Do Unions Affect Innovation?
Management Science, Forthcoming
48 Pages
Posted: 13 Mar 2013
Last revised: 24 Aug 2015
University of South Florida
University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley - College of Business and Entrepreneurship
Tsinghua University - PBC School of Finance
Date Written: August 23, 2015
Abstract
We examine the causal effect of unionization on firm innovation. To establish causality, we use a regression discontinuity design relying on “locally” exogenous variation generated by elections that pass or fail by a small margin of votes. Passing a union election leads to an 8.7% (12.5%) decline in patent quantity (quality) three years after the election. A reduction in R&D expenditures, reduced productivity of current and newly hired inventors, and departures of innovative inventors appear plausible mechanisms through which unionization impedes firm innovation. Our paper provides new insights into the real effects of unionization and has important implications for policy makers when they alter union regulations or labor laws to encourage innovation.
Keywords: Innovation; labor unions; hold-up; shirking; inventor departures
JEL Classification: G31, O31, O32, J51
Suggested Citation:
Suggested Citation
Bradley, Daniel and Kim, Incheol and Tian, Xuan, Do Unions Affect Innovation? (August 23, 2015). Management Science, Forthcoming. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2232351 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2232351
