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To Measure or Not To Measure Total Factor Productivity Growth?

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  • Renuka Mahadevan

Abstract

To date, the concept, measurement and interpretation of total factor productivity (TFP) growth remains highly discussed but poorly understood. This paper attempts to provide a review of these issues. First, the definition of TFP growth and the related concepts of embodied and disembodied technical change are discussed. Second, a brief overview and critique of TFP growth measuring techniques is provided. Third, the debate surrounding the accounting identity underlying the estimation of a production function for TFP growth is highlighted. Fourth, the usefulness of TFP growth is evaluated (and maintained) in the light of the criticisms hurled at this measure. Finally, some direction for future work on TFP growth is suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Renuka Mahadevan, 2003. "To Measure or Not To Measure Total Factor Productivity Growth?," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 365-378.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:oxdevs:v:31:y:2003:i:3:p:365-378
    DOI: 10.1080/1360081032000111742
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    1. Zvi Griliches & Jacques Mairesse, 1995. "Production Functions: The Search for Identification," NBER Working Papers 5067, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    1. Fulvio Coltorti & Daniela Venanzi, 2017. "Productivity, Competitiveness, and Territories of the Italian Medium-Sized Companies," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(12), pages 86-100, December.
    2. Lopamudra D. Satpathy & Bani Chatterjee & Jitendra Mahakud, 2017. "Firm Characteristics and Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing Firms," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 11(1), pages 77-98, February.
    3. Aamer S. Abu-Qarn & Suleiman Abu-Bader, 2009. "Getting Income Shares Right," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 23(3), pages 254-266, August.
    4. Desiree M. Kunene & Renee van Eyden & Petre Caraiani & Rangan Gupta, 2023. "The Predictive Impact of Climate Risk on Total Factor Productivity Growth: 1880-2020," Working Papers 202321, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    5. Miroslav Verbič & Boris Majcen & Olga Ivanova & Mitja Čok, 2011. "R&D and Economic Growth in Slovenia: A Dynamic General Equilibrium Approach with Endogenous Growth," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 58(1), pages 67-89, March.
    6. Rok Spruk & Mitja Kovac, 2018. "Inefficient Growth," Review of Economics and Institutions, Università di Perugia, vol. 9(2).
    7. Md. Rabiul Islam, 2009. "R&D Intensity, Technology Transfer and Absorptive Capacity," Monash Economics Working Papers 13-09, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    8. Sanjay Kumar, 2021. "Structural Changes and Competitiveness of the Steel Industry in India: Assessed by Productivity Growth post Economic Reforms," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 39-50, June.
    9. Anthony Enisan Akinlo, 2005. "Impact of Macroeconomic Factors on Total Factor Productivity in Sub-Saharan African Countries," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2005-39, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Vu, Khuong & Hartley, Kris, 2022. "Sources of transport sector labor productivity performance in industrialized countries: Insights from a decomposition analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 204-218.
    11. Jesus Felipe & J. S. L. McCombie, 2004. "To measure or not to measure TFP growth? A reply to Mahadevan," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(2), pages 321-327.
    12. Yuanjun GE & Fa-Hsiang CHANG, 2021. "Productivity growth in Chinese cities: The agglomeration effect for cross-regional industrial structures," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(4(629), W), pages 91-104, Winter.
    13. Asmita Goswami & K. Narayanan, 2023. "Productivity and Exports: An Industry-Level Analysis of the Service Sector in India," Millennial Asia, , vol. 14(3), pages 379-405, September.
    14. Christian Grovermann & K. B. Umesh & Sylvain Quiédeville & B. Ganesh Kumar & Srinivasaiah S. & Simon Moakes, 2018. "The Economic Reality of Underutilised Crops for Climate Resilience, Food Security and Nutrition: Assessing Finger Millet Productivity in India," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-12, August.
    15. Malgorzata Sulimierska, 2014. "Total factor productivity estimation for Polish manufacturing industry: A comparison of alternative methods," Working Paper Series 6714, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    16. Sangho Kim & Young Hoon Lee, 2006. "The productivity debate of East Asia revisited: a stochastic frontier approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(14), pages 1697-1706.
    17. Hai Quang Nguyen, 2021. "Total Factor Productivity Growth of Vietnamese Enterprises by Sector and Region: Evidence from Panel Data Analysis," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-17, August.
    18. Aamer Abu-Qarn & Suleiman Abu-Bader, 2007. "Getting Income Shares Right: A Panel Data Investigation for OECD Countries," Working Papers 0701, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Economics.
    19. Shao, Liuguo & He, Yingying & Feng, Chao & Zhang, Shijing, 2016. "An empirical analysis of total-factor productivity in 30 sub-sub-sectors of China's nonferrous metal industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 264-269.
    20. Atangana Ondoa Henri & Seabrook Arthur Mveng, 2024. "Economic Freedom and Productivity in Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 3039-3058, March.
    21. Chia-Hung Sun, 2005. "Productivity growth in East Asian manufacturing: a fading miracle or measurement problem?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(1), pages 1-19.
    22. Wu, Wei-Ming & Lin, Jenn-Rong, 2015. "Productivity growth, scale economies, ship size economies and technical progress for the container shipping industry in Taiwan," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 1-16.
    23. Xin Zhang & Xinling Zhang, 2022. "Total Factor Productivity of Herdsmen Animal Husbandry in Pastoral Areas: Regional Differences and Driving Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-17, November.
    24. Arindam Paul & Jayanti Behera & Dukhabandhu Sahoo, 2023. "Do Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Have Asymmetric Impacts on Total Factor Productivity Growth? Evidence From 17 Asia-Pacific Countries," Energy RESEARCH LETTERS, Asia-Pacific Applied Economics Association, vol. 3(4), pages 1-6.

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