The effect of high-tech services offshoring on skilled employment: intra-firm evidence

Abstract

The offshoring of high-tech services has greatly increased in recent years, with consequences for firms demand for skilled employment in firms. This paper specifically analyzes the relationship between R&D offshoring and the demand for R&D employment using firm-level data for Spanish manufacturing and services companies during the period 2004-2009. Estimating different specifications with panel data techniques, we find that this association is statistically positive. In particular, if R&D offshoring doubles, the demand for researchers will raise by about 8%.Este trabajo analiza la relación entre el offshoring de I+D y la demanda de investigadores utilizando datos de empresas españolas manufactureras y de servicios durante el período 2004-2009. A partir de la estimación de una ecuación de demanda de investigadores con técnicas de datos de panel, encontramos que esta asociación es estadísticamente positiva. En particular, los resultados sugieren que si las empresas duplicaran sus compras de servicios de I+D en el extranjero, su demanda de investigadores aumentaría alrededor del 8%.