IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/diw/diwwpp/dp722.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Downsizing in German Chemical Manufacturing Industry during the 1990s: Why Small Is Beautiful?

Author

Listed:
  • Oleg Badunenko

Abstract

German chemical manufacturing industry is marked by two major structural changes during 1992-2004. Firstly, number of firms was ranging extensively: from 676 to 901, while only 96 firms represented balanced panel. Secondly, size of the firm dropped considerably-by 88%. This paper is intended to shed light on both phenomena. Based on reliable census data analysis suggests the former evidence be explained (i) by persistent poor performance of firms and (ii) by so called "general purpose technology" argument. The latter phenomenon was found to be a rational behaviour because numerous firms continually operated under decreasing returns to scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Oleg Badunenko, 2007. "Downsizing in German Chemical Manufacturing Industry during the 1990s: Why Small Is Beautiful?," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 722, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp722
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.63383.de/dp722.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Helpman, Elhanan & Rangel, Antonio, 1999. "Adjusting to a New Technology: Experience and Training," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 4(4), pages 359-383, December.
    2. David Audretsch & Julie Elston, 2006. "Can Institutional Change Impact High-technology Firm Growth?: Evidence from Germany’s Neuer Markt," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 9-23, April.
    3. Gene M. Grossman & Elhanan Helpman, 2005. "Outsourcing in a Global Economy," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 72(1), pages 135-159.
    4. Banker, Rajiv D., 1984. "Estimating most productive scale size using data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 35-44, July.
    5. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    6. Fare, Rolf & Zelenyuk, Valentin, 2003. "On aggregate Farrell efficiencies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(3), pages 615-620, May.
    7. Baldwin,John R. & Gorecki,Paul With contributions by-Name:Caves,Richard E. With contributions by-Name:Dunne,Tim With contributions by-Name:Haltiwanger,John, 1998. "The Dynamics of Industrial Competition," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521633574, Enero-Abr.
      • Baldwin,John R. & Gorecki,Paul With contributions by-Name:Caves,Richard E. With contributions by-Name:Dunne,Tim With contributions by-Name:Haltiwanger,John, 1995. "The Dynamics of Industrial Competition," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521465618, Enero-Abr.
    8. Oulton,Nicholas & O'Mahony,Mary, 1994. "Productivity and Growth," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521453455, Enero-Abr.
    9. Cazals, Catherine & Florens, Jean-Pierre & Simar, Leopold, 2002. "Nonparametric frontier estimation: a robust approach," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 106(1), pages 1-25, January.
    10. Audretsch, David B & Elston, Julie A, 1997. "Financing the German Mittelstand," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 97-110, April.
    11. repec:bla:scandj:v:87:y:1985:i:4:p:594-604 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Alvarez, Roberto & Crespi, Gustavo, 2003. "Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Small Firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 233-244, May.
    13. Daouia, Abdelaati & Simar, Leopold, 2007. "Nonparametric efficiency analysis: A multivariate conditional quantile approach," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 140(2), pages 375-400, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Oleg Badunenko, 2010. "Downsizing in the German chemical manufacturing industry during the 1990s. Why is small beautiful?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 413-431, May.
    2. Léopold Simar & Paul W. Wilson, 2015. "Statistical Approaches for Non-parametric Frontier Models: A Guided Tour," International Statistical Review, International Statistical Institute, vol. 83(1), pages 77-110, April.
    3. Bao Hoang Nguyen & Valentin Zelenyuk, 2021. "Aggregation of Outputs and Inputs for DEA Analysis of Hospital Efficiency: Economics, Operations Research and Data Science Perspectives," International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, in: Joe Zhu & Vincent Charles (ed.), Data-Enabled Analytics, pages 123-158, Springer.
    4. Bao Hoang Nguyen & Valentin Zelenyuk, 2020. "Robust efficiency analysis of public hospitals in Queensland, Australia," CEPA Working Papers Series WP052020, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    5. Franz R. Hahn, 2007. "Determinants of Bank Efficiency in Europe. Assessing Bank Performance Across Markets," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 31499, June.
    6. Atwood, Joseph & Shaik, Saleem, 2020. "Theory and statistical properties of Quantile Data Envelopment Analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 286(2), pages 649-661.
    7. Rogge, Nicky, 2009. "Robust benevolent evaluations of teaching performance," Working Papers 2009/21, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Economie en Management.
    8. Caitlin O’Loughlin & Léopold Simar & Paul W. Wilson, 2023. "Methodologies for assessing government efficiency," Chapters, in: António Afonso & João Tovar Jalles & Ana Venâncio (ed.), Handbook on Public Sector Efficiency, chapter 4, pages 72-101, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Zelenyuk, Valentin, 2015. "Aggregation of scale efficiency," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 240(1), pages 269-277.
    10. Calogero Guccio & Domenico Lisi & Marco Martorana & Anna Mignosa, 2017. "On the role of cultural participation in tourism destination performance: an assessment using robust conditional efficiency approach," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 41(2), pages 129-154, May.
    11. Shiu, Alice & Zelenyuk, Valentin, 2009. "Production Efficiency versus Ownership: The Case of China," MPRA Paper 23760, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 22 Mar 2010.
    12. Kristof Witte & Rui Marques, 2010. "Influential observations in frontier models, a robust non-oriented approach to the water sector," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 181(1), pages 377-392, December.
    13. Cherchye, Laurens & Rock, Bram De & Saelens, Dieter & Verschelde, Marijn & Roets, Bart, 2024. "Productive efficiency analysis with unobserved inputs: An application to endogenous automation in railway traffic management," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 313(2), pages 678-690.
    14. Cinzia Daraio & Léopold Simar & Paul W. Wilson, 2020. "Fast and efficient computation of directional distance estimators," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 288(2), pages 805-835, May.
    15. Rajesh Natarajan & Malathy Duraisamy, 2008. "Efficiency and productivity in the Indian unorganized manufacturing sector: did reforms matter?," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 55(4), pages 373-399, December.
    16. Kristof Witte & Nicky Rogge, 2010. "To publish or not to publish? On the aggregation and drivers of research performance," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 85(3), pages 657-680, December.
    17. S Blancard & J-P Boussemart & H Leleu, 2011. "Measuring potential gains from specialization under non-convex technologies," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(10), pages 1871-1880, October.
    18. Alda A. Henriques & Milton Fontes & Ana S. Camanho & Giovanna D’Inverno & Pedro Amorim & Jaime Gabriel Silva, 2022. "Performance evaluation of problematic samples: a robust nonparametric approach for wastewater treatment plants," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 315(1), pages 193-220, August.
    19. Luiz Chabalgoity & Emerson Marinho & Mauricio Benegas & Paulo de M. Jorge Neto, 2005. "The Impact Of De-Regulamentation On The Brazilian Banking Industry: A Production Metafrontier Approach," Anais do XXXIII Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 33rd Brazilian Economics Meeting] 093, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    20. Greco, Salvatore & Ishizaka, Alessio & Tasiou, Menelaos & Torrisi, Gianpiero, 2019. "Sigma-Mu efficiency analysis: A methodology for evaluating units through composite indicators," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 278(3), pages 942-960.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    DEA; technical and scale efficiency; technological change; firm size; firm level data; chemical manufacturing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L65 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Chemicals; Rubber; Drugs; Biotechnology; Plastics

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp722. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Bibliothek (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/diwbede.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.