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Structural breaks, rural transformation and total factor productivity growth in China

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  • Kefei You
  • Nicholas Sarantis

Abstract

This paper carries out an empirical investigation into the contribution of rural transformation, which can produce efficiency gains over and above those associated with technical progress, to total factor productivity in China during the post-reform period 1980–2010. For the first time for China, the roles of rural transformation and technical progress are examined whilst structural breaks are taken into account. We employ Bai and Perron (Econometrica 66:47–68, 1998 ; J Appl Econom 18:1–22, 2003a ; Econom J 6:72–78, 2003b ) methods which allow for multiple structural breaks at unknown dates and can be applied for both pure and partial structural changes. We also evaluate the robustness of our results by employing alternative production functions and two capital series. Two structural breaks near the Tiananmen Square incident in 1989 and the implementation of further reforms and opening-up measures in 1995 were identified for both capital series. We found the contribution of rural transformation to total factor productivity to be significant and positive across all regimes. However, its importance to the growth of total factor productivity has been declining over time, while that of technical progress has been increasing. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Kefei You & Nicholas Sarantis, 2013. "Structural breaks, rural transformation and total factor productivity growth in China," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 231-242, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jproda:v:39:y:2013:i:3:p:231-242
    DOI: 10.1007/s11123-012-0285-z
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    2. Eunice Adu-Darko & Emmanuel K Aidoo, 2022. "Government Stability in the Remittance-Economic Growth Link in Ghana," International Journal of Applied Economics, Finance and Accounting, Online Academic Press, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14.
    3. You, Kefei & Bianco, Silvia Dal & Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph, 2020. "Closing Technological Gaps to Alleviate Poverty: Evidence from 17 Sub-Saharan African Countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. Shaohua Zhang & Tzu-Pu Chang & Li-Chuan Liao, 2020. "A Dual Challenge in China’s Sustainable Total Factor Productivity Growth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-17, July.
    5. Hu, Dengfeng & You, Kefei & Esiyok, Bulent, 2021. "Foreign direct investment among developing markets and its technological impact on host: Evidence from spatial analysis of Chinese investment in Africa," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Structural breaks; Rural transformation; Total factor productivity; China; O30; O47; O53;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • 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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