Imported Inputs and Skill Upgrading

This paper studies the effect of imported inputs on relative skilled labor demand. To this purpose, it uses firm-level data for 27 transition countries and propensity score matching techniques. The results show that importing inputs induces skill upgrading: according to a conservative estimate, it explains roughly one-quarter of the higher share of skilled employment observed at importers. The paper discusses possible mechanisms behind this result. In particular, it reports suggestive evidence that importing may lead firms to engage in skill-intensive activities, such as production of new goods, improvements in product quality and, to a lesser extent, R&D and technology adoption.