Change.' Byline: Ana Lucia Abeliansky [ana.lucia.abeliansky@wu.ac.at] (*,a), Klaus Prettner [klaus.prettner@wu.ac.at] (a,b)
- Published
- 2023
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