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Older and slower: The startup deficit’s lasting effects on aggregate productivity growth

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  • Alon, Titan
  • Berger, David
  • Dent, Robert
  • Pugsley, Benjamin

Abstract

Declining firm entry and the aging incumbent firms have meaningful implications for sluggish U.S. aggregate productivity growth. We provide a framework to characterize the contributions to industry productivity growth across the firm age distribution then apply it to firm-level Census data. Several findings emerge: the relationship between firm age and productivity growth is downward sloping and convex; the magnitudes are substantial but fade quickly; selection and reallocation predominantly drive higher productivity growth of young firms. Our results suggest a cumulative drag on aggregate productivity of 3.1% since 1980 and are expanded upon with an IV strategy and standard model of firm dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Alon, Titan & Berger, David & Dent, Robert & Pugsley, Benjamin, 2018. "Older and slower: The startup deficit’s lasting effects on aggregate productivity growth," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 68-85.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:moneco:v:93:y:2018:i:c:p:68-85
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoneco.2017.10.004
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entry rate; Firm age; Productivity growth; Business dynamism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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