Assessing the output and productivity growth of Malaysia’s manufacturing sector

Given the importance of the manufacturing sector in the second-tier newly industrializing economy of Malaysia, this paper uses the stochastic frontier approach to assess the growth potential of this sector. This is performed by first estimating the production function by using panel data comprising 28 manufacturing industries over the period of 1981–1996. Unlike previous studies that used the growth accounting approach, here output growth is not just decomposed into input growth and total factor productivity growth but total factor productivity growth is further decomposed into technological progress and technical efficiency, thereby providing more direction for policy making.     

Russia’s intra-industry trade in international exchange: Major trends and growth potential

The current state and development trends in Russia’s international intra-industry trade with major trade partners are considered in the paper on the whole and by individual industries. The author suggests his approach to assessing the intra-industry development effect on industrial output and foreign trade indicators by individual industries. Forecast estimates are given on the international intra-industry trade development in medium-term prospects for the country as a whole and for processing industries depending on different options in government’s economic policy.     

Alternative trade strategies and employment in the Argentine manufacturing sector

The paper analyses the employment effects of alternative trade strategies within the manufacturing sector. Estimates of effective protection rates show that Argentinian import substitution (I-S) policies have severely discriminated against exportable manufacturing industries. In turn these industries are shown to be at least 15% more labour-intensive than import-competing industries. Export promotion (EP) policies are characterized by low and relatively uniform protection to domestic and export sales together with the maintenance over time of a realistic exchange rate. The adoption of this strategy would imply a radical departure from I-S policies of escalated incentives and overvalued exchange rates which, as shown in the paper, have on average favoured capital-intensive industries.     

Transnational enterprises in the manufacturing sector of the less developed countries

Transnational enterprises continue to invest in manufacturing in the less developed countries. Even where they do not, less developed countries are likely to deal with them in the acquisition of technology or markets. The prices for what transnationals sell are not immutable but are the result of bargaining. One can expect more vigorous and more effective bargaining by host countries in the manufacturing, as well as the more frequently discussed resource, sector in future. Success will vary over industries and over time but is least likely in export-oriented manufacturing.     

Agricultural sector of Russia in face of globalization challenge

The paper analyzes the current problems of the Russian agrarian sector in the face of the increasing openness of the Russian economy and the continuing low competitiveness of domestic agricultural production.     

Real money balances and the productivity growth slowdown: The U.S. manufacturing sector, 1955–81

Summary and Conclusions The model of labor productivity for the U.S. manufacturing sector was developed in this paper within the context of a three-input production function where time entered as a proxy for technical change. The growth rate of labor productivity was found equal to the share-weighted contributions from growth in the capital-labor ratio, changes in the composition of the capital stock, growth in the money-labor ratio, and total factor productivity.The empirical results of this research yield three important conclusions. First, labor productivity growth has suffered a continuous and increasing retardation, the most severe of which occurred in the newly-examined 1978–81 time period. Second, real money balances were shown to have contributed to this slowdown in the same direction as, but somewhat less than, the contributions of either the capital-labor ratio or changes in the composition of the capital stock. Thirdly, a deletion of the monetary effect from the analysis results in an overestimation of the importance to productivity growth and its slowdown of both the capital-labor and the composition effect.Based upon these main empirical results, this study concludes that the real money balances held by firms in the U.S. manufacturing sector have played a non-passive role in that sector's labor productivity growth slowdown.This paper is part of the author's doctoral dissertation, written at West Virginia University.     

The government sector,the export sector and growth

Summary A three-sector, two-input growth model is developed which potentially allows for the separate identification of government and export sector productivity differentials and externality effects. Using data from a limited sample of OECD countries (which are the only countries for which reliable capital stock data are readily available), we find that the export sector is more productive than the rest of the economy, but that neither an externality effect nor a productivity differential can be detected in the case of the government sector.The author wishes to acknowledge financial assistance from a Research Grant from the Division of Commerce of the University of Otago which funded the participation of William M. Jones as research asistant in this work. Thanks are due to Annette Godman for secretarial assistance. The referees of this journal made extensive comments on an earlier version of this paper, and the present version is substantially better thanks to them. Remaining errors are, of course, my responsibility.     

Social capital and technical information flows in the Ghanaian manufacturing sector

Social capital in the form of entrepreneurial networks is foundto be a determinant of Ghanaian manufacturing enterprise performance.Entrepreneurs with larger, more diverse sets of contacts havemore productive enterprises. Entrepreneurs also benefit fromthe networking activity of others. There is some evidence thatthe networks facilitate flows of knowledge between enterprises.A simple theoretical model indicates that where such flows takeplace, there is a potential for sustained endogenous economicgrowth. However, in Ghana, the flows are not sufficiently complementaryto the enterprises' own knowledge for this potential to be realized.     

Recovery of economic growth in Russia

The presented paper of the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences analyzes key macroeconomic and financial measures of contemporary Russian anticrisis policy, substantiates the main directions of growth recovery in the basic sectors of the economy and social sphere in the medium and long term, and considers the features of the regional economic growth recovery policy.     

Analysis of the status and trends of applications of advanced manufacturing technologies in Russia

The article has analyzed trends in applying advanced manufacturing technologies in Russia in 2005–2014. The dynamics of technical process structures in the context of applications has been considered. The dynamics of the age structure and the structure of technologies in use in annual terms by the place of acquiring has been assessed. The start-up, availability, and removal balance of technologies has been formed, the effective start-up level, and possible ways to improve the state statistical indicators of innovation development have been determined.     

A Heckscherohlin approach to changing comparative advantage in singapore’s manufacturing sector

Zusammenfassung Ein Heckscher-Ohlin-Ansatz zur Erkl?rung der Ver?nderungen in den komparativen Vorteilen des gewerblichen Sektors von Singapur. — Der Verfasser analysiert die dynamischen komparativen Vorteile des gewerblichen Sektors Singapurs von 1970 bis 1983, indem er die Güterversion der Heckscher-Ohlin-Theorie einschlie?lich aller drei wichtigen Elemente wie Handel, Faktorintensit?t und Faktorausstattung spezifiziert. Die Theorien der Skalenertr?ge und der Technologielücke werden der Heckscher-Ohlin-Theorie gegenübergestellt. Das Ergebnis bekr?ftigt den Heckscher-Ohlin-Erkl?rungsansatz, wobei sich der Gesamtkapitaleinsatz pro Arbeiter als entscheidende Variable erweist, gefolgt vom Humankapital pro Arbeiter. Der Wandel in der Struktur der komparativen Vorteile hin zu Exporten, die sowohl sachkapitalals auch humankapitalintensiv sind, kann der Umstrukturierungspolitik der Regierung zugeschrieben werden. Die Theorien der Skalenertr?ge und der Technologielücke haben dagegen einen unbedeutenden Erkl?rungswert.

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Résumé La théorie à la Heckscher-Ohlin et l’avantage comparatif dynamique du secteur de production à Singapour.—Dans cette étude l’auteur analyse l’avantage comparatif dynamique du secteur de production à Singapour entre les années 1970 et 1983 en spécifiant la version de produits de la théorie à la Heckscher-Ohlin qui contient tous les trois éléments essentiels, c’est-à-dire l’échange, l’intensité de facteurs et la dotation en facteurs de production. Les résultats soulignent bien l’explication par Heckscher-Ohlin, le capital total par ouvrier étant le déterminant le plus important suivi par le capital humain par ouvrier. Le changement dans l’avantage comparatif qui favorise les exportations des biens intensifs en capital physique et capital humain par ouvrier peut être attribué aux politiques gouvernementaux de la reconstruction économique. Des théories alternatives qui mettent en évidence les économies d’échelle ou la lacune technologique n’ont pas de succès en expliquant l’avantage comparatif dynamique.

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Resumen Ventajas comparativas dinámicas en el sector manufacturera de Singapur bajo un enfoque Heckscher-Ohlin. — En este trabajo se analizan las ventajas comparativas dinámicas del sector manufacturero de Singapur durante el período 1970—83 especificando la version en términos de bienes de la teoría de Heckscher-Ohlin, incorporando los tres elementos del comercio: la composición del comercio, la intensidad de factores y la dotación de factores. Las teorías de economías de escala y de la brecha tecnológica son analizadas en yuxtaposición a la de Heckscher-Ohlin. Los resultados se adhieren fuertemente a la explicación del modelo Heckscher-Ohlin, siendo el capital total por trabajador la determinante más importante, seguida por el capital humano por trabajador. El cambio de las ventajas comparativas en dirección a exportaciones intensivas en ambas formas de capital, fisico y humano, por trabajador, puede ser atribuído a politicas pùblicas de reestructuración económica. Las teorias de economías de escala y de la brecha tecnológica resultan insignifiantes como factores explicativos.

     

The relation between real cash balances and physical inputs in South Korea's manufacturing sector

This study investigates the role of real cash balances and primary inputs in the production process of an average firm in a newly industrializing country, South Korea, for 1968–1983. It is hypothesized that real balances and capital in the modern sector of industrializing countries are substitutes akin to those of the developed countries; whereas in the traditional sector the two inputs are complements similar to those of the less developed countries. Using the translog cost function approach the hypothesis is verified for South Korea. The results also shed some light on the “Korean miracle” of growth along with implications for income redistribution.     

Similarities and differences between male and female entrepreneurial attributes in manufacturing firms in the informal sector in the Transkei

Although South Africa has consistently registered positive economic growth rates since the democratic government took office in 1994, there has been no surge in new formal sector jobs. The public and private sectors have been shedding labour in response to economic imperatives of the domestic and global circumstances. Accordingly, more and more people are taking the route to informal sector entrepreneurship. Traditionally more men than women ventured into business; currently an increasing number of females are turning to self-employment. However, much that is known about business individuals is based on studies of male entrepreneurs. This article presents a comparative assessment of selected entrepreneurial attributes of male and female individuals engaged in informal sector manufacturing activities in the Transkei. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire administered to a sample of 80 micro-entrepreneurs in four urban centres. This study shows that the general entrepreneurial tendencies of the surveyed male and female micro-entrepreneurs are more similar than they are different. However, differences exist in value adding and job creation between the two groups.