Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Productivity in Germany, 1871-2015

Wim Naudé and Paula Nagler ()
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Paula Nagler: Erasmus Research & Business Support, Erasmus University Rotterdam and UNU-MERIT/MGSoG, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

SPRU Working Paper Series from SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School

Abstract: Entrepreneurship in Germany has been stagnating. As a result, the effectiveness of technological innovation to improve labor productivity weakened, which has been implicated in rising income inequality and poverty. In this paper we provide an overview of technological innovation and labor productivity growth from 1871. From this we show that over the past three decades the economy has found it increasingly difficult to transform technological innovation into labor productivity growth: in glaring contrast to earlier periods. Despite higher spending on R&D and more personnel than ever working in research labs, labor productivity growth continues to decline. Two interrelated reasons are offered for this phenomenon. The first is that the national innovation system itself has certain weaknesses. The second is entrepreneurial stagnation. We discuss the weaknesses of the innovation system and the nature and causes of entrepreneurial stagnation. We call for policies that will improve the innovation system, educational and managerial capabilities, venture capital investments, and the contestability of markets. Strengthening social protection and raising real wages are important supportive measures.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Germany; Innovation; Social Protection; Industrial Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 L26 O33 O38 O52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-ent, nep-ino, nep-sbm and nep-tid
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sru:ssewps:2018-02

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