English

Demand-pull, technology-push, and the direction of technological change

General Economics 2023-01-25 v5 Economics

Abstract

This paper studies the impact of Demand-pull (DP) and Technology-push (TP) on growth, innovation, and the factor bias of technological change in a two-layer network of input-output (market) and patent citation (innovation) links among 307 6-digit US manufacturing industries in 1977-2012. Two types of TP and DP are distinguished: (1) DP and TP are between-layer spillovers when market demand shocks pull innovation and innovation pushes market growth. (2) Within-layer DP arises if downstream users trigger upstream innovation and growth, while TP effects spill over from up- to downstream industries. The results support between- and within-layer TP: Innovation spillovers from upstream industries drive market growth and innovation. Within the market, upstream supply shocks stimulate growth, but this effect differs across industries. DP is not supported but shows a factor bias favoring labor, while TP comes with a shift towards non-production work. The results are strongest after the 2000s and shed light on the drivers of recent technological change and its factor bias.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2104.04813,
  title  = {Demand-pull, technology-push, and the direction of technological change},
  author = {Kerstin Hötte},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2104.04813},
  year   = {2023}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-24T01:02:22.834Z