IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hit/hitcei/2019-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Towards an Institutional Interpretation of TFP Changes in China

Author

Listed:
  • Wu, Harry X.

Abstract

This research note reiterates the productivity theory in the Solow growth accounting framework to explore an institutional interpretation of changes in total factor productivity. In theory, total factor productivity or TFP growth is a costless gain in output, which captures the effect of positive externalities caused by spillovers of technological and organizational changes in a perfect market system. This provides a yardstick to gauge institutional effect on output in an imperfect market system if all inputs are properly measured. Using the Chinese case, I show that an integrated approach a la Jorgenson and Griliches (1967) that ensures a consistency between theory, methodology and measurement can facilitate empirical exercises even with data problems, and a so-constructed TFP index for China can satisfactorily reproduce China's post-reform productivity path with institutional interpretations.

Suggested Citation

  • Wu, Harry X., 2019. "Towards an Institutional Interpretation of TFP Changes in China," CEI Working Paper Series 2019-4, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:hit:hitcei:2019-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://hermes-ir.lib.hit-u.ac.jp/hermes/ir/re/30537/wp2019-4.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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.
    2. Chenggang Xu, 2011. "The Fundamental Institutions of China's Reforms and Development," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1076-1151, December.
    3. George J. Stigler, 1947. "Trends in Output," NBER Chapters, in: Trends in Output and Employment, pages 6-31, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. M. A. Copeland, 1937. "Concepts of National Income," NBER Chapters, in: Studies in Income and Wealth, Volume 1, pages 2-63, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Anders C. Johansson & Xunan Feng, 2016. "The state advances, the private sector retreats? Firm effects of China’s great stimulus programme," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 40(6), pages 1635-1668.
    6. Li, Hongbin & Zhou, Li-An, 2005. "Political turnover and economic performance: the incentive role of personnel control in China," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(9-10), pages 1743-1762, September.
    7. Zvi Griliches, 1996. "The Discovery of the Residual: A Historical Note," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 34(3), pages 1324-1330, September.
    8. George J. Stigler, 1947. "Trends in Employment," NBER Chapters, in: Trends in Output and Employment, pages 32-41, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Conference on Research in National Income and Wealth, 1938. "Studies in Income and Wealth, Volume 2," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number unkn38-1.
    10. Du, Jun & Liu, Xiaoxuan & Zhou, Ying, 2014. "State advances and private retreats? — Evidence of aggregate productivity decomposition in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 459-474.
    11. Dale W. Jorgenson & Mun S. Ho & Kevin J. Stiroh, 2005. "Productivity, Volume 3: Information Technology and the American Growth Resurgence," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 3, number 0262101114, April.
    12. Chenggang Xu, 2015. "China's Political-Economic Institutions and Development," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 35(3), pages 525-548, Fall.
    13. George J. Stigler, 1947. "Introduction, Trends in Output and Employment," NBER Chapters, in: Trends in Output and Employment, pages 1-2, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. George J. Stigler, 1947. "Trends in Output and Employment," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number stig47-1.
    15. Yiping Huang & Kunyu Tao, 2010. "Factor Market Distortion and the Current Account Surplus in China," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 9(3), pages 1-36, Fall.
    16. Ronald Coase & Ning Wang, 2012. "How China Became Capitalist," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-01937-0, December.
    17. W. Erwin Diewert & Kevin J. Fox, 1999. "Can measurement error explain the productivity paradox?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 32(2), pages 251-280, April.
    18. Moses Abramovitz, 1956. "Resource and Output Trends in the United States since 1870," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number abra56-1.
    19. Charles R. Hulten, 2001. "Total Factor Productivity: A Short Biography," NBER Chapters, in: New Developments in Productivity Analysis, pages 1-54, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Moses Abramovitz, 1956. "Resource and Output Trends in the United States since 1870," NBER Chapters, in: Resource and Output Trends in the United States since 1870, pages 1-23, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    21. M. A. Copeland & E. M. Martin, 1938. "The Correction of Wealth and Income Estimates for Price Changes," NBER Chapters, in: Studies in Income and Wealth, Volume 2, pages 83-134, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    22. Harry WU & Ximing YUE & George G. ZHANG, 2015. "Constructing Annual Employment and Compensation Matrices and Measuring Labor Input in China," Discussion papers 15005, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    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. Wu Harry X., 2019. "In Quest of Institutional Interpretation of TFP Change—The Case of China," Man and the Economy, De Gruyter, vol. 6(2), pages 1-22, December.
    2. Charles R. Hulten, 2000. "Total Factor Productivity: A Short Biography," NBER Working Papers 7471, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Nicholas Crafts & Pieter Woltjer, 2021. "Growth Accounting In Economic History: Findings, Lessons And New Directions," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 670-696, July.
    4. Leandro Prados de la Escosura & Tamás Vonyó & Ilya B. Voskoboynikov, 2021. "Accounting For Growth In History," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 655-669, July.
    5. Bert Balk, 2003. "The Residual: On Monitoring and Benchmarking Firms, Industries, and Economies with Respect to Productivity," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 5-47, July.
    6. Gonzales-Rocha, Erick & Mendez-Guerra, Carlos, 2018. "Increasing productivity dispersion: Evidence from light manufacturing in Brazil," MPRA Paper 88478, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. G Cameron, 1996. "Innovation and Economic Growth," CEP Discussion Papers dp0277, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    8. Zvi Griliches, 1996. "The Discovery of the Residual: A Historical Note," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 34(3), pages 1324-1330, September.
    9. Ahmed, Elsadig Musa, 2012. "Are the FDI inflow spillover effects on Malaysia's economic growth input driven?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 1498-1504.
    10. Malcolm Abbott, 2018. "Productivity: a history of its measurement," HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT AND POLICY, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(1), pages 57-80.
    11. Laurits R. Christensen & Dianne Cummings & Dale Jorgenson, 1980. "Economic Growth, 1947–73: An International Comparison," NBER Chapters, in: New Developments in Productivity Measurement and Analysis, pages 595-698, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Rahim KIA LASHAKI & Elsadig Musa AHMED, 2017. "FDI Inflow Spillover Effect Implications On The Asia Pacific Productivity Growth Through The Export Channel," Revista Galega de Economía, University of Santiago de Compostela. Faculty of Economics and Business., vol. 26(3), pages 57-72.
    13. Ernst R. Berndt & Melvyn A. Fuss, 1982. "Productivity Measurement Using Capital Asset Valuation to Adjust for Variations in Utilization," NBER Working Papers 0895, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. André A. Hofman & Patricio Valderrama, 2021. "Long Run Economic Growth Performance In Latin America – 1820–2016," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 833-869, July.
    15. Elsadig Musa Ahmed, 2021. "Modelling Information and Communications Technology Cyber Security Externalities Spillover Effects on Sustainable Economic Growth," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(1), pages 412-430, March.
    16. Claudia Goldin & Lawrence F. Katz, 2024. "The Incubator of Human Capital: The NBER and the Rise of the Human Capital Paradigm," NBER Chapters, in: The Economic History of American Inequality: New Evidence and Perspectives, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Young Eun Kim & Norman V. Loayza, 2019. "Productivity Growth: Patterns and Determinants across the World," Revista Economía, Fondo Editorial - Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, vol. 42(84), pages 36-93.
    18. Hulten, Charles R., 2010. "Growth Accounting," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 987-1031, Elsevier.
    19. Ruttan, Vernon W., 1954. "Technological Progress in the Meatpacking Industry, 1919-1947," Marketing Research Reports 310018, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Transportation and Marketing Program.
    20. Athanasoglou, Panayiotis P. & Georgiou, Evangelia A. & Staikouras, Christos C., 2009. "Assessing output and productivity growth in the banking industry," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 1317-1340, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Total factor productivity (TFP) growth; Factor reallocation effect on TFP growth; Institution; Economic reform;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C80 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - General
    • H70 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - General
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • P30 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - General

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:hit:hitcei:2019-4. 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: Reiko Suzuki (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cehitjp.html .

    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.