What Affects Innovation More: Policy or Policy Uncertainty?

Abstract

Motivated by a theoretical model, we empirically examine for 43 countries whether it is policy or policy uncertainty that affects technological innovation more. We find that innovation, measured by growth in patent counts, citations, and originality, is not, on average, affected by which policy is in place. Innovation, however, drops significantly during times of policy uncertainty measured by national elections. To establish causality, we use close presidential elections, whose timings are pre-determined and results are unpredictable, and ethnic fractionalization that are likely exogenous to policy and policy uncertainty. Political compromise, our paper concludes, is a plus for innovation.