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Analyzing China's productivity growth: Evidence from manufacturing industries

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  • Liu, Tung
  • Li, Kui-Wai

Abstract

This article examines the growth attributes of manufacturing industries in China for the sample period of 1999–2007. The output growth of manufacturing industries classified under four groups and four regions is decomposed into four components of input growth, scale effect, technical progress, and technical efficiency change. A stochastic frontier model is applied to the translog production function to estimate technical efficiency. Despite the conventional argument that input growth and technical progress are important factors to output growth, the empirical findings show a significant scale effect but a weak technical efficiency change. The contribution to growth from labor has been replaced by human and physical capitals. Structural transformation in the industrial sector is evident, so as regional imbalances.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Tung & Li, Kui-Wai, 2012. "Analyzing China's productivity growth: Evidence from manufacturing industries," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 531-551.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecosys:v:36:y:2012:i:4:p:531-551
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecosys.2012.03.003
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    2. Ipatova, Irina, 2015. "The dynamics of total factor productivity and its components: Russian plastic production," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 21-40.
    3. Kui-Wai Li, 2018. "Analyzing The Tfp Performance Of Chinese Industrial Enterprises," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 63(05), pages 1263-1284, December.
    4. Michael D. Clemes & Baiding Hu & Xuedong Li, 2016. "Services and economic growth in China: an empirical analysis," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(4), pages 612-627, October.
    5. Na Yu & Chunfeng Zhao, 2021. "Chain Innovation Mechanism of the Manufacturing Industry in the Yangtze River Delta of China Based on Evolutionary Game," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-20, August.
    6. Miyakoshi, Tatsuyoshi & Shimada, Junji & Li, Kui-Wai, 2023. "A network analysis on country and financial center attractiveness: Evidence from Asian economies, 2001–2018," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 418-432.
    7. Huang, Minjie & Zhao, Shunan & Kumbhakar, Subal C., 2022. "Decomposition of Output, Productivity and Market Structure Changes," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 303(1), pages 422-437.
    8. Wang, Tianyu & Li, Kui-Wai, 2018. "Examining the liquidity and productivity relationship: Evidence from post-reform China," MPRA Paper 100837, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 31 May 2020.
    9. Li, Zhan, 2020. "Are Capital And Labor Inputs Properly Measured In China?," SSPJ Discussion Paper Series DP19-006, Service Sector Productivity in Japan: Determinants and Policies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    10. Ipatova, Irina & Peresetsky, Аnatoly, 2013. "Technical efficiency of Russian plastic and rubber production firms," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 32(4), pages 71-92.
    11. Zhuhua Jiang & Chizheng Miao & Jose Arreola Hernandez & Seong-Min Yoon, 2022. "Effect of Increasing Import Competition from China on the Local Labor Market: Evidence from Sweden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    China industries; Productivity; Efficiency; Technical progress; Stochastic frontier model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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