Is it all the same? Types of innovation and their relationship with direct control, technical control and algorithmic management across European firms

Marta Fana () and Davide Villani
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Marta Fana: European Commission - JRC, https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/index_en

No 2022-07, JRC Working Papers on Social Classes in the Digital Age from Joint Research Centre

Abstract: Using firm-level data from 28 European countries, this paper explores the relationship between two types of innovation (process and digital) and different forms of control (direct and indirect) at the workplace. We find that (1) digital innovation is more common than process innovation; (2) more innovative firms record higher levels of indirect control (especially related to algorithmic management) and lower level of direct control (3) the relationship between innovation and control is not uniform across European countries. These findings nurture the debate on the future of work as the process of digitalisation may promote a shift towards indirect forms of control and contribute to reduce the degree of direct control. Moreover, these changes may also affect the bargaining process and lead to a redefinition of managerial roles, though it should be acknowledged that social and institutional factors play an important role in shaping this process.

Keywords: Process innovation; Digital innovation; Algorithmic management; Control, European firms. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-eur, nep-knm, nep-sbm and nep-tid
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ipt:dclass:202207

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