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Misallocation across establishment gender

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  • Ranasinghe, Ashantha

Abstract

I find substantial differences in the extent of misallocation across male and female-led establishments spanning many low and middle-income countries. Across broad geographic regions, female establishments face higher distortions to operating a business which are primarily due to higher capital distortions. Equalizing distortions across gender increases female sales shares and can imply proportionally large increases in TFP attributed to women. Regression estimates show that higher female distortions are negatively associated with economic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Ranasinghe, Ashantha, 2024. "Misallocation across establishment gender," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 183-206.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:52:y:2024:i:1:p:183-206
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2023.06.007
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    Cited by:

    1. Miguel Angel, 2023. "Differences in the labor market by gender and aggregate income," Sobre México. Revista de Economía, Sobre México. Temas en economía, vol. 1(7), pages 84-114.
    2. Cao, Wenbin & Duan, Xiaoman & Niu, Xu, 2023. "Access to finance, bureaucracy, and capital allocation efficiency," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 125.
    3. Chiplunkar, Gaurav & Goldberg, Pinelopi Koujianou, 2024. "Aggregate Implications of Barriers to Female Entrepreneurship," IZA Discussion Papers 17281, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Ranasinghe, Ashantha, 2024. "Gender specific distortions, entrepreneurship and misallocation," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    5. Kumari, Ranpati Dewage Thilini Sumudu & Chen, Shawn Xiaoguang & Li, Bei & Tang, Sam Hak Kan, 2023. "Can land misallocation be a greater barrier to development than capital? Evidence from manufacturing firms in Sri Lanka," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    6. Miguel A. Mascarúa Lara, 2024. "Differences in the labor market by gender and aggregate income," Working Papers 2024-05, Banco de México.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Misallocation; Gender; Productivity; Micro data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity
    • O5 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies

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