Title
Technology and epidemics
Date Issued
01 December 2002
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
research article
Author(s)
Publisher(s)
International Monetary Fund
Abstract
Evidence from historical and epidemiological literatures shows that epidemics tend to spread in the population according to a logistic pattern. We conjecture that the impact of new technologies on output follows a pattern of spread not unlike that of typical epidemics. After reaching a critical mass, rates of growth will accelerate until the marginal benefits of technology are fully utilized. We estimate spline functions using a GMM dynamic panel methodology for 79 countries. We use imports of machinery and equipment as a fraction of gross domestic product as a proxy for the process of technological adoption. Results confirm our hypothesis.
Start page
426
End page
455
Volume
49
Issue
3
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Econometría
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-0013538477
Source
IMF Staff Papers
ISSN of the container
10207635
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus