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Are Foreign Firms More Productive and Export- and Technology-intensive than Local Firms in Kenyan Manufacturing?

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  • Rajah Rasiah
  • Geoffrey Gachino

Abstract

This paper uses the technological capabilities framework for examining differences in technological intensities and economic performance between foreign and local food and beverage, and textile and garment firms and metal engineering firms in Kenya. Foreign firms had statistically significant higher labour productivity means than local firms in textile and garment manufacturing. Foreign firms were also more export- and technology-intensive than local firms in textile and garment (process technology and R&D) and metal engineering (HR). Foreign firms had higher and statistically significant skills and overall technology (TI) means than local firms in food and beverages. The econometric exercise showed that foreign ownership had a statistically significant and positive relationship with overall technological and HR intensities. In labour productivity, the coefficient of TI was higher in the foreign firms' sample than in the local firms' sample. Local firms had higher value added in domestic than export markets. Export intensity had a positive relationship in the process technology regressions, but an inverse relationship in the HR regressions in the foreign firms' sample. Overall, the statistically significant results suggest that foreign firms' technology, productivity and export intensity levels in economies with weak institutions tend to be superior to local firms.

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  • Rajah Rasiah & Geoffrey Gachino, 2005. "Are Foreign Firms More Productive and Export- and Technology-intensive than Local Firms in Kenyan Manufacturing?," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(2), pages 211-227.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:oxdevs:v:33:y:2005:i:2:p:211-227
    DOI: 10.1080/13600810500137855
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    Cited by:

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    3. Keshari, Pradeep Kumar, 2013. "Comparative performance of foreign affiliates and domestic firms in the Indian machinery industry," MPRA Paper 33076, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 Apr 2013.
    4. Harpreet Dusanjh & A.S. Sidhu, 2009. "Multi-spillover Effects of Multinational Corporations on Host Countries," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 10(2), pages 243-260, July.
    5. Geoffrey G. Gachino, 2014. "Foreign Investment and Technological Spillovers in Kenya: Extent and Mode of Occurrence," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 82(3), pages 422-442, September.
    6. Cirera,Xavier & Comin,Diego Adolfo & Vargas Da Cruz,Marcio Jose & Lee,Kyungmin & Soares Martins Neto,Antonio, 2021. "Firm-Level Technology Adoption in the State of Ceara in Brazil," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9568, The World Bank.
    7. Petracco,Carly Kathleen & Sanchez-Reaza,Javier, 2018. "Tanzania Jobs Diagnostic," Jobs Group Papers, Notes, and Guides 30898333, The World Bank.
    8. Gachino, Geoffrey, 2006. "Foreign Direct Investment, Firm-Level Capabilities and Human Capital Development: Evidence from Kenyan Manufacturing Industry," MERIT Working Papers 2006-014, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    9. Yuping Deng & Yanrui Wu & Helian Xu, 2019. "Environmental Regulation and Export Product Quality: Evidence from Chinese Firms," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 19-14, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    10. Keshari, Pradeep Kumar, 2012. "FDI and firm level export competitiveness in the Indian machinery industry," MPRA Paper 47069, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Hezron M. Osano & Pauline W. Koine, 2016. "Role of foreign direct investment on technology transfer and economic growth in Kenya: a case of the energy sector," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 1-25, December.
    12. Figueiredo, Paulo N., 2008. "Industrial Policy Changes and Firm-Level Technological Capability Development: Evidence from Northern Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 55-88, January.
    13. Rahmah Ismail & Aliya Rosa & Noorasiah Sulaiman, 2012. "Globalisation and Labour Productivity in the Malaysian Manufacturing Sector," Review of Economics & Finance, Better Advances Press, Canada, vol. 2, pages 76-86, May.
    14. Badi H. Baltagi & Peter H. Egger & Michaela Kesina, 2016. "Firm‐Level Productivity Spillovers in China's Chemical Industry: A Spatial Hausman‐Taylor Approach," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 214-248, January.
    15. Gachino, Geoffrey, 2007. "Foreign direct investment and firm level productivity - A panel data analysis," MERIT Working Papers 2007-016, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    16. Jodie Keane, 2013. "Rethinking Trade Preferences for Sub-Saharan Africa: How Can Trade in Tasks Be the Potential Lifeline?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 31(4), pages 443-462, July.
    17. Bethuel Kinyanjui Kinuthia, 2017. "Export Spillovers: Comparative Evidence From Kenya and Malaysia," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 26(1), pages 24-51.
    18. Baliamoune-Lutz, Mina & Basuony, Mohamed A. K. & Lutz, Stefan & Mohamed, Ehab K. A., 2022. "International ownership and SMEs in Middle Eastern and African economies," Working Paper Series 22, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Business and Law.
    19. Peerally, Jahan Ara & Cantwell, John A, 2012. "Changes in Trade Policies and the Heterogeneity of Domestic and Multinational Firms’ Strategic Response: The Effects on Firm-Level Capabilities," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 469-485.
    20. Ahmed Fayez Abdelgouad & Christian Pfeifer & John P Weche Gelübcke, 2015. "Ownership structure and firm performance in the Egyptian manufacturing sector," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(4), pages 2197-2212.
    21. Cirera,Xavier & Comin,Diego Adolfo & Vargas Da Cruz,Marcio Jose & Lee,Kyungmin, 2021. "Firm-Level Adoption of Technologies in Senegal," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9657, The World Bank.
    22. Adugna Lemi & Ian Wright, 2020. "Exports, foreign ownership, and firm-level efficiency in Ethiopia and Kenya: an application of the stochastic frontier model," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 669-698, February.
    23. Radovan Kastratović, 2020. "The impact of foreign direct investment on host country exports: A meta‐analysis," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(12), pages 3142-3183, December.

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