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On the productive efficiency of Australian businesses: firm size and age class effects

Author

Listed:
  • Marc Cowling

    (University of Brighton)

  • George Tanewski

    (Deakin University)

Abstract

After 26 years of growth, the Australian economy is beginning to show signs of stress and declining productivity. In this paper, we consider aspects of productive efficiency using an Australian business population data set. Using a production function approach, several key findings are uncovered. Firstly, decreasing returns to scale are identified as a significant feature of the Australian business sector. This implies that not all firm growth will lead to productivity gains. Secondly, there are significant differences in the way value added is created between small and large firms. In the largest 25% of firms, the capital contribution to value added is four times that of the smallest 25% of firms. Thirdly, efficiency follows an inverted ‘U’ shaped in firm age with the youngest (0–2 years) and oldest (> 9 years) firms being less productive than the middle 50% of firms. Fourthly, there are also huge industry sector variations in productivity. In particular, financial services appears to be the most productively efficient sector in the Australian economy and mining the least efficient.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc Cowling & George Tanewski, 2019. "On the productive efficiency of Australian businesses: firm size and age class effects," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 739-752, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:53:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s11187-018-0070-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-018-0070-0
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    2. Sasan Bakhtiari, 2020. "Do manufacturing entrepreneurs in Australia have (or develop) a productivity advantage?," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 321-338, June.
    3. Mustapha Douch & Huw Edwards & Sushanta Mallick, 2022. "The UK Productivity Puzzle: Does Firm Cohort matter for their Performance following the Financial Crisis?," Bank of Lithuania Working Paper Series 101, Bank of Lithuania.
    4. Antonio Arbelo & Marta Arbelo-Pérez & Pilar Pérez-Gómez, 2022. "Are SMEs less efficient? A Bayesian approach to addressing heterogeneity across firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1915-1929, April.
    5. Ku-Hsieh Chen & Pei-Hwa Chen & Julie Ann Elston & Yingchao Zhang, 2023. "Are family firms more efficient? Revisiting the U-shaped curve of scale and efficiency," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 983-1008, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Productivity; Firm size; Firm age; Capital and labour effects; Technology;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production

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