Economic Impacts of Robots and Robotic Process Automation in the Age of Digitalization

Yıl 2024, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2, 396 - 424, 30.06.2024

Furkan Börü , Metin Recep Zafer

https://doi.org/10.30784/epfad.1450440

Öz

Technological change is the fundamental force behind the process of economic growth. Robotic process automation and robots are innovations that can make a significant contribution to the economic growth process, such as previously emerged steam technology and electrical energy. The aim of this study is to explain the changes that are created by robots and robotic process automation in the economy and to discuss the potential they will have in the future. In this study, firstly, the changes created by robots and robotic process automation in the economy have been attempted to be explained. Within this framework, the transformations and potential future impacts of robots and robotic process automation on labor productivity, employment, the nature of jobs, investments, and the services sector have been examined. Secondly, the effects of robotic process automation are demonstrated through the commercial loan allocation and bill payment processes of the sample bank. The use of robotic process automation in both processes has caused productivity increase. Using robotic process automation in these processes did not cause employment loss. As a result of utilizing robotic process automation in commercial loan allocation and bill payment processes, employees stopped doing routine, manual, and repetitive tasks and had the opportunity to spend more time on activities with higher added value. Robotic process automation has achieved all these gains with a very low investment cost compared to other banking applications. Thanks to all these effects, robotic process automation has created a significant change in the sample bank.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Robots, Robotic Process Automation, Innovation, Economic Growth, Structural Change

Dijitaleşme Çağında Robotların ve Robotik Süreç Otomasyonunun Ekonomik Etkileri

Öz

Teknolojik değişme, ekonomik büyüme sürecinin arkasındaki temel güçtür. Robotik süreç otomasyonu ve robotlar, daha önce ortaya çıkan buhar teknolojisinin ve elektrik enerjisinin yarattığı etkiler kadar ekonomik büyüme sürecine önemli katkı yapabilecek yeniliklerdir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, robotların ve robotik süreç otomasyonun ekonomide yarattığı değişimleri açıklamak ve ileride sahip olacakları potansiyeli tartışmaktır. Bu çalışmada, ilk olarak, robotların ve robotik süreç otomasyonun ekonomide yarattığı değişimler açıklanmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu çerçevede, robotların ve robotik süreç otomasyonun emek üretkenliği, istihdam, işlerin niteliği, yatırımlar, hizmetler sektörü gibi alanlarda yarattığı dönüşümler ve gelecek dönemde yaratabilecekleri etkiler incelenmiştir. Çalışmada ikinci olarak, robotik süreç otomasyonun yarattığı etkiler, örnek bankanın ticari kredi tahsis ve fatura ödeme süreçleri üzerinden gösterilmiştir. Her iki süreçte de robotik süreç otomasyonu kullanılması, üretkenlik artışına neden olmuştur. Bu süreçlerde robotik süreç otomasyonundan faydalanılması, istihdam kaybına sebep olmamıştır. Ticari kredi tahsis ve fatura ödeme süreçlerinde robotik süreç otomasyonundan yararlanılması sonucunda çalışanlar, rutin manuel ve tekrarlı işleri yapmayı bırakmışlar, katma değeri daha yüksek olan faaliyetlere daha fazla zaman ayırma imkanına kavuşmuşlardır. Robotik süreç otomasyonu, bütün bu kazanımları diğer bankacılık uygulamaları ile karşılaştırıldığında oldukça düşük yatırım maliyeti ile gerçekleştirmiştir. Yarattığı bütün bu etkiler sayesinde robotik süreç otomasyonu, örnek bankada önemli değişim yaratmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Robotlar, Robotik Süreç Otomasyonu, İnovasyon, Ekonomik Büyüme, Yapısal Dönüşüm

Kaynakça

• Acemoglu, D., Koster, H.R. and Ozgen, C. (2023). Robots and workers: Evidence from the Netherlands (NBER Working Paper No. 31009). Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w31009
• Acemoglu, D., Lelarge, C. and Restrepo, P. (2020). Competing with robots: Firm-level evidence from France. AEA Papers and Proceedings, 128(6), 2188-2244. https://doi.org/10.1086/705716
• Acemoglu, D. and Restrepo, P. (2020). Robots and jobs: Evidence from US labor markets. Journal of Political Economy, 128(6), 383–388. https://doi.org/10.1257/pandp.20201003
• Aguirre, S. and Rodriguez, A. (2017). Automation of a business process using robotic process automation (RPA): A case study. In Figueroa-García, J., López-Santana, E., Villa-Ramírez, J., Ferro-Escobar, R. (Eds), Applied computer sciences in engineering. 4th workshop on engineering applications proceedings (pp.65-71). Cham: Springer.
• Anagnoste, S. (2017). Robotic automation process-the next major revolution in terms of back office operations improvement. Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence 11(1), 676-686. https://doi.org/10.1515/picbe-2017-0072
• Allen, A. (2022). Küresel ekonomi tarihi kısa bir giriş (Çev. Hande Koçak Cimitoğlu). İstanbul: Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları.
• Atkinson, R.D. (2018). Which nations really lead in industrial robot adoption? (Information Technology & Innovation Foundation November 2018). Retrieved from https://www2.itif.org/2018-industrial-robot-adoption.pdf
• Baldwin, R. and Forslid, R. (2020). Globotics and development: When manufacturing is jobless and services are tradable (NBER Working Paper No. 26731). Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w26731
• Bartodziej, C.J. (2017). The concept industry 4.0. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler
• Benmelech, E. and Zator, M. (2022). Robots and firm investment (NBER Working Paper No. 29676). Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w29676
• Bill, M., Müller, C., Kraus, W. and Bieller, S. (2022). World robotics 2022 (IFR World Robotics 2022). Retrieved from https://ifr.org/downloads/press2018/2022_WR_extended_version.pdf
• Börü, F. ve Tahsin, E. (2023). Türkiye'nin endüstri 4.0'a geçiş sürecinin teknoloji kapasitesi yaklaşımları temelli analizi. Abant Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 23(3), 1293-1314 https://doi.org/10.11616/asbi.1265937
• Bresnahan, T.F. and Trajtenberg, M. (1995). General purpose technologies ‘Engines of growth’? Journal of Econometrics, 65(1), 83-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4076(94)01598-T
• Cette, G., Devillard, A. and Spiezia, V. (2021). The contribution of robots to productivity growth in 30 OECD countries over 1975–2019. Economics Letters, 200, 109762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2021.109762
• Cheng, H., Jia, R., Li, D. and Li, H. (2019). The rise of robots in China. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 33(2), 71-88. doi:10.1257/jep.33.2.71
• Crafts, N. (2004). Steam as a general purpose technology: A growth accounting perspective. The Economic Journal, 114(495), 338-351. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2003.00200.x
• Cséfalvay, Z. (2019). Robotization in Central and Eastern Europe: Catching up or dependence? European Planning Studies, 28(8), 1534-1553. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2019.1694647
• Cséfalvay, Z. (2023). As “robots are moving out of the cages”–toward a geography of robotization. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 64(1), 89-119. https://doi.org/10.1080/15387216.2021.1972022
• Cséfalvay, Z. and Gkotsis, P. (2022). Robotisation race in Europe: The robotisation chain approach. Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 31(8), 693-710. https://doi.org/10.1080/10438599.2020.1849968
• Dauth, W., Findeisen, S., Suedekum, J. and Woessner, N. (2021). The adjustment of labor markets to robots. Journal of the European Economic Association, 19(6), 3104-3153. https://doi.org/10.1093/jeea/jvab012
• De Vries, G.J., Gentile, E., Miroudot, S. and Wacker, K.M. (2020). The rise of robots and the fall of routine jobs. Labour Economics, 66, 101885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2020.101885
• Doguc, O. (2022). Robot process automation (RPA) and its future. In U. Hacıoglu (Ed.), Handbook of research on strategic fit and design in business ecosystems (pp. 469-492). USA: IGI Global.
• Eggleston, K., Lee, Y.S. and Iizuka, T. (2021). Robots and labor in the service sector: Evidence from nursing homes (NBER Working Paper No. 28322). Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w28322
• Estolatan, E., Geuna, A., Guerzoni, M. and Nuccio, M. (2018). Mapping the evolution of the robotics industry: A cross country comparison. (Università di Torino Working Paper Series No. 12). Retrieved from https://iris.unive.it/retrieve/e4239ddd-cd40-7180-e053-3705fe0a3322/wp_12_2018.pdf
• Fan, H., Hu, Y. and Tang, L. (2021). Labor costs and the adoption of robots in China. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 186, 608-631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2020.11.024
• Fernandez-Macias, E., Klenert, D. and Anton, J.I. (2021). Not so disruptive yet? Characteristics, distribution and determinants of robots in Europe. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 58, 76-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.strueco.2021.03.010
• Fırat, S.Ü.O. (2023). Endüstri 4.0'dan endüstri 6.0'a yolculuk. Erişim adresi: https://www.sanayicidergisi.com.tr/endustri-40dan-endustri-60a-yolculuk-makale,857.html
• Fırat, O.Z. ve Fırat, S.Ü. (2017). Endüstri 4.0 yolculuğunda trendler ve robotlar. İstanbul Üniversitesi İşletme Fakültesi, 46(2), 211-223. doi:10.5152/iujsb.2017.005
• Fu, T. and Cheng, Y. (2022). Regionalisation or domesticalisation? Configurations of China’s emerging domestic market-driven industrial robot production networks. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 15(2), 343-365. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjres/rsac013
• Ghiasi, G. and Larivière, V. (2015). Sectoral systems of innovation: The case of robotics research activities. Scientometrics, 104, 407-424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-015-1611-9
• Graetz, G. and Michaels, G. (2018). Robots at work. Review of Economics and Statistics, 100(5), 753-768. https://doi.org/10.1162/rest_a_00754
• Grand View Research. (2023). Robotic process automation (RPA) market analysis, 2018-2030 opportunities beyond COVID-19 crisis. Retrieved from https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/robotic-process-automation-rpa-market#
• Hofmann, P., Samp, C. and Urbach, N. (2020). Robotic process automation. Electronic Markets, 30(1), 99-106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-019-00365-8 Jovanovic, B. and Rousseau, P. (2005). General purpose technologies (NBER Working Paper No. 11093). Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w11093
• Jovanović, S.Z., Đurić, J.S. and Šibalija, T.V. (2018). Robotic process automation: Overview and opportunities. International Journal Advanced Quality, 46(3-4), 34-39. Retrieved from https://jusk.rs/
• Jungmittag, A. (2021). Robotisation of the manufacturing industries in the EU: Convergence or divergence? The Journal of Technology Transfer, 46(5), 1269-1290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-020-09819-0
• Jungmittag, A. and Pesole, A. (2019). The impact of robots on labour productivity: A panel data approach covering 9 industries and 12 countries (JRC Working Papers Series on Labour, Education and Technology No. 2019/08). Retrieved from https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/231332
• Koch, M., Manuylov, I. and Smolka, M. (2021). Robots and firms. The Economic Journal, 131(638), 2553-2584. https://doi.org/10.1093/ej/ueab009
• Kromann, L., Malchow-Møller, N., Skaksen, J.R. and Sørensen, A. (2020). Automation and productivity—a cross-country, cross-industry comparison. Industrial and Corporate Change, 29(2), 265-287. https://doi.org/10.1093/icc/dtz039
• Lacity, M.C. and Willcocks, L.P. (2016). A new approach to automating services. MIT Sloan Management Review, 58(1), 41-49. Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/
• Lacity, M., Willcocks, L.P. and Craig, A. (2015) Robotic process automation at Telefónica O2 (The Outsourcing Unit Working Research Paper Series No. 15/02). Retrieved from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/64516/1/OUWRPS_15_02_published.pdf
• Landes, D. (2017). Milletlerin zenginliği ve yoksulluğu (Çev. A.S. Doğru). İstanbul: Feylesof Kitap.
• Leigh, N.G. and Kraft, B.R. (2018). Emerging robotic regions in the United States: Insights for regional economic evolution. Regional Studies, 52(6), 804-815. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2016.1269158
• Macrorie, R., Marvin, S. and While, A. (2021). Robotics and automation in the city: A research agenda. Urban Geography, 42(2), 197-217. https://doi.org/10.1080/02723638.2019.1698868
• Madakam, S., Holmukhe, R.M. and Jaiswal, D.K. (2019). The future digital work force: Robotic process automation (RPA). JISTEM-Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management, 16, e201916001. doi 10.4301/s1807-1775201916001
• Moser, P. and Nicholas, T. (2004). Was electricity a general purpose technology? Evidence from historical patent citations. American Economic Review, 94(2), 388-394. doi:10.1257/0002828041301407
• Özdem, H. ve Bora, M.P. (2021). Türkiye’de robotik süreç otomasyonu. Bilgisayar Bilimleri ve Teknolojileri Dergisi, 3(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.54047/bibted.1008340
• Pratt, G.A. (2015). Is a Cambrian explosion coming for robotics? Journal of Economic Perspectives, 29(3), 51-60. doi:10.1257/jep.29.3.51
• Ribeiro, J., Lima, R., Eckhardt, T. and Paiva, S. (2021). Robotic process automation and artificial intelligence in industry 4.0–a literature review. Procedia Computer Science, 181, 51-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.01.104
• Santos, F., Pereira, R. and Vasconcelos, J.B. (2020). Toward robotic process automation implementation: An end-to-end perspective. Business Process Management Journal, 26(2), 405-420. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-12-2018-0380
• Seçkiner, S., Metehan, A. ve Eroğlu, Y. (2021). Robotik süreç otomasyonlarının havacılık sektörü uygulamaları ve geleceği. Journal of Aviation, 5(2), 290-297. https://doi.org/10.30518/jav.947025
• Siderska, J. (2020). Robotic process automation – A driver of digital transformation? Engineering Management in Production and Services, 12(2), 21-31. https://doi.org/10.2478/emj-2020-0009
• Sliż, P. (2019). Robotization of business processes and the future of the labor market in Poland –Preliminary research. Organizacja i Kierowanie, 185(2), 67-79. Retrieved from https://www.ceeol.com/
• Suri, V.K., Elia, M. and Van Hillegersberg, J. (2017). Software bots - the next frontier for shared services and functional excellence. In Oshri, I., Kotlarsky, J. and Willcocks, L. (Eds.), Global sourcing of digital services: Micro and macro perspectives. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing (pp. 81-94). Cham: Springer.
• Syed, R., Suriadi, S., Adams, M., Bandara, W., Leemans, S.J., Ouyang, … Reijers, H.A. (2020). Robotic process automation: Contemporary themes and challenges. Computers in Industry, 115, 103162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2019.103162
• Tang, C., Huang, K. and Liu, Q. (2021). Robots and skill-biased development in employment structure: Evidence from China. Economics Letters, 205, 109960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2021.109960
• Taulli, T. (2020). The robotic process automation handbook: A guide to implementing RPA systems. Berkeley: Apress.
• Yetiz, F., Turan, Y. ve Canpolat, İ. (2021). Bankacılık süreç otomasyonu ve verimlilik ilişkisi: Bir banka örneği. Verimlilik Dergisi, 2(2), 65-80. https://doi.org/10.51551/verimlilik.765336
• Zamalloa, I., Kojcev, R., Hernández, A., Muguruza, I., Usategui, L., Bilbao, A. and Mayoral, V. (2017). Dissecting robotics-historical overview and future perspectives. Acutronic Robotics, April 2017, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1704.08617