ABSTRACT

Technological transformations based on 4.0 technologies are a reality. Despite this, there are few studies on their growth-enhancing role at regional level. This paper aims to fill this gap. By conceptually unpacking the two main technological transformations taking place – Industry 4.0 and the digital service economy – and identifying empirically the regions where they prevail, the paper examines whether the two transformations, despite of their profound different nature, are both conducive to regional growth in the period 2007–2018. Empirical results interestingly show that Industry 4.0 and automation technology adoption are associated with regional economic growth especially in those regions where such specific transformation prevails; differently, the effects from digitalisation spread all over European regions and regions where the digital service economy transformation prevails do not enjoy significant growth advantages with respect to others. Targeted regional policies are therefore called for by each transformation.

摘要

基于4.0技术的技术转型已成为现实。尽管如此，关于它们在区域层面的增长促进作用的研究却很少。本文旨在填补这一空白。通过从概念上分解正在发生的两个主要技术转型——工业 4.0 和数字服务经济——并从经验上确定它们盛行的区域，本文研究了这两个转型尽管性质截然不同，但是否都有助于区域增长2007-2018 年期间。实证结果有趣地表明，工业 4.0 和自动化技术的采用与区域经济增长相关，尤其是在那些特定转型盛行的地区；不同的是，数字化的影响遍及整个欧洲地区和数字服务经济转型盛行的地区，相对于其他地区而言，增长优势并不明显。因此，每次转型都需要有针对性的区域政策。