CDM using a Cross-Country Micro Moments Database

This note starts with a retrospective view of the CDM model [Crépon, Bruno, Emmanuel Duguet, and Jacques Mairesse. 1998. “Research, Innovation and Productivity: An Econometric Analysis at the Firm Level.” Economics of Innovation and New Technology 7 (2): 115–158.] as an econometric framework for studying innovation and growth. A narrative interpretation of CDM describes the chain from innovative activity at firms to increases in welfare and makes links to the policy environment. Filling in missing pieces of the innovation to productivity puzzle has a heavy data burden. The paper makes use of the micro moments database (MMD) that allows observing micro-level behavior and macro-level impacts of innovation and production in a large selection of European countries. Two examples are given of research using the MMD. First, we estimate a simplified system of innovation and production equations that can be applied to average firm choices and outcomes, as well as to industry or aggregate outcomes. We find that innovative activity contributes to aggregate productivity even while the average effect at the firm level is insignificant. Next, a cross-country exploration is made that shows heightened productivity effects of combined use by firms of various enterprise-level information and communications technologies.