Will Industrial Robots Terminate Enterprise Innovation?—An Empirical Evidence from China’s Enterprise Robot Penetration

Qihang Li (), Yituan Liu (), Wenjie Li () and Linman Zheng ()
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Qihang Li: Shandong University of Finance and Economics
Yituan Liu: Jinan University
Wenjie Li: Shandong University of Finance and Economics
Linman Zheng: Shandong University of Finance and Economics

Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 2025, vol. 16, issue 2, No 150, 10074-10103

Abstract: Abstract The widespread adoption of industrial robots in the manufacturing sector has significant implications for the innovation behaviors of enterprises. This paper examines the impact of industrial robot adoption on the innovation performance of listed manufacturing companies in China from 2000 to 2017 through a quasi-natural experiment. The result shows that the impact of industrial robot adoption on enterprise innovation performance is significantly and robustly positive. Furthermore, this paper highlights two primary pathways through which this impact is realized. First, the adoption of industrial robots induces exogenous shocks that reshape enterprise behavior, driving the structure-conduct-performance (SCP) process. Specifically, this includes increased research and development (R&D) investment, optimized employee structure, and digital transformation. Second, industrial robots alter competitive dynamics and foster Schumpeterian innovation through profit improvements, strengthening leading enterprises and upgrading the industrial structure. These findings emphasize the transformative influence of industrial robots on enterprise innovation and offer insights for achieving higher innovation performance in the digital economy.

Keywords: Industrial robots; Robot penetration; Enterprise innovation; Structure-conduct-performance paradigm; Empirical analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O31 O32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s13132-024-02310-3

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