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Structural reforms and firms'productivity : evidence from developing countries

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  • Tapsoba,Sampawende J.-A.
  • Kouame,Wilfried Anicet Kouakou

Abstract

This paper assesses the effects of selected structural reforms on labor productivity growth for 37 developing countries over 2006-14. It combines newly constructed reform indexes using the International Monetary Fund's Monitoring of Fund Arrangements data set and firm-level productivity from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys. The paper highlights the following results. Structural reforms under consideration in this study -- financial, fiscal, real sector, and trade reforms -- significantly improve productivity at the firm level. Interestingly, real sector reforms have the most sizable effects on firms'productivity. The relationship between reforms and productivity is nonlinear and shaped by certain characteristics of firms, including financial access, a distortionary environment, and firms'size. The pace of reforms matters, since being a ?strong reformer? is associated with a clear productivity dividend for firms. Finally, except for financial and trade reforms, all the macroeconomic reforms considered are bilaterally complementary in improving firms'productivity. These findings are robust to several sensitivity checks, including alternative methodologies and measures of productivity, and a counterfactual experiment based on unsuccessful reforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Tapsoba,Sampawende J.-A. & Kouame,Wilfried Anicet Kouakou, 2018. "Structural reforms and firms'productivity : evidence from developing countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8308, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:8308
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    Cited by:

    1. Oludele Emmanuel Folarin, 2019. "Financial reforms and industrialisation: evidence from Nigeria," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 21(1), pages 166-189, June.
    2. Kwamivi Gomado, 2022. "Reigniting labour productivity growth in developing countries: Do structural reforms matter?," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-87, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Liu, Hongxun & Gao, Jinfeng & Tian, Peng & Ma, Xiaoming & Meng, Guanfei & Yang, Jingnan & Li, Zhi, 2023. "The impact of environmental regulation on productivity with co-production of goods and bads," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    4. Guenette,Justin Damien, 2020. "Price Controls : Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9212, The World Bank.
    5. Bambe, Bao-We-Wal & Combes, Jean-Louis & Kaba, Kabinet & Minea, Alexandru, 2024. "Inflation targeting and firm performance in developing countries," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    6. Brendan Epstein & Alan Finkelstein Shapiro, 2021. "Increasing Domestic Financial Participation: Implications for Business Cycles and Labor Markets," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 39, pages 128-145, January.
    7. Konté,Maty & Kouame,Wilfried Anicet Kouakou & Mensah,Emmanuel Buadi, 2021. "Structural Reforms and Productivity Growth in Developing Countries : Intra- or Inter-Reallocation Channel ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9733, The World Bank.
    8. Roman Fossati & Heiko Rachinger & Matheus Stivali, 2021. "Extent and potential determinants of resource misallocation: A cross‐sectional study for developing countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(5), pages 1338-1379, May.
    9. Fan, Xia & Li, Chuanju, 2025. "Credit-pool policy and new energy vehicle industrial innovation from the perspective of market regulation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    10. Zhaohua Zhang & Zhao Zhang & Xin Wang & Derrick Robinson, 2023. "Unraveling the rectifying role of transportation improvement on resource misallocation among manufacturing firms in China–Facts and mechanism," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(8), pages 1-22, August.
    11. Nesma Ali & Boris Najman, 2019. "Cronyism, firms’ Productivity and Informal Competition in Egypt," Working Papers 1292, Economic Research Forum, revised 2019.
    12. Maty Konte & Godsway Korku Tetteh, 2023. "Mobile money, traditional financial services and firm productivity in Africa," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 745-769, February.
    13. Blagica Petreski & Marjan Petreski, 2025. "Enhancing business productivity: A comprehensive analysis of productivity and its drivers in firms in North Macedonia," Finance Think Policy Studies 2025-12/58, Finance Think - Economic Research and Policy Institute.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • O23 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Development
    • O24 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy

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