Technological Progress by Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan

This paper examines various aspects of total factor productivity across different firm sizes in Japan. It shows that larger firms have higher total factor productivity levels and growth than smaller firms. There are, however, some exceptions to this pattern especially in the electric machinery sector where small firms tend to have the edge. The paper also finds that two distinctive characteristics of small and medium firms, the practice of subcontracting and the use of external patents, are positively related to total factor productivity growth while the availability of subsidized public loans is not.