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Natural Disaster and Natural Selection

Author

Listed:
  • Uchida, Hirofumi
  • Miyakawa, Daisuke
  • Hosono, Kaoru
  • Ono, Arito
  • Uchino, Taisuke
  • Uesugi, Iichiro

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate whether a natural selection mechanism works for firm exit. By using data of firms after a devastating earthquake, the Greeat Tohoku Earthquake, we examine the impact of firm efficiency on firm exit both inside and outside the earthquake-affected areas. We find evidence suggesting that more efficeint firms are less likely to exit both inside and outside the affected areas, which supports the natural selection mechanism. However, we also find that the mechanism is weaker for those firms whose main banks were damaged by the earthquake, which suggests that damage to banks weakens the natural selection mechanism. We also apply the same methodology to the case of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and again find that the natural selection mechanism works both inside and outside the affected areas. However, no significant impact of bank damage is found on the exit probability of a firm.

Suggested Citation

  • Uchida, Hirofumi & Miyakawa, Daisuke & Hosono, Kaoru & Ono, Arito & Uchino, Taisuke & Uesugi, Iichiro, 2013. "Natural Disaster and Natural Selection," Working Paper Series 25, Center for Interfirm Network, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:hit:cinwps:25
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    Cited by:

    1. Hayakawa, Kazunobu & Matsuura, Toshiyuki & Okubo, Fumihiro, 2015. "Firm-level impacts of natural disasters on production networks: Evidence from a flood in Thailand," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 244-259.
    2. Ono, Arito & Miyakawa, Daisuke & Hosono, Kaoru & Uchida, Hirofumi & Uchino, Taisuke & Uesugi, Iichiro, 2014. "Transaction Partners and Firm Relocation Choice: Evidence from the Tohoku Earthquake," HIT-REFINED Working Paper Series 11, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    3. Aloysius Gunadi Brata & Henri L. F. De Groot & Wouter Zant, 2018. "Shaking up the Firm Survival: Evidence from Yogyakarta (Indonesia)," Economies, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, April.
    4. Uchida, Hirofumi & Miyakawa, Daisuke & Hosono, Kaoru & Ono, Arito & Uchino, Taisuke & Uesugi, Iichiro, 2015. "Financial shocks, bankruptcy, and natural selection," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 123-135.
    5. Fujin Zhou & Wouter Botzen, 2021. "Firm Level Evidence of Disaster Impacts on Growth in Vietnam," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 79(2), pages 277-322, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    firm exit; natural selection; earthquake; natural disaster; evergreening;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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