Intangible capital and labour productivity growth at the macro, meso, and micro levels: a review of the literature and insights for public policies

Abstract This article provides an analytical overview of relevant empirical studies analysing the effect that business investment in intangibles plays in labour productivity growth (LPG) at the macro, meso, and micro levels. The paper’s uniqueness is that it combines these three levels of analysis and identifies the main databases enabling studies in this area of research. By selecting key pieces of empirical research exploring the relationship between investment in intangible capital and LPG, this study confirms the relevance and relationship between intangible capital and productivity at the three levels. In addition, the results identify the need to empirically address this relationship’s still unexplored aspects. Finally, the study highlights the need for public policies to promote higher levels of investment in intangibles and calls for a higher effort to develop adequate quantitative measures and indicators to measure the contribution of intangibles to productivity.