HAS THE WIDESPREAD APPLICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS IMPROVED THE EFFICIENCY OF LABOR RESOURCE ALLOCATION? EVIDENCE FROM CHINESE MICRO-LEVEL ENTERPRISES

This study examines the impact of the widespread application of industrial robots on the efficiency of labor resource allocation in China and the underlying mechanisms. It used micro-level data from Chinese-listed manufacturing companies from 2011 to 2019, along with data on the use of industrial robots in various industries in China from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The results indicated a nonlinear relationship between automation level and labor resource allocation efficiency, characterized by an inverted U-shaped curve. For every 1% increase in the penetration rate of industrial robots, the efficiency of labor resource allocation in companies increased by approximately 0.40%. The mechanism analysis reveals that introducing robots in companies promotes the adjustment and optimization of task-oriented labor and labor quality structures. This increases the demand for workers in non-routine tasks and the supply of workers in routine tasks, leading to a more efficient allocation of labor resources in the labor market and improving the efficiency of labor allocation in companies. This study provides valuable insights for objectively assessing industrial robots’ relationship with labor resource allocation efficiency.