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Productivity and structural heterogeneity in the Brazilian manufacturing sector: trends and determinants

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  • Eva Yamila Catela
  • Mario Cimoli
  • Gabriel Porcile

Abstract

This paper discusses the evolution of firmsù productivity and structural heterogeneity (SH) in the Brazilian manufacturing industry in the 2000s. SH is defined (following the Latin American structuralist tradition) as a situation in which a large share of total firms is in the lowest productivity groups of the production structure, and there are very large differences in labour productivity between groups and firms. The paper combines and makes compatible several databases on manufacturing production, innovation and micro-social data for Brazil, in order to measure productivity and SH, to analyze its evolution between 2000 and 2008, and to discuss its determinants. Econometric analyses (k-means cluster methodology to identify productivity groups, and ordered probit models to analyse the determinants of SH) show that increasing returns in innovation and learning prevailed in the 2000s, while policies failed to encourage the catching up process by laggard firms. As a result, SH did not fall in the Brazilian manufacturing sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Eva Yamila Catela & Mario Cimoli & Gabriel Porcile, 2012. "Productivity and structural heterogeneity in the Brazilian manufacturing sector: trends and determinants," LEM Papers Series 2012/20, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2012/20
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    Cited by:

    1. Luna, Ivette & Hiratuka, Celio & Haddad Netto, Elias Youssef, 2016. "Survival of the fittest or does size matter: What are the main drivers of Productivity in Brazil?," MPRA Paper 78208, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2016.
    2. Paola Azar, 2020. "Politics as a determinant of primary school provision The case of Uruguay, 1914-1954," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 20-07, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    3. Carlos Bianchi & Hugo Laguna, 2020. "Firm’s innovation strategies and employment: new evidence from Uruguay," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 20-06, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    4. Caterina Santi & Pietro Santoleri, 2017. "Exploring the link between innovation and growth in Chilean firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 445-467, August.
    5. Carmem Feijo & Marcos Tostes Lamonica & Sergiany da Silva Lima, 2022. "Growth and stagnation in a dual economy: The case of Brazil," PSL Quarterly Review, Economia civile, vol. 75(301), pages 119-138.

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    Keywords

    Structural heterogeneity; technological change; productivity growth; technological asymmetries;
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