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<p>The aim of this study is to examine how industrial robot adoption affects innovation dynamics across European manufacturing sectors. Using a country-sector-year panel for the period 2000–2019, we combine EPO–OECD patent microdata with indicators from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). We assess both the quantity and quality of innovation through patent counts and citation-based patent-quality indicators, and employ instrumental-variable estimations to address potential endogeneity. The results show that robot adoption is negatively associated with both the quantity and quality of innovation. These effects are robust to several robustness checks and appear to be particularly pronounced in low and medium-technology sectors. We interpret these findings as consistent with the view that robot adoption is often driven by efficiency-oriented motives and may divert financial, managerial, and organisational resources away from exploratory innovative activities.</p>

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From automation to innovation? The role of industrial robots in Europe

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月14日

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  • Guillermo Andrés,
  • Chiara Franco,
  • Francesco Suppressa

摘要

The aim of this study is to examine how industrial robot adoption affects innovation dynamics across European manufacturing sectors. Using a country-sector-year panel for the period 2000–2019, we combine EPO–OECD patent microdata with indicators from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). We assess both the quantity and quality of innovation through patent counts and citation-based patent-quality indicators, and employ instrumental-variable estimations to address potential endogeneity. The results show that robot adoption is negatively associated with both the quantity and quality of innovation. These effects are robust to several robustness checks and appear to be particularly pronounced in low and medium-technology sectors. We interpret these findings as consistent with the view that robot adoption is often driven by efficiency-oriented motives and may divert financial, managerial, and organisational resources away from exploratory innovative activities.