American Economic Review Vol. 91 No. 2 2001

Cross-Country Technology Diffusion: The Case of Computers

Francesco Caselli¹; Wilbur John Coleman²

¹ Department of Economics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, CEPR, and NBER. · ² Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708.

Abstract

We use data on imports of computer equipment for a large sample of countries between 1970-90 to investigate the determinants of computer-technology adoption. We find strong evidence that computer adoption is associated with higher levels of human capital and with manufacturing trade openness vis-à-vis the OECD. We also find evidence that computer adoption is enhanced by high investment rates, good property rights protection, and a small share of agriculture in GDP. Finally, there is some evidence that adoption is reduced by a large share of government in GDP, and increased by a large share of manufacturing. After controlling for the above-mentioned variables, we do not find an independent role for the English- (or European-) language skills of the population.

DOI

10.1257/aer.91.2.328

Volume

91

Issue

2

Pages

328-335

Language

en

Sources

bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

Cite

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