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Be productive or face decline. On the sources and determinants of output growth in Italian manufacturing firms

Author

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  • Francesco Aiello

    (University of Calabria)

  • Camilla Mastromarco

    (University of Salento)

  • Angelo Zago

    (Department of Economics (University of Verona))

Abstract

We investigate the sources and determinants of output growth of Italian manufacturing firms. Applying stochastic frontier techniques, we decompose output growth into factor accumulation and TFP growth from 1998 to 2003. TFP growth is further decomposed into technological change, efficiency change, and scale effects.We find that both input accumulation and TFP growth are important in explaining output growth. In addition, efficiency change (technological catch-up) is the most significant component of TFP growth. Finally, using a specific formulation of the asymmetric error component, we find that R&D spillovers, banking efficiency and public infrastructures have statistically significant and economically relevant effects on the technological catch-up.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Aiello & Camilla Mastromarco & Angelo Zago, 2008. "Be productive or face decline. On the sources and determinants of output growth in Italian manufacturing firms," Working Papers 46/2008, University of Verona, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ver:wpaper:46/2008
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    Cited by:

    1. Kellermann, Magnus A., 2015. "Total Factor Productivity Decomposition and Unobserved Heterogeneity in Stochastic Frontier Models," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 44(1), pages 1-25, April.
    2. Giuseppe Albanese & Giuseppe Marinelli, 2013. "Organized Crime and Productivity: Evidence from Firm-Level Data," Rivista italiana degli economisti, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 3, pages 367-394.
    3. Francesco Aiello & Fernanda Ricotta, 2014. "Firm heterogeneity in productivity across Europe. What explains what?," ERSA conference papers ersa14p808, European Regional Science Association.
    4. Francesca Marino, 2013. "The Italian productivity slowdown in a Real Business Cycle perspective," SERIES 0046, Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", revised Apr 2013.
    5. Camilla Mastromarco & Léopold Simar & Valentin Zelenyuk, 2021. "Predicting recessions with a frontier measure of output gap: an application to Italian economy," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(6), pages 2701-2740, June.
    6. Francesco Aiello & Fernanda Ricotta, 2016. "Firm heterogeneity in productivity across Europe: evidence from multilevel models," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 57-89, January.
    7. Francesca Marino, 2016. "The Italian productivity slowdown in a Real Business Cycle perspective," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 63(2), pages 171-193, June.
    8. Mastromarco, Camilla & Zago, Angelo, 2012. "On modeling the determinants of TFP growth," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 373-382.
    9. Bibhuti Sarker, 2023. "Foreign firms in the industry frontier and productivity convergence: Importance of proximity and firm attributes," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 906-925, March.
    10. Dipanwita Sarkar & Trevor C. Collier, 2019. "Does host-country education mitigate immigrant inefficiency? Evidence from earnings of Australian university graduates," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 81-106, January.
    11. Dyah Wulan Sari & Noor Aini Khalifah & Suyanto Suyanto, 2016. "The spillover effects of foreign direct investment on the firms’ productivity performances," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 199-233, December.
    12. Wang, Jue & Liu, Xiaming & Wei, Yingqi & Wang, Chengang, 2014. "Cultural Proximity and Local Firms’ catch up with Multinational Enterprises," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1-13.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    growth accounting; stochastic frontiers; TFP; R&D spillovers; banking efficiency; infrastructure; Italian manufacturing firms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures

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