IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/eurjdr/v36y2024i1d10.1057_s41287-023-00599-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Why is Labor in the SSA LDCs Moving from One Low Productivity Sector to Another?

Author

Listed:
  • Ngwinui Belinda Azenui

    (Denison University)

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between structural change, as measured by sectoral composition of employment and value-added (VA), and aggregate productivity growth for sub-Sahara African (SSA) Least Developed Countries (LDCs), using panel data from 1991 to 2018. First, a Granger causality test finds that the relationship between structural change and economic growth is bidirectional. Next, the Pooled Mean Group, a dynamic panel data estimator teases out short-run and long-run effects of structural change on economic growth. The results suggest that the magnitude of labor and VA reallocation across sectors is not large enough to have a significant impact on economic growth, implying that the direction of structural change is important when analyzing its impact on growth in the SSA LDCs. The paper also explains why labor in the SSA LDCs moves from one low productivity sector to another and how that pans out for development.

Suggested Citation

  • Ngwinui Belinda Azenui, 2024. "Why is Labor in the SSA LDCs Moving from One Low Productivity Sector to Another?," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 36(1), pages 216-242, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:36:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41287-023-00599-5
    DOI: 10.1057/s41287-023-00599-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41287-023-00599-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41287-023-00599-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jeffrey D. Sachs & Andrew M. Warner, 1995. "Natural Resource Abundance and Economic Growth," NBER Working Papers 5398, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Codrina Rada, 2007. "Stagnation or transformation of a dual economy through endogenous productivity growth," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 31(5), pages 711-740, September.
    3. Dumitrescu, Elena-Ivona & Hurlin, Christophe, 2012. "Testing for Granger non-causality in heterogeneous panels," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 1450-1460.
    4. Francisco Alcalá & Antonio Ciccone, 2004. "Trade and Productivity," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(2), pages 613-646.
    5. Gaaitzen de Vries & Marcel Timmer & Klaas de Vries, 2015. "Structural Transformation in Africa: Static Gains, Dynamic Losses," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 674-688, June.
    6. Margaret S. McMillan & Dani Rodrik, 2011. "Globalization, Structural Change and Productivity Growth," NBER Working Papers 17143, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Akinlo, A. Enisan, 2004. "Foreign direct investment and growth in Nigeria: An empirical investigation," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 627-639, July.
    8. Andreas Dietrich, 2012. "Does growth cause structural change, or is it the other way around? A dynamic panel data analysis for seven OECD countries," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 915-944, December.
    9. L. Rachel Ngai & Christopher A. Pissarides, 2007. "Structural Change in a Multisector Model of Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(1), pages 429-443, March.
    10. Engle, Robert & Granger, Clive, 2015. "Co-integration and error correction: Representation, estimation, and testing," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 39(3), pages 106-135.
    11. Lilien, David M, 1982. "Sectoral Shifts and Cyclical Unemployment," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 90(4), pages 777-793, August.
    12. Daron Acemoglu & Veronica Guerrieri, 2008. "Capital Deepening and Nonbalanced Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 116(3), pages 467-498, June.
    13. repec:bla:ecorec:v:54:y:1978:i:146:p:261-63 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Lance Taylor & Edmar L. Bacha, 1976. "The Unequalizing Spiral: A First Growth Model for Belindia," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 90(2), pages 197-218.
    15. Uwaoma G. Nwaogu & Michael J. Ryan, 2015. "FDI, Foreign Aid, Remittance and Economic Growth in Developing Countries," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(1), pages 100-115, February.
    16. Berthold Herrendorf & Richard Rogerson & ?kos Valentinyi, 2013. "Two Perspectives on Preferences and Structural Transformation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(7), pages 2752-2789, December.
    17. Azenui, Ngwinui Belinda & Rada, Codrina, 2021. "Labor productivity growth in sub-Sahara African LDCs: sectoral contributions and macroeconomic factors," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 10-26.
    18. Tregenna, Fiona, 2011. "Manufacturing Productivity, Deindustrialization, and Reindustrialization," WIDER Working Paper Series 057, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    19. Michael Peneder & Karl Aiginger & Gernot Hutschenreiter & Markus Marterbauer, 2001. "Structural Change and Economic Growth," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 20668, January.
    20. Dani Rodrik, 2013. "Unconditional Convergence in Manufacturing," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 128(1), pages 165-204.
    21. Fiona Tregenna, 2011. "Manufacturing Productivity, Deindustrialization, and Reindustrialization," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2011-057, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    22. Bwalya, Samuel Mulenga, 2006. "Foreign direct investment and technology spillovers: Evidence from panel data analysis of manufacturing firms in Zambia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 514-526, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. van Neuss, Leif, 2018. "Globalization and deindustrialization in advanced countries," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 49-63.
    2. Herrendorf, Berthold & Rogerson, Richard & Valentinyi, Ákos, 2014. "Growth and Structural Transformation," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 6, pages 855-941, Elsevier.
    3. Ponticelli, Jacopo & Bustos, Paula & Castro-Vincenzi, Juan & Monras, Joan, 2018. "Industrialization without Innovation," CEPR Discussion Papers 13379, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Giulia FELICE, 2009. "Size and composition of public investment, structural change and growth," Departmental Working Papers 2009-28, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano, revised 27 Dec 2011.
    5. Murat Ungor, 2017. "Productivity Growth and Labor Reallocation: Latin America versus East Asia," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 24, pages 25-42, March.
    6. Naudé, Wim, 2019. "Three Varieties of Africa’s Industrial Future," IZA Discussion Papers 12678, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Andreas Dietrich, 2012. "Does growth cause structural change, or is it the other way around? A dynamic panel data analysis for seven OECD countries," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 915-944, December.
    8. Anayochukwu Basil Chukwu & Adeolu O. Adewuyi & Adebowale M. Adeleke & Banji B. Awodumi & Tobechi F. Agbanike, 2022. "Modelling composition of growth, FDI and welfare in Africa: a SEM approach," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 2445-2478, November.
    9. Arsham Reisinezhad, 2018. "Economic Growth and Income Inequality in Resource Countries: Theory and Evidence," PSE Working Papers halshs-01707976, HAL.
    10. Tomasz Swiecki, 2017. "Determinants of Structural Change," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 24, pages 95-131, March.
    11. Betty ASSE & Dalila CHENAF-NICET, 2021. "Note on the role of domestic and external demand on the process of premature deindustrialization," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 54, pages 145-160.
    12. Valeriy V. Mironov & Liudmila D. Konovalova, 2019. "Structural changes and economic growth in the world economy and Russia," Russian Journal of Economics, ARPHA Platform, vol. 5(1), pages 1-26, April.
    13. Naudé, Wim & Tregenna, Fiona, 2023. "Africa's Industrialization Prospects: A Fresh Look," IZA Discussion Papers 16043, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Mensah, Emmanuel B., 2020. "Is sub-Saharan Africa deindustrializing?," MERIT Working Papers 2020-045, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    15. Vu, K.M., 2017. "Structural change and economic growth: Empirical evidence and policy insights from Asian economies," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 64-77.
    16. Magdalena Olczyk & Aleksandra Kordalska, 2018. "Growth And Structural Changes In Transition Countries – The Chicken Or The Egg?," GUT FME Working Paper Series A 49, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology.
    17. Azenui, Ngwinui Belinda & Rada, Codrina, 2021. "Labor productivity growth in sub-Sahara African LDCs: sectoral contributions and macroeconomic factors," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 10-26.
    18. Subhasankar Chattopadhyay, 2022. "Pace of structural change and inter‐sectoral relative price: The case of India and China," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(11), pages 3534-3558, November.
    19. Storesletten, Kjetil & Zhao, Bo & Zilibotti, Fabrizio, 2020. "Business Cycle during Structural Change: Arthur Lewis’ Theory from a Neoclassical Perspective," CEPR Discussion Papers 14964, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    20. Paula Bustos & Juan Manuel Castro Vincenzi & Joan Monras & Jacopo Ponticelli, 2019. "Structural Transformation, Industrial Specialization, and Endogenous Growth," Working Papers wp2019_1906, CEMFI.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Aggregate labor productivity growth; Structural change; Sub-Saharan African LDCs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:36:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41287-023-00599-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.