Indian Manufacturing Firms Research Articles

Institutional Imprints and Corporate Misconduct: Unravelling the Interplay of Economic History and Firm Choices on Earnings Manipulation in an Emerging Economy

This study investigates the impact of firms’ legacy institutional imprints on its engagement in corporate misconduct. We discover that a closed economic regime’s protectionist policies inscribe imprints in the form of opaque organizational routines and cause incumbent firms to develop competitive limitations. Utilizing the theoretical principles of the organizational imprinting theory, this research attests to the endurance of corruptive routines and argues that the degree of closed economy imprints increases firms’ engagement in income-increasing earnings management in the post-liberalization period. Furthermore, we find that the impact of imprints is weakened by firms’ choices on international exposure and internal innovation. By utilizing the historical data on Indian economic policies from 1956 to 1991 and analyzing a sample of 18,432 firm-year observations for 2,396 listed Indian manufacturing firms from 1997 to 2007, we find support for our hypotheses.

Firm Heterogeneity and India’s Manufacturing Exports: Lessons on Protection and Trade Theory

ABSTRACT Empirical examinations of heterogeneity among Indian manufacturing firms provide helpful lessons for trade theories and policies. Using descriptive statistics of cross-section data for 2011, 2015, and 2019, the asymptotic Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test, and regression analysis, the study reveals that firms are heterogeneous within each 4-digit National Industrial Classification (NIC) category, exporting firms are more productive than non-exporters, and exporter premia decline with trading activities. The study concludes that recent protectionist policies reduced extensive trade margins, firm heterogeneity, and productivity in the Indian manufacturing sector.

An Assessment of the Relationship between Profitability and Energy Intensity for Technology Oriented Manufacturing Firms in India

An Assessment of the Relationship between Profitability and Energy Intensity for Technology Oriented Manufacturing Firms in India

Chinese Import Competition and Prices: Evidence from India*

How do output prices respond to trade shocks? Using detailed firm‐product level data on sales and quantity between 1996 and 2007, we study the causal effect of Chinese import competition on prices for Indian manufacturing firms. We find that Chinese import competition induces a significant decline in firm‐product prices. A 1 percentage point increase in the Chinese import penetration ratio reduces firm‐product prices by 3.5%. Further, this decline in prices is driven by a decline in markup, conditional on costs, as opposed to the pass through of cost savings to prices – providing evidence for pro‐competitive effect. This decline in prices and markup is less pronounced for firms owned by Business Groups compared to stand‐alone, privately owned firms. We also document a large decrease in marginal costs and an increase in markup with no significant effect on prices for firms on account of increased access to imported Chinese inputs.

Discovering the determinants of energy intensity of Indian manufacturing firms: a panel data approach

Our study pores on evaluating the impact of firm specific and macro level determinants of energy intensity of Indian firms belonging to manufacturing and power sector. We collect a panel dataset of 3316 firms for 10 years ranging from 2010 to 2020. We employ the advanced biased corrected method of moments estimator and the quantile regression estimator for panel data models for our empirical analysis. We find that poor labor efficiency is largely responsible for increasing energy intensity of the sample firms. Energy intensity can be optimized by investing in better plant and machinery. Moreover, machineries that require frequent repairs and maintenance need to be replaced with latest tools. While larger firms are found to be energy intensive, profitable firms are found to be in a better position to enhance their energy efficiency. Under macroeconomic scenario, GDP growth and trade openness lead to boosting up the energy consumption at the firm level whereas, the global energy prices act as a constraint and necessitate careful use of energy. Based on our findings we provide certain policy recommendations and suggestions in order to limit energy intensity and enhance energy efficiency of the Indian manufacturing firms.

Do firms’ performance act as a catalyst of innovation: empirical evidence from innovative Indian manufacturing firms

PurposeThis paper aims to explore whether firms’ performance determines innovation using a sample of Indian manufacturing firms. The impact of innovation on firms’ performance across specific countries has been discussed in the literature. However, the effect of firms’ performance on innovation output, especially for a developing country like India, remains an open question. Against this backdrop, this paper investigates whether firms’ performance determines innovation in Indian manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use patent filing information to instrument innovation and total factor productivity to instrument firms’ performance. The patent data are collected from the Patent Search and Analysis Software database and firm-level data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy’s Prowess database. The study uses a sample of 309 Indian manufacturing firms from 2005 to 2021. Given the count nature of the data set used in this study coupled with over-dispersion issues, the authors have used the negative binomial regression to estimate the empirical specification of the models. There could be a possible problem of endogeneity due to the contemporary nature of innovation and firms’ performance. Therefore, to address the possible issues of endogeneity in the model, the authors have used the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimators for more robustness checks of the empirical results.FindingsThe empirical results exhibit a positive and significant impact of firms’ performance on the innovation output, validating that firms’ performance determines innovation in Indian manufacturing firms. The posterior estimation results using GMM estimation also corroborate that firms’ productivity is a determining factor for the innovation output of Indian manufacturing firms. Furthermore, empirical results exhibit that the ex ante innovativeness of the firms substantially affects the current innovation. This validates that the firms’ prior experience, learning by doing and past innovative efforts are more likely to precipitate more innovation in the current period.Originality/valueThis paper’s main contribution is empirically estimating whether firms’ performance determines innovation, which is hardly discussed in the existing innovation literature, specifically using Indian manufacturing industries. Further, it adds to the existing literature in two other prominent ways. First, this paper investigates whether firms require ex ante expertise to innovate or if a firm starting from scratch can innovate significantly without any hindrances. Second, it enriches the literature by instrumenting innovation in output terms with the patent application against input measures of innovation, such as research and development expenditures, acquisition of machinery and equipment, while discussing the relationship between firms’ performance and innovation, specifically in the context of a developing economy like India.

Can Industry 4.0-enabled smart manufacturing help firms in emerging economies move toward carbon-neutrality?

The manufacturing industry plays a pivotal role in the economic growth of all countries. Most manufacturing firms consume large amounts of energy and fail to adopt sustainable practices. However, Industry 4.0 is expected to help firms move toward carbon neutrality. Hence, this study focuses on 10 manufacturing firms in India and the opinions of industry experts to analyze the factors that motivate organizations to implement carbon neutrality. First, the driving factors of the shift toward carbon neutrality were investigated and ranked using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. Fuzzy interpretive structural modeling was then used to explain the interrelationships among the identified factors, providing a seven-level hierarchy model with 14 factors. Focusing on “Sustainable Business Value”, “Environmental Legitimacy” and “Government Policies” can help managers to develop strategies that are both socially responsible and profitable. These key findings have significant strategic implications for industry and policymakers.

Impact of Trade Liberalisation and MSME Classification on Productivity of Indian Manufacturing Firms

This article examines the effects of tariff and non-tariff reductions on firm-level productivity of large as well as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India’s manufacturing sector for the 1999–2009 period. We calculate input and final goods tariffs, effective rates of protection and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) for broad product groups using information from India’s Exim Policy of 1997–2003 and 2004–2009 to examine this impact. We use a balanced as well as unbalanced firm-level panel data set, while accounting for firm, industry, state and time-specific factors. By using fixed effect models and Heckman’s two-step estimation procedure, we find that trade liberalisation is associated with improved firm-level productivity for large firms but not in the case of MSMEs. We posit that this might be due to the relative disadvantages that Indian MSMEs face which prevent them from benefiting from trade liberalisation. We also find that productivity gains arising from the sourcing of imported inputs have been greater than those arising from increased product competition and that NTB liberalisation has had a greater impact compared to tariff liberalisation on firm-level productivity. Changes in MSME legislation and the classification of firms are also found to have a bearing on firm performance. Our study contributes to the literature by confirming the need to focus specifically on constraints faced by MSMEs if they are to benefit from trade liberalisation. It highlights the importance of liberalising trade in intermediates as well as the role of MSME classification in enabling productivity gains. JEL Codes: L6, D24, L1, F13

Outward FDI, Profit Shifting, and Its Impact on the Tax Payments of the Parent Firm: A Case of Indian Manufacturing Firms

Outward FDI, Profit Shifting, and Its Impact on the Tax Payments of the Parent Firm: A Case of Indian Manufacturing Firms

Determinants of financial constraint: a text-based financial constraint index approach

ABSTRACT The study employs a text-based Phrase Matching Method (PMM) index for the financial constraint to identify the key determinants of financial constraints. The study finds that conventional determinants of financial constraint like size, age, dividend payment, long-term borrowing, credit rating, group membership, current ratio, price-to-book ratio, debt-to-equity ratio, capital expenditure, cash flow, and sales growth play a significant role in determining the financial constraint of Indian manufacturing firms. Apart from the conventional determinants, the study also finds that factors like tangibility, R and D intensity, and corporate governance also play an important role in determining financial constraints.

Demystifying the relationships among green HRM, green work engagement, green innovation and environmental performance: a serial mediation model

PurposeThis study aims to demystify the mediating mechanism behind the relationship between green human resource management (HRM) and an organization’s environmental performance with the support of resource-based view theory and social exchange theory. Specifically, this study investigates the sequential mediation of green work engagement and green innovation on the direct effect of green HRM on environmental performance.Design/methodology/approachThis quantitative study collected data from 311 employees working in various Indian manufacturing firms using an online survey. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the model fit of the serial mediation model, and PROCESS macro was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings of the study revealed the following important results. First, green HRM positively affects an organization’s environmental performance. Second, green work engagement mediates the effect of green HRM on environmental performance. Third, green innovation mediates the effect of green HRM on environmental performance. Fourth, green work engagement and green innovation sequentially mediate the green HRM–environmental relationship.Practical implicationsThis study offers the following practical implications. First, it improves the managerial comprehension of the processes in enhancing environmental performance. Second, it implies that managers need to implement green HRM in their organizations as they play a pivotal role in improving employees’ green work engagement, organizations’ green innovation and environmental performance.Originality/valueThe present study is one of the primary research works that examined the serial mediating effect of green work engagement and green innovation in the relationship between green HRM and environmental performance. This study enriches the existing literature on green HRM and environmental performance by uncovering the mediating mechanism of green work engagement and green innovation.

Do bankers on board fulfill their role? Corporate social responsibility, environmental concerns and firm leverage

AbstractUsing a dataset of listed Indian manufacturing firms for 2010–2020, the study examines their financial response to climate risks in the presence of banker‐directors. The results show that climate sensitivity and vulnerability exert a negative impact on firm leverage and cost whereas climate adaptation has relatively limited impact. These effects broadly resonate across firm ownership, although it differ across firm‐bank equity interlocks. The overall impact of these developments is manifest in a decline in investment. The findings suggest that policymakers need to be more responsive to firm‐bank interactions, as these can impact firm behavior and have real economic consequences.

Firm Innovation, Financial Constraints and Exports: Evidence From Indian SMEs

Using rich firm-level data on 4517 small and medium-sized Indian manufacturing firms, we explore the implications of financial constraints on firm innovation and further investigate the interplay between financial constraints and export participation on firm innovation. Our findings highlight a negative association between firm innovation and financial constraints and a positive association between firm innovation and export. Moreover, we find that firms participating in international trade are well-positioned to offset the challenges of financial constraints on firm innovation.

The Impact of Economic Policy Uncertainty on Investment - Cash Flow Sensitivity: Does ESG Make Any Difference?

This paper investigates the impact of Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) on Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivity (ICFS). Further, this study examines whether ESG moderates the impact of such uncertainty on the ICFS of the manufacturing firms in India. The study has applied system-GMM regression with a sample of 222 firms from 2012 to 2022. It reveals that EPU dampens corporate investment and magnifies the role of cash flow in corporate investment. Further, firms' Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance decelerates the adverse impact of EPU on ICFS and makes the investment-cash flow less sensitive. Furthermore, the study highlights that ESG helps to access external funds easily. Overall, this paper contributes new insights to the present literature, and the outcomes of this study are of greater interest to economists, firms, managers, and investors.

Exploring corporate social responsibility expenditures in manufacturing firms

The main aim of this study is to explore corporate social responsibility expenditure in Indian manufacturing firms. The study sample consists of 62 firms listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Findings revealed that environment and pollution control expenses vary significantly between mature and young firms and before and after the pandemic as well. Moreover, regression analysis results show that employee compensation expenses negatively affect firms’ performance. these results contradict Nwanne (2016), Walker (2019), and Tulcanaza-Prieto et al. (2020). Similarly, social and community expenses negatively and significantly impact the performance of Indian manufacturing firms. These results consist with Gangi et al. (2018), Tulcanaza Prieto et al. (2020), Kvasić et al. (2016), and Nwanne (2016). On the contrary, donation-related expenses positively affect the profitability of Indian manufacturing firms. These results are consistent with Nwanne (2016), and Gangi et al. (2018). Therefore, this study has three folds of contributions. Firstly, it attempts to unveil corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditures after the Companies Act, 2013 using a large sample and a longer period of study and making a comparison between mature and young firms Indian manufacturing companies. Secondly, this study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CSR expenditures. Finally, hardly any study has relied on secondary data for conducting sustainability or CSR expenditure research in the Indian context. Hence, this study addresses this void by relying on secondary data to examine CSR expenditures during the pandemic.

Unveiling the Nexus: Technological Capacity and Export Performance in Indian Manufacturing Firms through Technical Efficiency Analysis

Unveiling the Nexus: Technological Capacity and Export Performance in Indian Manufacturing Firms through Technical Efficiency Analysis

Macroeconomic and microeconomic determinants of the profitability of Indian manufacturing firms

Macroeconomic and microeconomic determinants of the profitability of Indian manufacturing firms

Macroeconomic and microeconomic determinants of the profitability of Indian manufacturing firms

Macroeconomic and microeconomic determinants of the profitability of Indian manufacturing firms

Impact of Capital Structure on Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from Indian Manufacturing Sector

The present study has been carried out to investigate empirically the impact of capital structure on a firm’s performance in the Indian manufacturing sector from the year 2013 to 2022 and a comparative analysis of its findings with the results of previous studies. A sample of 51 firms from the Nifty India Manufacturing Index is selected for the study. The data are analyzed by employing the panel data technique and the random effect model is found to be consistent as per the results of Hausman test. The capital structure is proxied by debt-equity ratio, whereas return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA) are used as firm performance indicators. Apart from these, some control variables such as firm size, liquidity, tangibility and growth are also included in the study. The results exhibit that the debt-equity ratio has a detrimental effect on the performance of the Indian manufacturing firms. This negative association is substantial when performance is measured using ROA as opposed to ROE. Among the control variables, only size revealed a negative relationship with firm performance. The comparative analysis highlighted that for the time being, the negative association between capital structure and performance is consistent over time for the developing nations. The outcomes of the study will have ramifications for the managers and policymakers responsible for decision making to enhance performance and will drive them to consider the influence of debt financing on performance before deciding the debt level. It also provides updated insights that can guide the strategic and financial decisions of the manufacturing firms in India.

Stochastic frontier leanness and firm performance: evidence from India

PurposeWhile firms in developing countries are increasingly adopting lean practices of inventory management, there is limited evidence showing the impact of lean practices on firm performance in countries such as India. Lean practices improve the financial performance of the firms through superior cost-reduction measures and operational efficiencies. This paper examines the impact of inventory leanness in Indian manufacturing firms on their financial performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors measure inventory leanness based on stochastic frontier analysis (SLA), apart from using conventional measures available in the literature. The authors analyze the impact of inventory leanness on the financial performance of firms by examining data for 12,334 unique Indian manufacturing firms for the period 2009–2018. The authors present a comparative analysis using different methods of inventory leanness and study the effects on firm performance.FindingsFirst, the authors find that only 68 industries out of 411 industries follow lean practices, i.e. most industries do not follow lean practices. Second, the estimation results show that there exists a positive relationship between inventory leanness and firm performance. The results suggest that an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between inventory leanness and firm performance for the entire sample. In particular, 17% of the industries in the sample exhibit such a relationship, and it is sufficiently strong to show up in the average regression results for the entire sample.Originality/valueThe authors introduce a novel measure of inventory leanness named stochastic frontier leanness based on the SFA method used in production economics. It measures leanness by benchmarking the inventory levels against the industry “frontier”. Furthermore, the authors conduct an empirical study of the lean-financial performance relationship with a large panel dataset of Indian firms instead of the survey-based methods that were previously used in the literature.