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Firm heterogeneity in TFP, sectoral innovation and geography. Evidence from Italy

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  • Aiello, Francesco
  • Pupo, Valeria
  • Ricotta, Fernanda

Abstract

Sectoral and territorial specificities affect the firm’s capabilities of being productive. While there is a wide consensus on this, a quantitative measure of the these effects has been lacking. To this end, we combine a dataset of Italian firms with some meso regional and sectoral variables and apply a cross-classified model that allows for a clear distinction between firm, region-specific and sector-specific effects. After observing a marked TFP heterogeneity across firms, the paper addresses the issue of understanding how much differences in firms’ productivity depend on regional localisation and sector specificities. Results refer to 2004-2006 and are threefold. Firstly, they confirm that the main source of firm variety is mostly due to differences revealed at individual level. Secondly, we find that sector is more important than location in explaining firms’ TFP. Lastly, the results show that firm TFP increases when it belongs to more innovative sectors. Similarly, companies get benefits from belonging to sectors where there is a high proportion of firms using R&D public support and a high propensity to collaborate in innovative projects.

Suggested Citation

  • Aiello, Francesco & Pupo, Valeria & Ricotta, Fernanda, 2013. "Firm heterogeneity in TFP, sectoral innovation and geography. Evidence from Italy," MPRA Paper 48573, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:48573
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Aiello & Fernanda Ricotta, 2014. "Firm heterogeneity in productivity across Europe. What explains what?," ERSA conference papers ersa14p808, European Regional Science Association.
    2. Massimo Tamberi, 2018. "Productivity Differentiantion Along the Development Process: a "Meso" Approach," Working Papers 427, Universita' Politecnica delle Marche (I), Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali.
    3. Francesco Aiello & Graziella Bonanno, 2018. "Multilevel empirics for small banks in local markets," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 97(4), pages 1017-1037, November.
    4. Anna Ferragina & Fernanda Mazzotta, 2015. "Agglomeration economies in Italy: impact on heterogeneous firms’ exit in a multilevel framework," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(4), pages 395-440, December.
    5. Fernanda Ricotta, 2019. "The Quality of Regional Government and Firm Performance," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(2), pages 27-40, February.
    6. Fernanda Ricotta, 2016. "Productivity Differences By Export Destination," Working Papers 201601, Università della Calabria, Dipartimento di Economia, Statistica e Finanza "Giovanni Anania" - DESF.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Total Factor Productivity; Firms’ Heterogeneity; Sectoral innovation; Geography; Cross-Classified Models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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