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Infrastructures and Productivity: A Country-Sector Panel Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Paolo E. Giordani

  • Alberto Petrucci
  • Alberto Franco Pozzolo

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of physical infrastructures on sectoral total factor productivity (TFP). In the first part, a neoclassical growth model with multiple productive sectors and public capital (in the form of infrastructures) uncovers a long-run relationship between infrastructures and sectoral TFP. In the second part, a panel-cointegration analysis evaluates the long-run impact of 4 distinct types of infrastructures-transport, energy, ICT, health-on the TFPs of 22 manufacturing sectors in a sample of 65 (developed and emerging) countries between 1995 and 2018. We find that infrastructures are a positive and significant determinant of sectoral TFPs. A panel error-correction model also confirms that causality runs from infrastructures to TFPs. These results are robust to further empirical analysis conducted on sub-samples segmented by several dimensions. Our findings can inform policy in designing targeted interventions and prioritizing investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Paolo E. Giordani & Alberto Petrucci & Alberto Franco Pozzolo, 2025. "Infrastructures and Productivity: A Country-Sector Panel Analysis," Development Working Papers 505, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    • Handle: RePEc:csl:devewp:505
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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