KNOWLEDGE SPILLOVERS, ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY, AND SKILL INTENSITY OF CHILEAN MANUFACTURING PLANTS*
研究了智利制造业工厂中知识溢出如何通过技能工人就业渠道发生，发现工厂技能密集度越高，从溢出中获益越多，且区域知识存量增加能提升工厂生产率。
ABSTRACT Knowledge spillovers are an important source of economic growth. In this study, we identify a mechanism through which knowledge spillovers occur among plants in the Chilean manufacturing industry. A plant-level production function is estimated with the absorptive-capacity hypothesis, that is, employment of skilled workers is a key channel through which knowledge is transmitted across plants. Results show that a plant's productivity from spillovers increases with its skill intensity, which is measured by the share of skilled workers in total employment. We also find that plants in a region with a large knowledge stock increase their skill intensity to benefit more from spillovers. Our results suggest that an increase in regional knowledge stock is the most effective policy to improve a plant's productivity. However, policies that encourage a plant to employ high skill-intensive production also enhance its productivity.