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Capital Cost, Technology Choice, and Demand for Skills in Industries in Viet Nam

Author

Listed:
  • Diep Phan

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison and Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), Tokyo)

  • Ian Coxhead

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison and Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), Tokyo)

Abstract

This paper explores the consequences of a policy regime in which state firms enjoy privileged access to capital while private firms are crowded out. Consequently, state firms choose technologies that are capital-intensive and thus demand more skilled labour. Econometric estimates using Viet Nam's enterprise censuses confirm some of the propositions generated by the model. Relative to private firms, state firms have higher fixed capital stocks but do not have lower variable capital costs; they also employ more skilled labour. Also, as predicted, there is a U-shaped relationship between production scale and skills intensity; many private firms (which are mostly small) are limited to labour-intensive techniques and increase output simply by adding unskilled labour, whereas larger firms are more likely to operate at scales at which it is profitable to employ more skills-intensive and efficient technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Diep Phan & Ian Coxhead, 2023. "Capital Cost, Technology Choice, and Demand for Skills in Industries in Viet Nam," Working Papers DP-2023-07, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
    • Handle: RePEc:era:wpaper:dp-2023-07
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Phan, Diep & Coxhead, Ian, 2013. "Long-run costs of piecemeal reform: Wage inequality and returns to education in Vietnam," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 1106-1122.
    2. Esther Duflo, 2001. "Schooling and Labor Market Consequences of School Construction in Indonesia: Evidence from an Unusual Policy Experiment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(4), pages 795-813, September.
    3. H. Zhou, 2001. "The Demand For Labour In Zimbabwe'S Engineering Industry: 1995–1997," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 69(4), pages 734-751, December.
    4. Tinh Doan & Quan Le & Tuyen Quang Tran, 2018. "Lost in Transition? Declining Returns to Education in Vietnam," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(2), pages 195-216, April.
    5. David H. Autor & Lawrence F. Katz & Alan B. Krueger, 1998. "Computing Inequality: Have Computers Changed the Labor Market?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 113(4), pages 1169-1213.
    6. Thorsten Beck & Asli Demirgüç‐Kunt & Vojislav Maksimovic, 2005. "Financial and Legal Constraints to Growth: Does Firm Size Matter?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(1), pages 137-177, February.
    7. Yasar, Mahmut & Morrison Paul, Catherine J., 2008. "Capital-skill complementarity, productivity and wages: Evidence from plant-level data for a developing country," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    state-owned enterprises; Viet Nam; skills intensity; technological choice;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O25 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Industrial Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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