This paper, relying on a still relatively unexplored long-term dataset on U.S. patenting activity, provides empirical evidence on the history of labor-saving innovations back to early nineteenth century. The identification of mechanization/automation heuristics, retrieved via textual content analysis on current robotic technologies by Montobbio et al. (Robots and the origin of their labour-saving impact, LEM Working Paper Series 2020/03), allows to focus on a limited set of CPC codes where mechanization and automation technologies are more prevalent. We track their time evolution, clustering, eventual emergence of wavy behavior, and their comovements with long-term GDP growth. Our results challenge both the general-purpose technology approach and the strict 50-year Kondratiev cycle, while they provide evidence of the emergence of erratic constellations of heterogeneous technological artefacts, in line with the development-block approach enabled by autocatalytic systems.

Staccioli, J., Virgillito, M. E., Back to the past: the historical roots of labor-saving automation, <<EURASIAN BUSINESS REVIEW>>, 2021; 11 (N/A): 27-57. [doi:10.1007/s40821-020-00179-1] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/179904]

Back to the past: the historical roots of labor-saving automation

Staccioli, Jacopo
Primo
;
Virgillito, Maria Enrica
Ultimo
2021

Abstract

This paper, relying on a still relatively unexplored long-term dataset on U.S. patenting activity, provides empirical evidence on the history of labor-saving innovations back to early nineteenth century. The identification of mechanization/automation heuristics, retrieved via textual content analysis on current robotic technologies by Montobbio et al. (Robots and the origin of their labour-saving impact, LEM Working Paper Series 2020/03), allows to focus on a limited set of CPC codes where mechanization and automation technologies are more prevalent. We track their time evolution, clustering, eventual emergence of wavy behavior, and their comovements with long-term GDP growth. Our results challenge both the general-purpose technology approach and the strict 50-year Kondratiev cycle, while they provide evidence of the emergence of erratic constellations of heterogeneous technological artefacts, in line with the development-block approach enabled by autocatalytic systems.
2021
Inglese
Staccioli, J., Virgillito, M. E., Back to the past: the historical roots of labor-saving automation, <<EURASIAN BUSINESS REVIEW>>, 2021; 11 (N/A): 27-57. [doi:10.1007/s40821-020-00179-1] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/179904]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10807/179904
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