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Labour Productivity in Kenyan Manufacturing and Service Industries

Author

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  • Heshmati, Almas

    (Jönköping University)

  • Rashidghalam, Masoomeh

    (University of Tabriz)

Abstract

Labour productivity reflects a firm's ability to generate higher production or value-added. This paper analyses labour productivity and its determinants in the manufacturing and service sectors in Kenya. As the largest economy in East Africa, it is crucial for Kenya to have high labour productivity as it has strong implications for economic growth and welfare. The paper also provides practitioners with a better understanding of the state of labour productivity in the country. Using the World Bank's Enterprise Survey's database for 2013, we find that capital intensity and wage significantly and positively affected labour productivity. A higher female share in the labour force reduced labour productivity. We also found that training and education were associated with higher labour productivity. Reliance on technologies such as emails and websites for communication had a positive but insignificant impact on firms' labour productivity. On the basis of these observations we make a number of recommendations to promote higher productivity of labour.

Suggested Citation

  • Heshmati, Almas & Rashidghalam, Masoomeh, 2016. "Labour Productivity in Kenyan Manufacturing and Service Industries," IZA Discussion Papers 9923, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9923
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tidiane Kinda & Patrick Plane & Marie‐Ange Véganzonès‐Varoudakis, 2011. "Firm Productivity And Investment Climate In Developing Countries: How Does Middle East And North Africa Manufacturing Perform?," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 49(4), pages 429-462, December.
    2. Lorraine Dearden & Howard Reed & John Van Reenen, 2006. "The Impact of Training on Productivity and Wages: Evidence from British Panel Data," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 68(4), pages 397-421, August.
    3. Soderbom, Mans & Teal, Francis, 2004. "Size and efficiency in African manufacturing firms: evidence from firm-level panel data," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(1), pages 369-394, February.
    4. Rijkers, Bob & Costa, Rita, 2012. "Gender and Rural Non-Farm Entrepreneurship," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(12), pages 2411-2426.
    5. Jaan Masso & Almas Heshmati, 2004. "The optimality and overuse of labour in Estonian manufacturing enterprises," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 12(4), pages 683-720, December.
    6. Rijkers, Bob & Söderbom, Måns & Loening, Josef L., 2010. "A Rural-Urban Comparison of Manufacturing Enterprise Performance in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(9), pages 1278-1296, September.
    7. Hector Sala & José Silva, 2013. "Labor productivity and vocational training: evidence from Europe," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 31-41, August.
    8. Jens Matthias Arnold & Aaditya Mattoo & Gaia Narciso, 2008. "Services Inputs and Firm Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Firm-Level Data," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 17(4), pages 578-599, August.
    9. Ogutu, Sylvester Ochieng & Okello, Julius Juma & Otieno, David Jakinda, 2014. "Impact of Information and Communication Technology-Based Market Information Services on Smallholder Farm Input Use and Productivity: The Case of Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 311-321.
    10. Nagler, Paula & Naudé, Wim, 2014. "Labor Productivity in Rural African Enterprises: Empirical Evidence from the LSMS-ISA," IZA Discussion Papers 8524, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Frazer, Garth, 2005. "Which Firms Die? A Look at Manufacturing Firm Exit in Ghana," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 53(3), pages 585-617, April.
    12. Eifert, Benn & Gelb, Alan & Ramachandran, Vijaya, 2008. "The Cost of Doing Business in Africa: Evidence from Enterprise Survey Data," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 1531-1546, September.
    13. Inha Oh & Almas Heshmati & Chulwoo Baek & Jeong‐Dong Lee, 2009. "Comparative Analysis Of Plant Dynamics By Size: Korean Manufacturing," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 60(4), pages 512-538, December.
    14. Kang, Jae-Won & Heshmati, Almas & Choi, Gyong-Gyu, 2006. "The Effect of Credit Guarantees on Survival and Performance of SMEs in Korea," Ratio Working Papers 92, The Ratio Institute.
    15. Almas Heshmati, 2003. "Productivity Growth, Efficiency and Outsourcing in Manufacturing and Service Industries," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(1), pages 79-112, February.
    16. World Bank, 2012. "Kenya Economic Update, December 2012," World Bank Publications - Reports 26660, The World Bank Group.
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas Eder & Bernhard Mahlberg & Bernhard Stürmer, 2021. "Measuring and explaining productivity growth of renewable energy producers: An empirical study of Austrian biogas plants," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 48(1), pages 37-63, February.
    2. A. Sankaran & A. Vadivel & M. Abdul Jamal, 2020. "Effects of dynamic variables on industrial output in one of the world’s fastest-growing countries: case evidence from India," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Selamawit G. Kebede & Almas Heshmati, 2020. "Energy Use and Labor Productivity in Ethiopia: The Case of the Manufacturing Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    labour market; labour productivity; manufacturing; services; firms; Kenya;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology

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