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Are Foreign Firms More Productive, and Export and Technology Intensive, than Local Firms in Kenyan Manufacturing?

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  • Rasiah, Rajah

    (United Nations University, Institute for New Technologies)

  • Gachino, Geoffrey

    (United Nations University, Institute for New Technologies)

Abstract

This paper uses firm level survey data to examine productivity, and export, skills and technological intensities between foreign and local firms in Kenyan food and beverages, metal engineering, and textile and garment. Foreign firms enjoyed statistically highly significant higher labour productivity means than local firms in textile and garment manufacturing. Foreign firms were also more export and technology intensive than local firms in textile and garment (process technology and R&D), and metal engineering (HR). Foreign firms' enjoyed higher and statistically significant skills and overall technology (HR and R&D) means than local firms in food and beverage. The econometric exercise showed that foreign ownership enjoyed a statistically significant and positive relationship with overall technological and HR intensities. Against labour productivity, the coefficient of technology index was higher in the foreign firms' sample than in the local firms' sample. Local firms enjoyed higher value added in domestic than export markets. Export-intensity enjoyed a positive relationship in the process technology regressions, but an inverse relationship in the HR regressions in the foreign firms' sample. Overall, the significant Kenyan results suggest that foreign firms' technology, productivity and export-intensity levels in economies with weak institutions tend to be superior to local firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Rasiah, Rajah & Gachino, Geoffrey, 2004. "Are Foreign Firms More Productive, and Export and Technology Intensive, than Local Firms in Kenyan Manufacturing?," UNU-INTECH Discussion Paper Series 2004-10, United Nations University - INTECH.
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unuint:200410
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Figueiredo, Paulo N., 2008. "Industrial Policy Changes and Firm-Level Technological Capability Development: Evidence from Northern Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 55-88, January.
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    3. Rahmah Ismail & Aliya Rosa & Noorasiah Sulaiman, 2012. "Globalisation and Labour Productivity in the Malaysian Manufacturing Sector," Review of Economics & Finance, Better Advances Press, Canada, vol. 2, pages 76-86, May.
    4. Bethuel Kinyanjui Kinuthia, 2016. "Technology spillovers: Kenya and Malaysia compared," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 536-569, June.
    5. Badi H. Baltagi & Peter H. Egger & Michaela Kesina, 2016. "Firm‐Level Productivity Spillovers in China's Chemical Industry: A Spatial Hausman‐Taylor Approach," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 214-248, January.
    6. Keshari, Pradeep Kumar, 2013. "Comparative performance of foreign affiliates and domestic firms in the Indian machinery industry," MPRA Paper 33076, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 Apr 2013.
    7. Harpreet Dusanjh & A.S. Sidhu, 2009. "Multi-spillover Effects of Multinational Corporations on Host Countries," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 10(2), pages 243-260, July.
    8. Gachino, Geoffrey, 2007. "Foreign direct investment and firm level productivity - A panel data analysis," MERIT Working Papers 2007-016, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    9. Carly Petracco & Javier Sanchez-Reaza, 2018. "Tanzania Jobs Diagnostic," World Bank Publications - Reports 31384, The World Bank Group.
    10. Jodie Keane, 2013. "Rethinking Trade Preferences for Sub-Saharan Africa: How Can Trade in Tasks Be the Potential Lifeline?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 31(4), pages 443-462, July.
    11. Geoffrey G. Gachino, 2014. "Foreign Investment and Technological Spillovers in Kenya: Extent and Mode of Occurrence," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 82(3), pages 422-442, September.
    12. Bethuel Kinyanjui Kinuthia, 2017. "Export Spillovers: Comparative Evidence From Kenya and Malaysia," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 26(1), pages 24-51.
    13. Cirera,Xavier & Comin,Diego Adolfo & Vargas Da Cruz,Marcio Jose & Lee,Kyungmin & Soares Martins Neto,Antonio, 2021. "Firm-Level Technology Adoption in the State of Ceara in Brazil," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9568, The World Bank.
    14. Mina Baliamoune‐Lutz & Mohamed A. K. Basuony & Stefan H. H. Lutz & Ehab K. A. Mohamed, 2024. "International ownership and SMEs in Middle Eastern and African economies," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 36(2), pages 279-291, June.
    15. Peerally, Jahan Ara & Cantwell, John A, 2012. "Changes in Trade Policies and the Heterogeneity of Domestic and Multinational Firms’ Strategic Response: The Effects on Firm-Level Capabilities," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 469-485.
    16. Ahmed Fayez Abdelgouad & Christian Pfeifer & John P Weche Gelübcke, 2015. "Ownership structure and firm performance in the Egyptian manufacturing sector," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(4), pages 2197-2212.
    17. Cirera,Xavier & Comin,Diego Adolfo & Vargas Da Cruz,Marcio Jose & Lee,Kyungmin, 2021. "Firm-Level Adoption of Technologies in Senegal," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9657, The World Bank.
    18. Adugna Lemi & Ian Wright, 2020. "Exports, foreign ownership, and firm-level efficiency in Ethiopia and Kenya: an application of the stochastic frontier model," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 669-698, February.
    19. Gachino, Geoffrey, 2006. "Foreign Direct Investment, Firm-Level Capabilities and Human Capital Development: Evidence from Kenyan Manufacturing Industry," MERIT Working Papers 2006-014, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    20. Yuping Deng & Yanrui Wu & Helian Xu, 2019. "Environmental Regulation and Export Product Quality: Evidence from Chinese Firms," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 19-14, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    21. Radovan Kastratović, 2020. "The impact of foreign direct investment on host country exports: A meta‐analysis," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(12), pages 3142-3183, December.
    22. Keshari, Pradeep Kumar, 2012. "FDI and firm level export competitiveness in the Indian machinery industry," MPRA Paper 47069, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Hezron M. Osano & Pauline W. Koine, 2016. "Role of foreign direct investment on technology transfer and economic growth in Kenya: a case of the energy sector," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 1-25, December.

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