ICT and productivity: Demystifying a paradox

• Autor(a) principal: Gomes, Orlando
• Data de Publicação: 2018
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.34627/rcc.v1i0.54

This paper surveys the various interpretations for the known „productivity paradox‟ proposed in 1987 by Robert Solow. Generally speaking, the paradox can be identified with the empirical evidence that reveals the absence of a strong and clear relation between the revolution in the field of information and communication technologies, initiated two decades ago, and the growth of productivity. The most influential explanations and counter-arguments relatively to the paradox are explored in this text, from the idea that new technologies are general purpose technologies, to the specificity of the technological revolution we are observing today, which involves much more the demand side than any other fundamental innovation process in the past. The text includes a technical appendix, where the productivity paradox is discussed using the modelling instruments of the economic growth theory.