Robots boost Spanish SME productivity but not exports, study finds
A new study by researchers from the UOC's Faculty of Economics and Business reveals that Spanish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector experience increased productivity when adopting robots. This productivity boost is particularly pronounced in companies with fewer employees and lower levels of innovation. However, the research indicates that automation alone is insufficient to drive an increase in exports for these SMEs.
The study, which is the first of its kind to analyze the impact of robotic technology adoption on SMEs, highlights that a company's success in international markets is strongly correlated with the presence of localization economies within its region. SMEs are defined in this study as firms employing between 10 and 200 individuals, a sector that constitutes a significant portion of the Spanish business landscape.
This study suggests that while technological adoption, such as robotics, can enhance internal operational efficiency for Spanish SMEs, its direct impact on export performance is contingent on broader regional economic factors. The findings imply that a focus solely on automation may not be a sufficient strategy for international market expansion. Instead, the development of localized economic ecosystems, which foster collaboration and shared resources, appears crucial for enabling SMEs to compete globally. This points to a potential need for policy interventions that support both technological upgrading and the cultivation of regional economic clusters to maximize the benefits of automation for export-oriented growth.
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