The Impact of Robot Adoption on Global Sourcing

This paper studies the impact of robot adoption on firms’ global sourcing activities. Using a rich panel dataset of Spanish manufacturing firms, we investigate how outsourcing and vertically integrated firms changed their sourcing strategies in response to robot adoption. We find that robots increas...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cilekoglu, Akin A., Moreno Serrano, Rosina, Ramos Lobo, Raúl
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/220966
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/220966
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Anàlisi de dades de panel
Externalitats (Economia)
Robots industrials
Panel analysis
Externalities (Economics)
Industrial robots
Descripción
Sumario:This paper studies the impact of robot adoption on firms’ global sourcing activities. Using a rich panel dataset of Spanish manufacturing firms, we investigate how outsourcing and vertically integrated firms changed their sourcing strategies in response to robot adoption. We find that robots increased intermediate input purchases from foreign suppliers while did not affect intermediate input purchases from domestic suppliers between 2006 and 2016. We present a theoretical framework in which the assumptions and predictions are in line with our findings in the dataset. In contrast to rising concerns over reshoring, our findings suggest that robots have yet promoted trade in intermediate inputs.