Firm-level Total Factor Productivity Research Articles

Firm-Level Determinants of Export Performance in Kenya’s Manufacturing Sector

Purpose: This study aimed at investigating the firm-level determinants of export performance (export propensity and export intensity) in Kenya’s manufacturing sector using firm-level panel data obtained from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys for the periods 2007, 2013 and 2018. Methodology: The study adopted a quantitative non-experimental research design. The Heckman Two-Stage estimation procedure was employed to jointly establish the firm-level determinants of export propensity and export intensity in Kenya’s manufacturing sector. Findings: Based on the estimation results, firm-level total factor productivity, firm size, human capital, cost of material, electricity cost and foreign ownership had positive and significant effects on firms’ export propensity while labor productivity negatively influenced export propensity. Firm age, capital intensity and research did not have significant effects on export propensity. On the other hand, export intensity was positively influenced by firm-level total factor productivity, foreign ownership, firm size, firm age, human capital and research. Labor productivity had a negative effect on firms’ export intensity. Whereas the effect of energy cost on export intensity was weakly significant at 10 percent level of significance, there was no significant effect of cost of material on export intensity. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Employing the new ‘new’ trade theory, the study tested the self-selection hypothesis by analyzing the determinants of export propensity and intensity. According to the self-selection hypothesis, one of the key positive determinants of export propensity and export intensity is firm-level total factor productivity. The study findings validated the self-selection hypothesis since the results revealed firm-level total factor productivity as a positive and significant determinant of both export propensity and export intensity for Kenya’s manufacturing firms. According to the study's conclusions, the government and enterprises must focus on policies that increase firm-level total factor productivity, firm size, human capital, and research in order to improve firms' export performance.

Weathering the policy storm: How climate strategy volatility shapes corporate total factor productivity

Changes in climate policies have become a critical consideration for businesses, necessitating strategic adaptation and innovation in the face of evolving regulations to achieve long-term success. This study investigates the impact of climate policy uncertainty (CPU) on firm-level total factor productivity (TFP) using a dataset comprising 5954 North American listed companies from 2000 to 2019. Our findings demonstrate a significant negative relationship between CPU and firms' TFP. Particularly, firms operating in the secondary sector, with higher credit ratings, smaller Tobin's Q, and greater profitability, experience more significant negative effects from CPU. The mechanisms through which CPU operates include cost escalation, reduced turnover, and constrained investment. Employing the Local Projection Instrumental Variable (LP-IV) method, we observe that the relationship between CPU shocks and firm-level TFP is time-varying. The adverse effect of CPU on TFP is most severe in the third year following the occurrence of the shock. To mitigate the negative consequences, governments should enhance the continuity and foresight of climate policies, while firms need to effectively identify and manage climate risks to bolster their resilience in the face of uncertainty.

Beyond the modern productivity paradox: The effect of robotics technology on firm-level total factor productivity in China

This study aims to provide firm-level evidence on the burgeoning debate about the productivity effect of robotics technology. Taking China as an example, we find that city-level robot exposure plays a significant role in augmenting total factor productivity for firms in industries with high degrees of task replaceability. The results of the mechanism analysis further reveal that firms with substantial exposure to robotics technology are incentivized to improve their innovation performance and cultivate human capital. Conversely, there is evidence that firms characterized by low task replaceability experience a reduction in productivity as a consequence of robot exposure, potentially attributable to the effect of inter-industry resource reallocation. These findings offer empirical support for theoretical arguments regarding the productivity enhancements stemming from the development of robotics technology, while also shedding light on strategies to elevate productivity through the adoption of new technologies.

Green credit policy and total factor productivity: Evidence from Chinese listed companies

The green credit policy plays a vital role in promoting enterprise upgrading. This study utilizes a comprehensive panel dataset spanning thirteen years (2007–2019) from listed Chinese companies, using the difference-in-differences (DID) method to examine the effects of the Green Credit Guidelines in 2012 (GCG2012) on firm-level total factor productivity (TFP). The findings demonstrate that the GCG2012 policy can effectively promote firm-level TFP in green credit-restricted industries. This finding remains robust even after employing the PSM-DID model, alternating the treatment group and dependent variable, changing the sample period, and controlling for the influence of other environmental policies and financial crises. Notably, this effect is particularly salient among private enterprises, companies with weaker debt-paying ability, those operating in highly competitive industries, and those located in regions with higher financial liberalization. The mechanism tests suggest that enhancing the amplification of green innovation and the curtailment of agency costs (including both green and traditional agency costs) serve as likely conduits for the observed boost in firm-level TFP. This study further uncovers that the effectiveness of the GCG2012 policy permeates not only heavily polluting industries but also those with lesser environmental impact. Furthermore, we establish that the GCG2012 policy contributes substantively to the enhancement of companies' economic performance. In sum, this study sheds light on the micro-mechanisms underlying the long-term impact of the GCG2012 policy on firm-level TFP. It offers empirically grounded insights and policy recommendations to enhance the green credit policy, thereby facilitating sustainable development.

Entrepreneurial founder's social ties, institutions, and firm's productivity: Evidences from China's newly listed firms

Social ties, as informal institutions, contribute to firms’ performance in emerging economies. Formal market-supporting institutions in emerging economies are in general less developed, social ties cultivated by entrepreneurs thus serve as substitutes for formal institutional support. However, the role of social ties as informal institutions and interactions between social ties and market-supporting institutions are yet to be fully explored. Using the sample of 428 newly listed firms on the Growth Enterprise Market of Shenzhen Stock Exchange of China between 2009 and 2016, this paper examines the interplays among the entrepreneurial founder's political ties and managerial ties, marketization, and firm's productivity, measured by firm-level total factor productivity. Our findings indicate that the entrepreneurial founder's managerial ties enhance firm productivity whilst political ties reduce productivity. We also find that marketization positively moderates the effects of the entrepreneurial founder's political and managerial ties on productivity. Our findings demonstrate the strategic importance of the informal institutions and contribute to an improved understanding of the complementary effects between social ties and marketization in an important emerging economy.

Carbon pricing and enterprise productivity-The role of price stabilization mechanism

Total factor productivity (TFP) is widely used to evaluate the development quality of the economy, and carbon price stabilization mechanism (CPSM) has been introduced to reduce the climate policy uncertainty. Whether and how the CPSM can affect TFP is an issue of great interest. Using a unique panel dataset of China's 494 listed firms in 8 carbon intensive sectors from 2006 to 2019, we examine the effectiveness of the CPSM in China's carbon emission trading scheme (ETS). The results show that the carbon ETS with CPSM which has clear price corridors can improve the TFP by 0.381, the ETS with CPSM which has no explicit price ceiling or floor could improve TFP by 0.198, while the ETS without CPSM has decreased TFP by 0.352. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that the CPSM is effective to improve the TFP in power generation, building materials, nonferrous metals, and chemical sectors. Moreover, in terms of mechanisms, the CPSM can improve the TFP through promoting technological innovation and easing financing constraint. Our findings confirm the effectiveness of CPSM on the improvement of firm-level TFP and provide some key implications on how to design an effective CPSM.

Ultra-fast broadband access and productivity: Evidence from Italian firms

We study the impact of ultra-fast broadband (UFB) infrastructures on the total factor productivity (TFP) and labor productivity of firms. We use unique balanced panel data for the 2013–2019 period on incorporated firms in Italy. Using the geographical location of the firms, we merge firm-level data with municipality-level information on the diffusion of UFB, which started in 2015. We derive consistent firm-level TFP estimates by adopting a version of the Ackerberg et al.’s (2015) method, which also accounts for firm fixed effects. We then assess the impact of UFB on productivity and deal with the endogeneity of UFB by exploiting the physical distance between each municipality and the closest optical packet backbone node. Our results show an overall positive impact of UFB on productivity. Services companies benefit the most from advanced broadband technologies, as do firms located in the North-West and South of Italy. We further decompose the impact of full-fiber networks from mixed copper-fiber connections and find that the former significantly contribute to enhancing firm productivity. Finally, by exploiting Labor Force Survey data, we provide suggestive evidence that productivity increases from UFB might be related to structural changes at the workforce level.

Climate policy uncertainty and firm-level total factor productivity: Evidence from China

Using 2605 Chinese A-share listed companies in the mining, manufacturing, and energy production and supply sectors from 2009 to 2020, we examine the relationship between climate policy uncertainty (CPU) and firm-level total factor productivity (TFP). The main findings are as follows: First, CPU significantly reduces firm-level TFP, with a greater impact on low-productivity firms than on high-productivity firms; second, the negative effect of CPU on firm-level TFP is most pronounced for non-state-owned, labor-intensive, and capital-intensive companies; third, CPU hinders research and development investment and reduces the amount of free cash flow. These results indicate that CPU exerts negative impacts on firm-level TFP mainly via its effects on the capital status of the companies. Our findings remain valid after a series of robustness tests and controlling for endogeneity. The government should introduce forward-looking climate policies to reduce the negative impact of policy uncertainty.

Catching up and falling behind: Cross-country evidence on the impact of the EU ETS on firm productivity

This paper identifies the impact of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) on firm productivity. We estimate a stylized version of the neo-Schumpeterian productivity model to differentiate dynamic forces of productivity convergence from the policy effect of the EU ETS depending on the level of firms’ technological advancement. The identification is based on a difference-in-differences approach exploiting the incomplete participation requirements of the EU ETS and the rich panel structure of a representative dataset for firm-level total factor productivity (TFP) in eight EU countries from 2002 to 2012. We show that the policy effect on TFP is nonlinear in the distance to the technological frontier within the industry. The EU ETS spurs productivity among firms close to the frontier but slows down catch-up growth among laggard firms.

The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Productivity: Firm-Level Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies

ABSTRACT The recent promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by China has coincided with a marked increase in the number of its listed firms. To what extent can the disclosure of CSR reports benefit corporate productivity? This article empirically explores the impact of CSR on firm-level Total Factor Productivity (TFP) as well as the possible influence approaches and mechanisms. Following previous literature, several predictive models are built to draw the following conclusions: (1) CSR significantly promotes TFP; (2) the impact of CSR on TFP of family firms is greater than that of non-family firms; (3) CSR has a larger positive impact on firms releasing CSR reports voluntarily than on those releasing under compulsion; (4) CSR has a greater impact on private firms than on state-owned ones, while it has little effect on foreign-funded ones; (5) The impact of CSR on TFP is robust in high-tech firms, non-high-tech firms, coastal firms, non-coastal firms, industrial firms, and service firms. Besides, this article finds that financing constraints operate as a major channel for CSR to affect TFP, while firms’ irregularity acts only as an important channel. Additionally, 2SLS method is employed to deal with possible endogenous problems, finding that our conclusions remain robust.

Technological Efforts, Firm Ownership and Productivity: A Study of Information Technology Service Firms in India

The article presents differences in firm-level total factor productivity in the information technology (IT) service firms in India over the period 2000–2016. It is an attempt to study whether technological efforts contribute to productivity differences in the firms in conjunction with several other firm specific characteristics. Controlling for endogeneity in inputs, the estimation of productivity through semi-parametric techniques indicates considerable heterogeneity in productivity across firm types. Technological efforts of firms have a significant impact on the productivity of IT firms. Both embodied technology imports and in-house R&D contribute to higher productivity. While the Indian firms are observed to be more productive compared to their foreign counterparts, the technological efforts also differ due to ownership factors and that contributes to changes in productivity. JEL: D24, O14, O39

Does firm-level productivity predict stock returns?

Contrary to the findings of previous U.S. studies, we show that the firm-level total factor productivity (TFP) of Japanese manufacturers positively predicts their future stock returns in the cross-section when controlling for relevant risk factors, including those of Fama and French (2015). Risks related to intangible expenditure, primarily those for research and development (R&D) and personnel, explain a substantial fraction of the predictive power of firm-level TFP, while bankruptcy, macroeconomic, and capital expenditure risks do not. More productive firms trade at a significant premium to less productive firms. This premium compensates investors for risks associated with innovation and human and organizational capital formation.

A Study on the Impact of Offshoring on Total Factor Productivity

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of offshoring on manufacturing firms’ total factor productivity (TFP) by establishment size. Design/Methodology/Approach - Using data on manufacturing enterprises in Korea between 2014 and 2018, we first apply Levinsohn and Petrin’s (2003) method to construct firm-level total factor productivity (TFP). Then we examine the effect of offshoring activities on manufacturing firms’ productivity by comparing regression results from pooled OLS, random effect panel analysis, and system GMM. Findings - When estimated for the entire manufacturing industry, the effect of offshoring is found to be positive, indicating offshoring activities can be considered as productivity-enhancing. When estimated by establishment size, the offshoring activity was not found to be associated with total factor productivity among large-sized manufacturing firms, while the effect remained to be positive and statistically significant among small and medium-sized firms. Research Implications - The results from various estimation exercises show that the effect of offshoring activities on total factor productivity varies by establishment size. We confirm that the effect of offshoring is concentrated among small and medium-sized enterprises, indicating that the benefits associated with engaging in offshoring activity are greater for smaller firms, perhaps due to (relatively) higher opportunity costs of participating in the vertically integrated supply chain.

Exploring firm-level and sectoral variation in total factor productivity (TFP)

PurposeThe objective of the study is to identify and explore factors affecting the productivity of companies in the Czech Republic with a focus on the role of firm size, firm age, indebtedness and long-term negative equity, efficiency of assets usage, liquidity, legal form, location and sector affiliation.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes a large unbalanced panel dataset of 91,257 firms (548,998 observations in total) covering the period 2000–2019. The dependent variable, i.e. total factor productivity (TFP), reflecting the overall firm productivity, was estimated by ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. The main findings were obtained through the estimation of two econometric models explaining the effects of factors on firm-level TFP. First, the OLS regressions together with Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) 3 regions, year dummies and robust standard errors were estimated. Second, as a robustness check, the very same model was estimated with the random effects (RE) generalized least squares (GLS) method.FindingsThe analysis has shown a statistically significant U-shaped relationship (with the turning point of 38, resp. 36 years) between firm age and the overall TFP among the Czech enterprises. The authors provide two key findings in terms of a firm size-productivity relationship. Firms with fewer employees, often officially registered as self-employed individuals/freelancers, report higher levels of productivity. Nevertheless, when it comes to firm property (assets), the authors find a positive relationship between firm size and TFP. A high proportion of debts in the capital structure of analysed companies, or even negative equity, has been negatively associated with TFP levels.Research limitations/implicationsMore research is needed in the deeper exploration of sectoral and regional determinants of firm TFP, as both regional and sectoral heterogeneity were observed in the study. The authors propose the employment of a multi-level modelling approach, including a range of continuous variables and investigation of their role in shaping firm-level productivity.Practical implicationsConcerning the results, managers should be mindful of optimal capital structure principles due to the negative impact of a high level of debts on the productivity level. High indebtedness means high-interest payments drawing earnings off, which may be, especially in the long term, a hindrance to investments. The entrepreneurship and small- and medium-sized enterprise policies may be targeted at the soft policy actions, including advisory services and counselling on business development or risk and on the provision of financial capital allowing firms to strive for growth-oriented projects.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first attempt to provide insight into the firm-level productivity determinants, based on the large dataset covering enterprises across the whole economy over the long term, representing the structure of the country's entrepreneurial activity.

Evaluating the impact of carbon emissions trading scheme on Chinese firms’ total factor productivity

In the context of addressing climate change and promoting high-quality development, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS) on China’s total factor productivity (TFP). Based on a quasi-experimental design, we provide firm-level evidence of TFP improvement from China’s pilot ETSs. Using panel data of Chinese listed firms during 2009–2018, the difference-in-differences method is adopted to evaluate the impact of ETS on the firm-level TFP. The results show that the ETS significantly improves the firm-level TFP, increasing it in pilot regions by approximately 14% when compared with non-pilot regions. Further analysis shows that this improvement is not affected by the heterogeneity of firms’ ownership, but by industrial heterogeneity. Moreover, this improvement is realized by promoting firms’ operating and profitability capacity. We also find that the impact of ETS on firm-level TFP is stable and exhibits no time lag. Our findings not only improve the effectiveness evaluation framework of the Chinese ETS, but also have some implications for how to promote the construction of a national carbon emissions trading market in the context of high-quality development.

Terrorist attacks and total factor productivity

This study examines the impact of terrorist attacks on total factor productivity (TFP). Using measures of attack proximity in the U.S., we find strong evidence that terrorist attacks overall reduce firm-level TFP. Specifically, the firms located near terrorist attacks experience a nearly 3.4% TFP decrease in standard deviation units. Our evidence is robust to a battery of additional tests, and the impact of terrorist attacks on TFP is more pronounced for high-competition industries and firms with high tangibility.

Firm-level TFP convergence: an application to the German electricity and gas industry

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the degree of total factor productivity (TFP) convergence for the German electricity and gas industry. We use different approaches to compute the productivity level and several classic and new second-generation panel unit root tests to check the existence of a convergence process. For robustness purposes, we compare the convergence between small- and medium-sized enterprises and large companies. Our findings show the existence of the TFP convergence process, a result confirmed by all categories of tests we use. Therefore, we show that an innovation transfer is recorded between German electricity and gas firms and it is slightly higher for small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Absorption of foreign knowledge: the impact of immigrants on firm productivity

Abstract What role do immigrants play in firms’ ability to absorb and apply foreign knowledge? Based on a matched employer–employee dataset from Danish manufacturing firms over the period 2001–2011, this study examines the impact of foreign knowledge accessible by firms’ immigrant employees on firm-level total factor productivity (TFP). We construct various firm-specific absorbable foreign knowledge measures that link firms’ immigrant employees to the technological knowledge base of their country of origin. The empirical results suggest that firms employing immigrant employees have higher firm-level TFP outcomes and a higher probability of new firm-level patent applications. The average productivity gain associated with the hiring of one immigrant employee is about 1.5% in the year following the firm’s hiring decision. Additional results show that the estimated productivity increase varies with the level of education and the occupational positions of the immigrant employees. The results are robust to the inclusion of a large range of firm-specific controls and various sensitivity checks.

Firm productivity gains in a period of slow trade liberalization: evidence from Brazil.

Existing literature recognizes the possible role of trade policy and firms’ exposure to international trade as determinants of productivity. A strand of the literature sheds light on the effects of trade policy changes on firm-level productivity. Another strand studies the relationship between firms’ trade status (exporting production or importing intermediates, but usually not both simultaneously) and firm-level TFP dynamics. However, the analyses that integrate both strands are scarce. This paper aims to disentangle the impact of input and output tariffs on firms’ productivity. Further, it analyses whether the impact of changes in tariffs is conditioned by the trade status of the firm (exporting and/or importing). At difference to most previous papers, we carry out our analysis for a large developing country in a period of slow trade liberalization. Thus, in the empirical part, we use data from firms belonging to Brazilian industrial sectors (manufacturing and mining) during 2000–2008. After estimating total factor productivity (TFP) at the firm level using updated methodologies, we estimate both the impact of trade policy and firms’ trade status on TFP dynamics. Our results suggest that trade liberalization (through reductions in input or output tariffs) increases TFP, being the effect associated to a reduction in input tariffs greater. Furthermore, the impact of trade policy on TFP spreads among all firms, which could be consistent with the existence of spillovers from trading firms to non-trading firms or with the notion that trade liberalization exerts competitive pressure on all firms, regardless of their initial exposure to international trade. Finally, we also find evidence of a positive effect of both the import and export statuses on TFP.

Fiscal Convergence and Total Factor Productivity: Firm-Level Evidence from Pakistan

This study examines the impact of corporate tax, a fiscal measure along with trade liberalization and research and development on total factor productivity for a panel of 153 industrial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange over the period 1997-2017. For empirical analysis, we employ the system generalized method of moment estimator. In the first step, we estimate industrial production function and the results reveal that raw material, industrial labour force and energy play vital role in enhancing industrial production. Whereas, industrial capital exerts negative impact on industrial output. We also measured total factor productivity using the production elasticities. In the second step, we examine the impact of corporate tax, trade liberalization and research and development on total factor productivity. The results indicate that higher level of corporate tax exerts negative impact on total factor productivity. The findings reveal that higher corporate taxation discourages industrial firms to undertake research and development thereby exerting adverse impact on total factor productivity of firms. The impact of trade liberalization proxied by average tariff is positive while customs duty and sales tax negatively impact firm-level total factor productivity. These findings provide useful insights for managers, investors and policy makers in Pakistan.