Bridging the divide: new evidence about firms and digitalisation. Bruegel Policy Contribution Issue #17 December 2019

Using new evidence on the digitalisation activities of firms in the European Union and the United States, we document a trend towards digital polarisation based on firms’ use of the latest digital technologies and their plans for future investment in digitalisation. A substantial share of firms are not implementing any state-of-the-art digital technologies and do not have plans to invest in digitalisation. However, there is also a substantial share of firms that are already partially or even fully implementing state-of-the-art digital technologies in their businesses and that plan to further increase their digitalisation investments. Small Manufacturing firms and old small firms in services are significantly more likely to be and remain non-active in terms of digitalisation. Our results do not provide any evidence that EU firms are more likely than their US counterparts to be stuck on the wrong side of the digitalisation divide. Taking into account firm size and firm age, there are no significant differences between the EU and the US in terms of having more or fewer persistently non-digital firms. As persistently digitally-inactive firms are also less likely to be innovative, to add employees or to command higher mark-ups, it is important for policymaking to remove barriers that trap these firms in persistent digital inactivity. Lack of access to finance is a major barrier for EU firms compared to their US counterparts, particularly for the EU’s persistently non-digital firms, and especially for older, smaller companies in services. Improving their access to finance might therefore go a long way towards addressing the corporate digitalisation divide in the EU

Essays in Public Economics

This thesis consists of four independent chapters which are linked in several aspects: All chapters contribute to the theory of public economics. From a theoretical point of view, all chapters are based on the assumption that agents are privately informed about their preferences, and all chapters use mechanism design theory. Yet their applications vary and cover topics such as public good provision, externality regulation and income taxation. The first three chapters form an entity as they use the independent private values model. Chapter 4 uses robust mechanism design. Chapter 1 studies the independent private values model in mechanism design, applied to the problem of bilateral trade and public good provision. It provides conditions under which a model with a large but discrete number of types behaves qualitatively in the same way as a model with a continuum of types. Chapters 2 and 3 deal with the problem of externality regulation. I consider firms that can reduce externalities, which is beneficial to consumers. Firms have private information about their costs, and consumers have private information about their preferences. Chapter 2 investigates optimal price instruments (e.g. taxes) and quantity instruments (e.g. tradable permits). These two instruments are frequently used to regulate externalities such as CO2-emissions, acid rain and water pollution. Both instruments are contrasted with the optimal unconstrained mechanism to regulate externalities. Chapter 3 addresses the question how externalities should be regulated when distributional concerns and efficiency are considered. If stronger weight is put on consumers in the regulator's welfare function, lower emission reduction takes place than when the regulator is interested in jointly maximizing consumer surplus and firm profits. Chapter 4 varies in that it allows preferences to be different from selfish. It is a contribution to the theory of robust mechanism design, taking into account findings of experimental research. More precisely, it describes how mechanisms can be designed that are not only robust with respect to variations in beliefs but as well to deviations from standard preferences

EIB Working Paper 2020/06 - Digital technologies and firm performance

As the productivity of the European economy shows signs of slowing down, many hopes are pinned on digital technologies to reverse this trend. This study uses data from the EIBIS 2019 survey to examine whether the adoption of different digital technologies (such as advanced robotics, 3D printing, or Internet of Things) by firms in the EU have different impacts on productivity. It also examines whether these different technologies have different implications for employment growth, and whether there are complementarities between technologies when it comes to firm performance

From starting to scaling

High growth startups are widely recognized as key sources of employment, productivity growth and innovation. However, while the long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis on startups remains to be seen, many now face greater constraints than before. Continued policy support for startups therefore remains vital. In order to guide European policymakers, it is important to understand the key characteristics of high growth startups and gain insights into what sets them apart from other startups. In addition, this report examines the persistent gap between Europe and the United States (US) in terms of startup activity. The findings underscore the role of high growth startups for innovation ecosystems in Europe. The report also highlights some ways governments can continue to support startups by encouraging collaborations with startups as an active innovation partner. The report draws from unique sets of data, including the general module of the European Investment Bank Investment Survey (EIBIS) survey 2019 and the EIBIS Start-up and Scale-up Survey 2019

From starting to scaling

High growth startups are widely recognized as key sources of employment, productivity growth and innovation. However, while the long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis on startups remains to be seen, many now face greater constraints than before. Continued policy support for startups therefore remains vital. In order to guide European policymakers, it is important to understand the key characteristics of high growth startups and gain insights into what sets them apart from other startups. In addition, this report examines the persistent gap between Europe and the United States (US) in terms of startup activity. The findings underscore the role of high growth startups for innovation ecosystems in Europe. The report also highlights some ways governments can continue to support startups by encouraging collaborations with startups as an active innovation partner. The report draws from unique sets of data, including the general module of the European Investment Bank Investment Survey (EIBIS) survey 2019 and the EIBIS Start-up and Scale-up Survey 2019

EIB Working Paper 2020/07 - The growing digital divide in Europe and the United States (Volume 2020/7)

Using the EIBIS Digital and Skills Survey on digitalisation activities of firms in the EU and the US, this study confirms the trend toward a growing digital divide in the corporate landscape with, on one side, many firms that are not digitally active, and on the other side, a substantial number of digitally active firms forging ahead. Old small firms, with less than 50 employees and more than 10 years old, are significantly more likely to be persistently digitally non-active. We show that these persistently non-digital firms are less likely to be innovative, increase employment or command higher mark-ups. These trends are likely to exacerbate the digital divide across firms in the EU and the US

The growing digital divide in Europe and the United States

Using a new survey on digitalisation activities of firms in the EU and the US, we identify digitalisation profiles based on the current use of digital technologies and future investment plans in digitalisation. Our analysis confirms the trend toward digital polarisation and a growing digital divide in the corporate landscape with, on one side, many firms that are not digitally active, and on the other side, a substantial number of digitally active firms forging ahead. Old small firms, with less than 50 employees and more than 10 years old, are significantly more likely to be persistently digitally non-active. We show that these persistently non-digital firms are less likely to be innovative, increase employment or command higher mark-ups. These trends are likely to exacerbate the digital divide across firms in the EU and the US.status: publishe

EIB Working Paper 2020/06 - Digital technologies and firm performance

As the productivity of the European economy shows signs of slowing down, many hopes are pinned on digital technologies to reverse this trend. This study uses data from the EIBIS 2019 survey to examine whether the adoption of different digital technologies (such as advanced robotics, 3D printing, or Internet of Things) by firms in the EU have different impacts on productivity. It also examines whether these different technologies have different implications for employment growth, and whether there are complementarities between technologies when it comes to firm performance

EIB Working Paper 2020/07 - The growing digital divide in Europe and the United States (Volume 2020/7)

Using the EIBIS Digital and Skills Survey on digitalisation activities of firms in the EU and the US, this study confirms the trend toward a growing digital divide in the corporate landscape with, on one side, many firms that are not digitally active, and on the other side, a substantial number of digitally active firms forging ahead. Old small firms, with less than 50 employees and more than 10 years old, are significantly more likely to be persistently digitally non-active. We show that these persistently non-digital firms are less likely to be innovative, increase employment or command higher mark-ups. These trends are likely to exacerbate the digital divide across firms in the EU and the US

Digitalisation in Europe 2020-2021

Taking an early lead on digitalisation is crucial to Europe’s lasting competitiveness. Our newest digitalisation report sheds light on the state of digitalisation in European countries: The adoption of digital technologies by firms in the European Union is improving, but it has not yet closed the gap with the United States; While some EU countries are at the global forefront of digital transformation, others risk being left behind. Digitalisation provides a unique opportunity to improve European firms’ global competitiveness. To close the digital divide, Europe needs to increase investment and to create ecosystems that support innovation