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Profit Taxation, R&D Spending, and Innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Lichter, Andreas

    (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf)

  • Löffler, Max

    (Maastricht University)

  • Isphording, Ingo E.

    (IZA)

  • Nguyen, Thu-Van

    (Stifterverband Essen)

  • Poege, Felix

    (Bocconi University)

  • Siegloch, Sebastian

    (University of Cologne)

Abstract
We study how profit taxation affects plants' R&D spending and innovation activities. Relying on geocoded survey panel data which approximately covers the universe of R&D-active plants in Germany, we exploit around 7,300 changes in the municipal business tax rate over the period 1987–2013 for identification. Applying event study models, we find a negative and statistically significant effect of an increase in profit taxation on plants' R&D spending with an implied long-run elasticity of −1.25. Reductions in R&D are particularly strong among more credit-constrained plants. In contrast, homogeneity of effects across the plant size distribution questions policy makers common practice to link targeted R&D tax incentives to plant size. We further find lagged negative effects on the (citation-weighted) number of filed patents.

Suggested Citation

  • Lichter, Andreas & Löffler, Max & Isphording, Ingo E. & Nguyen, Thu-Van & Poege, Felix & Siegloch, Sebastian, 2021. "Profit Taxation, R&D Spending, and Innovation," IZA Discussion Papers 14830, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14830
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    Cited by:

    1. Aria Ardalan & Sebastian G. Kessing & Salmai Qari & Malte Zoubek, 2023. "Does capital bear the burden of local corporate taxes? Evidence from Germany," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 194-23, Universität Siegen, Fakultät Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wirtschaftsinformatik und Wirtschaftsrecht.
    2. Kurt Schmidheiny & Sebastian Siegloch, 2023. "On event studies and distributed‐lags in two‐way fixed effects models: Identification, equivalence, and generalization," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(5), pages 695-713, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    innovation; R&D; firms; corporate taxation; patents;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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