Are incentives for R&D effective? Evidence from a regression discontinuity approach

Raffaello Bronzini () and Eleonora Iachini ()
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Eleonora Iachini: Bank of Italy

No 791, Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) from Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area

Abstract: This paper contributes to the literature on the effectiveness of R&D incentives by evaluating a unique investment subsidy program implemented in northern Italy. Firms were invited to submit proposals for new projects and only those that scored above a certain threshold received the subsidy. We use a sharp regression discontinuity design to compare investment spending of subsidized firms just above the cut-off score with spending by firms just below the cut-off. For the sample as a whole we find no significant increase in investment as a result of the program. This overall effect, however, masks substantial heterogeneity in the program�s impact. On average, we estimate that small enterprises increased their investments by about the amount of the subsidy they received from the program, whereas for larger firms the subsidies appear to have had no additional effect.

Keywords: research and development; investment incentives; crowding-out; regression discontinuity design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H2 L10 R0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ent, nep-ino and nep-ppm
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Are Incentives for R&D Effective? Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Approach (2014)
Working Paper: ARE INCENTIVES FOR R&D EFFECTIVE? EVIDENCE FROM A REGRESSION DISCONTINUITY APPROACH (2012)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_791_11

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