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Trade liberalization and productivity growth in Australian manufacturing industries

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  • Renuka Mahadevan

Abstract

Although there has been a revival of interest in the trade-growth nexus, the impact of trade liberalization on productivity gains remains empirical, given the ambiguity in the literature on this issue. This paper examines the case for Australia using annual data of eight two-digit manufacturing industries from 1968–69 to 1994–95. Unlike earlier studies, total factor productivity growth is first decomposed into technological progress and gains in technical efficiency, and the effect of trade liberalization is then investigated separately on TFP growth, as well as on each of the components of TFP growth. The empirical finding that trade liberalization has a positive and significant effect on technological progress, but no significant effect on gains in technical efficiency, adds yet another dimension to the evaluation of trade liberalization policies. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2002

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  • Renuka Mahadevan, 2002. "Trade liberalization and productivity growth in Australian manufacturing industries," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 30(2), pages 170-185, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:30:y:2002:i:2:p:170-185
    DOI: 10.1007/BF02299160
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    2. Dean Parham, 2004. "Sources of Australia's Productivity Revival," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 80(249), pages 239-257, June.
    3. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Australia: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/354, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Alfons Palangkaraya & Jongsay Yong, 2011. "Trade Liberalisation, Exit, and Output and Employment Adjustments of Australian Manufacturing Establishments," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Jayanthakumaran, Kankesu, 2004. "An Empirical Assessment of the Impact of Intra-Industry Trade on Employment: Australia 1989/90-2000/01," Economics Working Papers wp04-11, School of Economics, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
    6. Jayanthakumaran, Kankesu & Neri, Frank, 2004. "Trade Reforms and Changes in Australian Manufactured Exports," Economics Working Papers wp04-09, School of Economics, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
    7. Bopage Lionel & Sharma Kishor, 2014. "Trade Liberalization and Productivity Performance: Evidence from the Australian Passenger Motor Vehicle Industry," Global Economy Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 14(3-4), pages 467-485, October.
    8. Lionel Bopage & Kishor Sharma, 2014. "Liberalization and Structural Change in Australian Automotive Industry: An Analysis of Trade and Productivity Performance: 1962–2008," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 15(3), pages 447-460, September.
    9. Sanidas, Elias & Jayanthakumaran, Kankesu, 2006. "The Consequences of Trade Liberalisation on the Australian Passenger Motor Vehicle Industry," Economics Working Papers wp06-01, School of Economics, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
    10. Valadkhani, Abbas, 2005. "Which Industries Create More Employment? A Cross-Country Analysis," Economics Working Papers wp05-07, School of Economics, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
    11. Turnbull, Christopher & Sun, Sizhong & Anwar, Sajid, 2016. "Trade liberalisation, inward FDI and productivity within Australia’s manufacturing sector," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 41-51.

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