51本色

As part of the ULME seminar, Dr (University of T眉bingen) will give a talk on the topic 鈥淯npacking the Black Box of ICT: Firm Organisation and Worker Outcomes鈥�.

Date: 11 June 2026

Time: 4.15 pm

Where: Helmholtzstrasse18, Room 1.20

Ms Gumpert will be present this afternoon before and after the lecture. It is possible to join her for lunch or dinner. If you are interested, please contact Ms Sandra Ludwig (sandra.ludwig(at)uni-ulm.de)

Abstract:

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are widely recognised as a driver of firm growth, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This paper examines how firms benefit from cloud-based software services such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, which collect, store, and disseminate data within firms in real time. We combine an event-study approach focusing on ERP adoption with a reduced-form approach that utilises a technology upgrade of pre-existing cable TV networks in Germany as a source of exogenous variation in cloud access. By linking firm-level ICT usage data with employer-employee matched data, we find that cloud access reduces employment, particularly in production and accounting, whilst increasing sales and labour productivity. We explain these findings using a knowledge hierarchy model with endogenous support. Consistent with model predictions, we find that ERP adoption increases task complexity among production workers.