IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/mgtdec/v44y2023i2p906-925.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Foreign firms in the industry frontier and productivity convergence: Importance of proximity and firm attributes

Author

Listed:
  • Bibhuti Sarker

Abstract

This study examines how size and other firm attributes explain establishment‐level productivity catch‐up using an establishment‐level panel dataset from Chile. Results suggest overall productivity convergence with comparatively slower rate to the foreign‐owned component in the frontier. Firms that are small in size, non‐exporter, non‐importer, and low technology‐concentrated demonstrate greater catch‐up rate. Additionally, foreign‐invested firms (FIFs) exhibit faster catch‐up rate to the industry frontier than their domestic counterparts. Finally, geographic proximity to the frontier significantly boosts the catch‐up rate. Results are robust to the inclusion of firm‐level control variables and sample selection bias, and the estimated catch‐up rate is not sensitive to sample size.

Suggested Citation

  • Bibhuti Sarker, 2023. "Foreign firms in the industry frontier and productivity convergence: Importance of proximity and firm attributes," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 906-925, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:44:y:2023:i:2:p:906-925
    DOI: 10.1002/mde.3721
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3721
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/mde.3721?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Balasubramanyam, V N & Salisu, M & Sapsford, David, 1996. "Foreign Direct Investment and Growth in EP and IS Countries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 106(434), pages 92-105, January.
    2. Richard Disney & Jonathan Haskel & Ylva Heden, 2003. "Restructuring and productivity growth in uk manufacturing," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(489), pages 666-694, July.
    3. C. Imbriani & R. Pittiglio & F. Reganati & E. Sica, 2014. "How Much do Technological Gap, Firm Size, and Regional Characteristics Matter for the Absorptive Capacity of Italian Enterprises?," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 20(1), pages 57-72, February.
    4. Mastromarco Camilla & Laura Serlenga & Yongcheol Shin, 2013. "Globalisation and technological convergence in the EU," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 15-29, August.
    5. Zahra, Shaker A., 1996. "Technology strategy and financial performance: Examining the moderating role of the firm's competitive environment," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 189-219, May.
    6. Abramovitz, Moses, 1986. "Catching Up, Forging Ahead, and Falling Behind," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(2), pages 385-406, June.
    7. Castellacci, Fulvio, 2008. "Technology clubs, technology gaps and growth trajectories," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 301-314, December.
    8. Olley, G Steven & Pakes, Ariel, 1996. "The Dynamics of Productivity in the Telecommunications Equipment Industry," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(6), pages 1263-1297, November.
    9. Daniele Archibugi & Andrea Filippetti, 2011. "Is the Economic Crisis Impairing Convergence in Innovation Performance across Europe?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(6), pages 1153-1182, November.
    10. Zvi Griliches & Jacques Mairesse, 1995. "Production Functions: The Search for Identification," NBER Working Papers 5067, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Khoula Maryam & Zainab Jehan, 2018. "Total Factor Productivity Convergence in Developing Countries: Role of Technology Diffusion," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 86(2), pages 247-262, June.
    12. Damijan, Jože P. & Rojec, Matija & Majcen, Boris & Knell, Mark, 2013. "Impact of firm heterogeneity on direct and spillover effects of FDI: Micro-evidence from ten transition countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 895-922.
    13. Alf Erko Lublinski, 2003. "Does Geographic Proximity Matter? Evidence from Clustered and Non-clustered Aeronautic Firms in Germany," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(5), pages 453-467.
    14. Caves, Douglas W & Christensen, Laurits R & Diewert, W Erwin, 1982. "The Economic Theory of Index Numbers and the Measurement of Input, Output, and Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(6), pages 1393-1414, November.
    15. Kasahara, Hiroyuki & Rodrigue, Joel, 2008. "Does the use of imported intermediates increase productivity? Plant-level evidence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 106-118, August.
    16. Xiaobo Wu & Wei Zhang, 2010. "Seizing The Opportunity Of Paradigm Shifts: Catch-Up Of Chinese Ict Firms," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(01), pages 57-91.
    17. Edward C. Prescott & Stephen L. Parente, 1999. "Monopoly Rights: A Barrier to Riches," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(5), pages 1216-1233, December.
    18. Bernard, Andrew B & Jones, Charles I, 1996. "Comparing Apples to Oranges: Productivity Convergence and Measurement across Industries and Countries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(5), pages 1216-1238, December.
    19. Cheung Kui-yin & Lin, Ping, 2004. "Spillover effects of FDI on innovation in China: Evidence from the provincial data," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 25-44.
    20. Gavin Cameron, 2005. "The Sun Also Rises: Productivity Convergence Between Japan and the USA," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 10(4), pages 387-408, December.
    21. repec:bla:rdevec:v:14:y:2010:i:s1:p:640-655 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    23. Kris IYER, 2011. "Technology Gap, Catching-up and Outward Orientation: Analysis of 63 countries," Applied Econometrics and International Development, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 11(2).
    24. Jones, Gary K. & LanctotJR., Aldor & Teegen, Hildy J., 2001. "Determinants and performance impacts of external technology acquisition," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 255-283, May.
    25. Xiaowen Tian, 2007. "Accounting for sources of FDI technology spillovers: evidence from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(1), pages 147-159, January.
    26. Jonathan E. Haskel & Sonia C. Pereira & Matthew J. Slaughter, 2007. "Does Inward Foreign Direct Investment Boost the Productivity of Domestic Firms?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 89(3), pages 482-496, August.
    27. Alexander Schmitt & Johannes Van Biesebroeck, 2013. "Proximity strategies in outsourcing relations: The role of geographical, cultural and relational proximity in the European automotive industry," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 44(5), pages 475-503, June.
    28. Wei Tian & Miaojie Yu & Rui Zhang, 2017. "International trade and firm innovation: patterns and evidence from the Chinese Employer-Employee Survey data," China Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 4-17, January.
    29. Fagerberg, Jan & Verspagen, Bart, 2002. "Technology-gaps, innovation-diffusion and transformation: an evolutionary interpretation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1291-1304, December.
    30. Bairam, Erkin I. & McRae, Shaun D., 1999. "Testing the convergence hypothesis: a new approach," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 351-355, September.
    31. Ksenia Yudaeva & Konstantin Kozlov & Natalia Melentieva & Natalia Ponomareva, 2003. "Does foreign ownership matter?," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 11(3), pages 383-409, September.
    32. Angus Maddison, 1979. "Long run dynamics of productivity growth," BNL Quarterly Review, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, vol. 32(128), pages 3-43.
    33. Dimitris K. Christopoulos & Efthymios G. Tsionas, 2004. "Convergence and regional productivity differences: Evidence from Greek prefectures," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 38(3), pages 387-396, September.
    34. Nickell, Stephen J, 1996. "Competition and Corporate Performance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 104(4), pages 724-746, August.
    35. Rossitza B. Wooster & David S. Diebel, 2010. "Productivity Spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries: A Meta‐Regression Analysis," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(3), pages 640-655, August.
    36. Caves, Douglas W & Christensen, Laurits R & Diewert, W Erwin, 1982. "Multilateral Comparisons of Output, Input, and Productivity Using Superlative Index Numbers," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 92(365), pages 73-86, March.
    37. Timothy J. Coelli & D.S. Prasada Rao & Christopher J. O’Donnell & George E. Battese, 2005. "An Introduction to Efficiency and Productivity Analysis," Springer Books, Springer, edition 0, number 978-0-387-25895-9, March.
    38. Klaus E Meyer, 2004. "Perspectives on multinational enterprises in emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(4), pages 259-276, July.
    39. Lee, Jaehwa, 2009. "Trade, FDI, and productivity convergence: A dynamic panel data approach in 25 countries," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 226-238, August.
    40. Wooldridge, Jeffrey M., 2009. "On estimating firm-level production functions using proxy variables to control for unobservables," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 104(3), pages 112-114, September.
    41. Robert E. Lucas & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, 2002. "On the Internal Structure of Cities," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 70(4), pages 1445-1476, July.
    42. Francesco Aiello & Camilla Mastromarco & Angelo Zago, 2011. "Be productive or face decline. On the sources and determinants of output growth in Italian manufacturing firms," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 787-815, December.
    43. Sahar Amidi & Ali Fagheh Majidi, 2020. "Geographic proximity, trade and economic growth: a spatial econometrics approach," Post-Print hal-03529593, HAL.
    44. Lee, Keun & Lim, Chaisung, 2001. "Technological regimes, catching-up and leapfrogging: findings from the Korean industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 459-483, March.
    45. Martin Bijsterbosch & Marcin Kolasa, 2010. "FDI and productivity convergence in Central and Eastern Europe: an industry-level investigation," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 145(4), pages 689-712, January.
    46. Romer, Paul, 1993. "Idea gaps and object gaps in economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 543-573, December.
    47. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    48. Tsai, Kuen-Hung & Wang, Jiann-Chyuan, 2008. "External technology acquisition and firm performance: A longitudinal study," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 91-112, January.
    49. James R. Markusen, 1995. "The Boundaries of Multinational Enterprises and the Theory of International Trade," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(2), pages 169-189, Spring.
    50. Daniel A. Ackerberg & Kevin Caves & Garth Frazer, 2015. "Identification Properties of Recent Production Function Estimators," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 83, pages 2411-2451, November.
    51. James Levinsohn & Amil Petrin, 2003. "Estimating Production Functions Using Inputs to Control for Unobservables," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 70(2), pages 317-341.
    52. Klein, Michael A., 2019. "Establishment productivity convergence and the effect of foreign ownership at the frontier," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 245-260.
    53. Sinani, Evis & Meyer, Klaus E., 2004. "Spillovers of technology transfer from FDI: the case of Estonia," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 445-466, September.
    54. Fredrik Sjöholm, 1996. "International transfer of knowledge: The role of international trade and geographic proximity," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 132(1), pages 97-115, March.
    55. Demir, Firat & Duan, Yi, 2018. "Bilateral FDI Flows, Productivity Growth, and Convergence: The North vs. The South," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 235-249.
    56. Sun, Sizhong & Anwar, Sajid, 2017. "Foreign direct investment and the performance of indigenous firms in China’s textile industry," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 107-113.
    57. Tsai, Kuen-Hung & Wang, Jiann-Chyuan, 2009. "External technology sourcing and innovation performance in LMT sectors: An analysis based on the Taiwanese Technological Innovation Survey," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 518-526, April.
    58. Haddad, Mona & Harrison, Ann, 1993. "Are there positive spillovers from direct foreign investment? : Evidence from panel data for Morocco," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 51-74, October.
    59. Bose, Niloy & Murshid, Antu Panini & Wurm, Martin A., 2012. "The Growth Effects of Property Rights: The Role of Finance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(9), pages 1784-1797.
    60. Khaled Elmawazini & Elias G. Saleeby & Ahmed Ibn el Farouk & Bashayer AL-Naser, 2018. "Tripartite decomposition of labor productivity growth, FDI and human development: evidence from transition economies," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 153-171, May.
    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. Wang, Jue & Liu, Xiaming & Wei, Yingqi & Wang, Chengang, 2014. "Cultural Proximity and Local Firms’ catch up with Multinational Enterprises," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1-13.
    2. Sarker, Bibhuti & Serieux, John, 2022. "Foreign-invested and domestic firm attributes and spillover effects: Evidence from Brazil," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    3. Rachel Griffith & Stephen Redding & Helen Simpson, 2009. "Technological Catch‐Up And Geographic Proximity," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(4), pages 689-720, October.
    4. Neil Foster-McGregor, 2012. "Innovation and Technology Transfer across Countries," wiiw Research Reports 380, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    5. Hanousek, Jan & Kocenda, Evzen & Maurel, Mathilde, 2011. "Direct and indirect effects of FDI in emerging European markets: A survey and meta-analysis," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 301-322, September.
    6. Damijan, Jože P. & Rojec, Matija & Majcen, Boris & Knell, Mark, 2013. "Impact of firm heterogeneity on direct and spillover effects of FDI: Micro-evidence from ten transition countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 895-922.
    7. Bournakis, Ioannis & Mallick, Sushanta, 2018. "TFP estimation at firm level: The fiscal aspect of productivity convergence in the UK," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 579-590.
    8. Seda Köymen Özer & Selin Sayek Böke, 2017. "The Characteristics of Domestic Firms: Materializing Productivity Spillovers from FDI," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(11), pages 2562-2584, November.
    9. Thanh Tam Nguyen-Huu & Ngoc-Sang Pham, 2021. "Escaping the middle income trap and getting economic growth: How does FDI can help the host country?," Working Papers halshs-03143087, HAL.
    10. Thanh Tam Nguyen-Huu, 2023. "FDI spillovers and productivity in Vietnamese manufacturing industries - New insights from the unconditional quantile regression," Post-Print hal-04244612, HAL.
    11. Ioannis Bournakis & Mike Tsionas, 2024. "A Non‐parametric Estimation of Productivity with Idiosyncratic and Aggregate Shocks: The Role of Research and Development (R&D) and Corporate Tax," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 86(3), pages 641-671, June.
    12. Bournakis, Ioannis & Tsionas, Mike, 2022. "Productivity with Endogenous FDI Spillovers: A Novel Estimation Approach," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    13. Markus Eberhardt & Christian Helmers, 2010. "Untested Assumptions and Data Slicing: A Critical Review of Firm-Level Production Function Estimators," Economics Series Working Papers 513, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    14. Philippe Aghion & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt & Susanne Prantl, 2009. "The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 20-32, February.
    15. Schiffbauer, Marc & Siedschlag, Iulia & Ruane, Frances, 2017. "Do foreign mergers and acquisitions boost firm productivity?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 1124-1140.
    16. Sara L. McGaughey & Pascalis Raimondos & Lisbeth La Cour, 2018. "What is a Foreign Firm? Implications for Productivity Spillovers," CESifo Working Paper Series 7109, CESifo.
    17. Paulo Matos & Pedro Neves, 2020. "The Determinants of Total Factor Productivity in the Portuguese Quaternary Sector," GEE Papers 0149, Gabinete de Estratégia e Estudos, Ministério da Economia, revised Apr 2020.
    18. Roberto Álvarez & Aldo Gonzalez, 2020. "Competition, selection, and productivity growth in the Chilean manufacturing industry," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 29(3), pages 877-892.
    19. Priit Vahter, 2010. "Does Fdi Spur Innovation, Productivity And Knowledge Sourcing By Incumbent Firms? Evidence From Manufacturing Industry In Estonia," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 69, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    20. Victoria Kravtsova, 2008. "Foreign presence and efficiency in transition economies," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 91-102, April.

    More about this item

    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:wly:mgtdec:v:44:y:2023:i:2:p:906-925. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/7976 .

    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.