公共研究及推廣活動對台灣稻作生產之影響：1976～93

EFFECTS OF R&E ACTIVITIES ON RICE PRODUCTION IN TAIWAN: 1976~93

利用超越對數變動成本函數模式，本文探究1976至1993年間公共研究與推廣活動對台灣稻作生產結構之影響。我們發現：政府推動之研究及推廣在提高1970年代中期以來之稻作生產力方面，扮演了重要的角色。此外，公共研究與推廣所誘發之技術變動，亦朝向勞動節省而中間投入與資本密集的方式。這種技術變動偏向與因素間相對價格變動之方向一致。也就是說，少用較貴的勞動因素，而多用較便宜的中間投入及資本因素。由此觀之，公共研究及推廣活動對因素市場之價格訊息是敏感的。這個現象亦符合席克斯學派(Hicksian)的誘發式創新理論。

Using the translog variable cost function framework, this paper investigates quantitatively the impacts of the public R&E activities on the production structure of the Taiwanese rice industry for the 1976~93 period. It was found that the R&E activities by the government have played an important role in raising the productivity in the Taiwanese rice sector since the mid-1970s. Furthermore, technological change due to the public R&E activities has been biased toward saving labor, and using intermediate inputs and capital. These biases have been consistent with the changes in the relative prices of these factor inputs, i.e., saving a relatively more expensive factor input (labor) and using relatively less expensive factor inputs (intermediate inputs and capital). In this sense, the public R&E activities have been sensitive to the price signal of the factor markets. This finding is consistent with the Hicksian induced innovation theory.