International Collaboration in Digital Knowledge Work: A Production-Side Assessment of Europe’s Digital Single Market

BIG-DATA-BASED ECONOMIC INSIGHTS

Lena Abou El-Komboz and Moritz Goldbeck

Key Messages  

  • Low market integration is a major barrier to European competitiveness in the digital economy 
  • International collaboration of knowledge workers could help to harness market size advantage 
  • Data from the largest coding platform reveals digital collaboration in Europe drops by 16.4 percent at borders 
  • This border effect is 73 percent larger than between US states 
  • Organizations and cultural proximity facilitate international collaboration 
  • European digital single market policymaking should address production-side barriers to support the digital economy
Abstract

Low market integration is a key barrier to European competitiveness in the digital economy. International collaboration of knowledge workers could help realize market size advantage. European digital single market policymaking should address production-side barriers.

Citation

Lena Abou El-Komboz and Moritz Goldbeck: " International Collaboration in Digital Knowledge Work: A Production-Side Assessment of Europe’s Digital Single Market," EconPol Forum 25 (6), CESifo, Munich, 2024.