ICT Adoption, Capabilities Development and Innovation Processes in Argentina: An Employment Approach

Abstract

The discussion on innovation and the adoption of new information and communication technologies (ICT) and their impact on economic growth and development have flared up in the past few years. This debate has become increasingly relevant mostly in emerging countries like Argentina, which, in spite of high economic growth rates in the last decade, has been facing the challenge of quality employment creation. This article analyzes the impact of the ICT diffusion process in Argentine companies from a firm-level employment and innovation capabilities development approach. Recent findings support the linkage between different firm level ICT adoption patterns and the development of innovation capabilities and employment dimensions, while capturing the heterogeneity of the productive structure. These results provide useful evidence to think and develop new productive and technological policies not only for Argentina, but also to the rest of Latin American countries and other emerging regions such as Africa.