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Reconciling the Porter hypothesis with the traditional paradigm about environmental regulation: a nonparametric approach

Author

Listed:
  • Jean Pierre Huiban

    (INRA-ALISS)

  • Camilla Mastromarco

    (University of Salento)

  • Antonio Musolesi

    (University of Ferrara, and SEEDS)

  • Michel Simioni

    (University of Montpellier
    IREEDS-VCREME)

Abstract

This paper estimates the impact of pollution abatement investments on the production technology of firms by pursuing two new directions. First, we take advantage of recent econometric developments in productivity, efficiency analysis and nonparametric kernel regression by adopting a conditional nonparametric frontier analysis. Second, we focus not only on the average effect but also search for potential nonlinearities. We provide new results suggesting that pollution abatement capital affects with a bell-shaped fashion technological catch-up (inefficiency distribution) and does not affect technological change (shifts in the frontier). These results have relevant implications both for modeling and for the purposes of advice on environmentally friendly policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean Pierre Huiban & Camilla Mastromarco & Antonio Musolesi & Michel Simioni, 2018. "Reconciling the Porter hypothesis with the traditional paradigm about environmental regulation: a nonparametric approach," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 85-100, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jproda:v:50:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11123-018-0536-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11123-018-0536-8
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    3. Huang, Youxing & Xu, Qi & Zhao, Yanping, 2021. "Short-run pain, long-run gain: Desulfurization investment and productivity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    4. Pierluigi Toma, 2020. "Size and productivity: a conditional approach for Italian pharmaceutical sector," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 1-12, August.
    5. Lena, Daniela & Pasurka, Carl A. & Cucculelli, Marco, 2022. "Environmental regulation and green productivity growth: Evidence from Italian manufacturing industries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    6. Nickolaos G. Tzeremes, 2019. "Technological change, technological catch-up and export orientation: evidence from Latin American Countries," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 85-100, December.
    7. Michael L. Polemis & Thanasis Stengos & Nickolaos G. Tzeremes, 2020. "Modeling the effect of competition on US manufacturing sectors’ efficiency: an order-m frontier analysis," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 27-41, August.

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