Quality change and productivity improvement in the Japanese economy

This paper provides a new view of the rate of productivity growth in Japan, and the contribution of productivity improvements to the growth of the Japanese economy. Many studies point to the high rates of labour and total factor productivity growth in Japan during the early post-War period as the principle cause of the rise of the Japanese economy. The present study, however, emphasises the role of quality change in Japan’s development. In order to do this, quality-constant measures of both inputs and outputs are derived using time series hedonic regression techniques. These quality-constant series are then used to revise the traditional partial and total factor productivity measures. We demonstrate that all of the traditional measures of productivity are biased insofar as their construction does not fully account for quality change. The essential message is that, in Japan, quality change accounts for significant parts of the true growth in both inputs and outputs, leading to underestimation of their growth rates in the official statistics. However, given the nature of the ratios employed in measuring productivity, the implications for factor productivity growth are more complex.     

Productivity growth, technological progress, and efficiency change in chinese agriculture after rural economic reforms: A DEA approach

This study applies a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to analyze total factor productivity, technology, and efficiency changes in Chinese agricultural production from 1984 to 1993. Twenty-nine provinces in China were classified into advanced-technology and low-technology categories. The Malmquist (1953) productivity measures were decomposed into two components: technical change index and efficiency change index. The results show that total factor productivity has risen in most provinces for both technology categories during the 1984–1993 period. Technical progress was mostly attributed to Chinese agricultural productivity growth after the rural economic reforms. The deterioration in technical efficiency in many provinces indicates China has great potential to increase productivity through improved technical efficiency. Enhancing rural education and research and development (R&D) in agriculture may also help farmers to improve technical efficiency and productivity in agricultural production.     

服务业全要素生产率测度及其省际差异

运用2005～2009年中国31省份服务业面板数据,采用非参数Malmquist指数方法,对中国服务业全要素生产率的变动原因、空间差异与变动趋势进行考察,并将全要素生产率进一步分解为技术效率和技术进步。研究结果表明,中国服务业整体仍表现为粗放型的增长方式,全要素生产率呈现负增长,但增长速度有所放缓;服务业发展水平的空间差异明显,东部地区服务业发展水平高于中西部地区,其中西部和东北地区服务业发展水平较落后,且技术进步和技术效率对中国及各区域服务业的全要素生产率在时间和空间上有不同的影响。     

基于DEA-Malmquist指数法的宁夏制造业全要素生产率分析研究

运用2009-2018年10个行业的面板数据,使用数据包络分析（DEA）和Malmquist指数法的合成模型对宁夏回族自治区制造业及其十个细分行业的综合效率和全要素生产率变化进行分析。运用软件DEAP2.1进行数据的动态分析,得出了宁夏制造业生产率指数按不同时期和不同行业的分解。结果表明：宁夏制造业生产率年均增长为1.1%,而技术效率和规模效率出现年均0.6%和1.4%的衰退,对生产率产生了负面影响。因此,为了保证宁夏制造业生产率的增长,本文结合Malmquist指数法的分析结果从政府层面、企业层面和产业层面三个方面提出了合理的建议。     

FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT,ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY,AND PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH: EVIDENCE FROM CHINA

Financial development might lead to productivity improvement in developing countries. In the present study, based on the Data Envelopment Analysis approach, we use the Malmquist index to measure China's total factor productivity change and its two components (i.e., efficiency change and technical progress). We find that China has recorded an increase in total factor productivity from 1993 to 2001, and that productivity growth was mostly attributed to technical progress, rather than to improvement in efficiency. Moreover, using panel dataset covering 29 Chinese provinces over the period from 1993 to 2001 and applying the Generalized Method of Moment system estimation, we investigate the impact of financial development on productivity growth in China. Empirical results show that, during this period, financial development has significantly contributed to China's productivity growth, mainly through its favorable effect on efficiency.     

资源环境约束下的城市经济效率测度与差异研究——基于中部与长江经济带14市的比较

将资源和环境因素同时纳入效率研究框架中,运用SBM模型以及Malmquist指数方法测度了2006—2013年14个城市的经济效率、全要素生产率（TFP）,并将全要素生产率变动分解为技术效率和技术进步,实现了TFP增长的动态分解。研究结果表明,大多数城市存在效率改进空间;当考虑资源环境约束时,城市绿色TFP较低,技术进步是推动绿色TFP增长的主要源泉,而技术效率的作用并不明显。在生产效率的核算中,如果忽略资源环境因素的刚性约束,有可能导致经济增长效率被高估,由此得出的政策建议会带有一定的误导性。     

Multinational Enterprises,Technology Diffusion,and Host Country Absorptive Capacity: A Note

Abstract

Previous empirical studies show mixed support for the hypothesis that the impact of technology diffusion from multinational enterprises (MNEs) on host country productivity growth depends on host country absorptive capacity. One explanation is that the results of these empirical studies are sensitive to the measures of absorptive capacity used. This paper contributes to the empirical literature by investigating average years of schooling and total factor productivity gap as measures of host country absorptive capacity in 38 developed and developing countries. Panel data regression equations are estimated using a cross-sectionally heteroskedastic and timewise autoregressive (CHTA) model. The paper has two main results. The first result does not support the hypothesis that the technology diffusion from MNEs has a positive impact on the productivity growth in developing countries. The second result is that the total factor productivity gap is more appropriate than average years of schooling to measure host country absorptive capacity. This may suggest that the results of previous studies that used average years of schooling should be interpreted with caution.     

Capital utilization in Japan's lost decade: A neoclassical interpretation

This paper attempts to reconcile the controversy regarding Japan's total factor productivity during its slump in the 1990s by clarifying the role of capital utilization. Hayashi and Prescott (2002) emphasized that the decline in the exogenous total factor productivity growth rate was the main cause. However, some empirical studies have also pointed out that the fall in capital utilization rates accounted for a large part of the decline in the total factor productivity growth rate. In this study we incorporate variable capital utilization into a neoclassical growth model, calculate total factor productivity taking into account capital utilization, and simulate the aggregate output and capital-output ratio. We found that although our total factor productivity growth rate in the 1990s is consistent with empirical studies, our simulation can explain the observed data. This result indicates the importance of capital utilization rates as a source of propagation during Japan's depression.     

Accounting and determinants analysis of China's provincial total factor productivity considering carbon emissions

One of the most undesirable output of China's rapid economic growth has been increasing carbon emissions. This study measures and analyzes the impact of carbon emissions on China's regional total factor productivity from 2000 to 2017. Using global Malmquist-Luenberger productivity indexes, we re-estimate the provincial total factor productivity taking carbon emission into account, comparing different assumptions of returns to scale and considering the rank reverse issue. The differences of technical progress and efficiency change across Chinese regional economies are also investigated and we found that the former was the primary contributor to improved Chinese provincial productivity performance. In addition, we analyze the influencing factors of productivity based on provincial panel data. Our results indicate that innovation capacity, energy and employment structure had significant impact on the provincial productivities while urbanization had a negative impact. A more sustainable development can be expected by expanding regional investment in R&D, adjusting and optimizing structures of regional industries and energies.     

基于DEA模型的工业行业全要素煤炭效率研究

运用DEA-BCC模型对我国工业行业的全要素煤炭效率进行测算,通过DEA-Malmquist指数对工业行业煤炭效率增长的原因进行分析,并使用聚类分析将全要素煤炭效率进行划分。结果表明：从2005年到2014年我国工业行业全要素煤炭效率不断提高,全要素煤炭生产率平均值为1.076,平均增长了7.6%,科技进步对其的贡献最大。不同的工业行业全要素煤炭生产率增长的原因是不一致的,因此要区别对待。同时全要素煤炭生产率低的行业多为耗能比较高、污染比较高的行业,全要素煤炭生产率高的行业多为耗能比较低、污染比较低的行业。     

电网企业技术进步与技术效率对生产率的影响测算

为了分析电网行业的生产率受技术进步和技术效率的影响程度,使用基于DEA的Malmquist生产率指数方法,以9家省电力公司为样本,对电网企业的技术和生产效率的动态变动情况进行了研究。结果表明,2005-2010年间样本电网企业的全要素生产率年平均增长率为3.2%,技术进步的贡献大于技术效率的贡献。技术效率指数表现不优是由于多数样本企业的实际规模与最佳规模之间的偏差较大。因此为了提高我国电网企业生产率,关键是提升效率特别是规模效率。     

数字经济对中国全要素生产率的影响机理:提升效应还是抑制效果？

数字经济是新时代引领中国经济高质量发展的关键抓手。然而现阶段数字经济普惠性发展尚未实现，掣肘着其对国内全要素生产率的提升力度。文章在理论分析的基础上，基于熵权TOPSIS法测算了2012-2018年中国数字经济发展水平指数，探讨了中国数字经济对全要素生产率的影响机理。研究发现：数字经济的发展显著提升了中国全要素生产率水平，但区域层面上，东部地区的数字经济发展明显领先于中西部地区，引领着中国全要素生产率快速增长。从全要素生产率的分解指标来看，数字经济推动了技术效率提升，但现阶段国内关键核心技术环节薄弱以及数字产业化带来的人才和资金的虹吸效应导致数字经济对技术进步产生了阻碍作用。此外，当前数字经济对不同产业的渗透度存在明显的不均衡性，筑高了创新资源的流动壁垒，影响产业间协调创新及合理化布局，进而抑制了对全要素生产率的提升力度。进一步的机制检验表明在创新环境的支持下，人才集聚及金融规模强化了数字经济对全要素生产率的提升力度。     

The Rise and Fall of Exceptional Australian Incomes Since 1800

We gauge how productivity and factor endowments shaped the rise and fall of Australia's exceptional incomes using new measures of total factor productivity (TFP), which include natural resource inputs, in an accounting of income growth. Further, we explore the drivers of TFP growth. Pastoralism and mining had negative TFP externalities, and we incorporate these findings into a unified accounting of incomes, which distinguishes the roles of endowments and productivity. Nevertheless, TFP growth played an important role in promoting exceptional incomes between 1842 and 1890. Our findings favour a more balanced interpretation of Australian growth that has roles for natural resources, labour participation, and productivity.     

加工贸易提高了环境全要素生产率吗——基于Luenberger生产率指数的研究

为系统考察加工贸易对经济增长、环境污染的影响,本文依托中国30个省份2000—2009年的数据测算出考虑坏产出的Luenberger生产率指数,并在此基础上对加工贸易的环境全要素生产率效应展开深入分析。研究表明,加工贸易和环境全要素生产率之间存在着显著的倒U形关系,当加工贸易占货物贸易的比重超过0．35时,加工贸易将对中国环境全要素生产率产生负效应。与此同时,出口和进口在环境全要素生产率的决定中有着完全相反的作用。在以上结论的基础上,本文提出了调整外贸模式、完善产业政策、协调区域发展的若干政策建议。     

Call For Papers: The Eighth International Convention of the East Asian Economic Association

This paper provides empirical estimates of total factor productivity (TFP) trends in a sample of 17 APEC countries over the period 1975 to 1996. TFP growth is an important measure of an economy's performance and if measured correctly it can provide valuable guidance on issues related to the assessment of sustainable growth trends. We use the Malmquist index to measure TFP growth and decompose it into an efficiency change and a technical change component. This decomposition provides extra insight on assessing sustainable growth trends. The measurement technique itself is regarded as a significant improvement over previous conventional measures of TFP growth. The results are very interesting. Japan, Thailand and primarily Indonesia and Malaysia are identified as countries exhibiting on average negative TFP growth rates in the 1975-1990 period. In all these countries as well as in South Korea and Taiwan the main cause of low TFP growth is a poor (negative) efficiency record. The average TFP growth rate for Japan and Malaysia is positive in the 1975-1996 period but the efficiency change component remains negative. In all these countries the main contributor to labour productivity growth is capital accumulation. Unlike previous studies we find no evidence of a poor TFP growth performance for Singapore. Furthermore, we estimate that most of Singapore's labour productivity growth is driven by efficiency change. Estimates of rates of convergence towards the frontier economy that is estimated (not assumed as in other studies) to be the US, are also reported.     

Productivity growth in Indonesian agriculture, 1961–2000

This paper uses an index number approach to measure total factor productivity (TFP) growth in Indonesian crop and livestock agriculture from 1961 to 2000. Tornqvist-Theil chain-weighted indices of output, input and TFP are developed to minimise biases that may result from relative changes in input and output price aggregation weights. The results indicate that agricultural TFP growth accelerated in the 1970s and 1980s but stagnated in the 1990s. Without new efforts to increase productivity in agriculture, Indonesia's goal of using agricultural growth to generate broad-based rural development and further reduce poverty may be undermined.     

1993-2005年广东农业生产率的变动与分解——基于Malmquist生产率指数的实证分析

本文使用非参数的Malmquist生产率指数方法,对广东省1993—2005年间农业全要素生产率（TFP）的变动趋势进行了考察,并把TFP的增长构成分解为技术进步、纯技术效率变化、规模效率变化三个部分。结果表明：13年间广东全省农业TFP的增长主要是由技术进步推动的,纯技术效率和规模效率的下降对TFP的增长造成了不利影响;农业TFP增长的地区水平差异显著,而且增长的结构也有所不同。最后是相应的政策建议。     

1992-2020年京津冀全要素生产率的估算——基于3种估计方法

基于1992—2020年京津冀3地宏观数据,利用索洛余值法、隐性变量法和数据包络分析3种方法,测算京津冀3地全要素生产率水平、增长率以及对经济增长贡献度等重要指标。结果显示：北京全要素生产率水平明显高于天津、河北;不同方法测算的全要素生产率增长率具有相同变化趋势,天津、河北两地的增长率变化趋势较一致,但与北京的增长率变化趋势不一致;京津冀区域的全要素生产率增长乏力,增长出现放缓甚至略微下降的局面;京津冀的经济增长主要来源于要素投入而非全要素生产率的提高;全要素生产率的增长,主要来源于技术进步而非效率提高。     

Freight rates and productivity gains in British tramp shipping 1869-1950

The standard source for pre-WWII global freight rate trends is the Isserliss index. We think it is time for a new look at his British tramp shipping index, especially given his sources offer vastly more information than Isserliss used. Our new estimates confirm the precipitous decline in real freight rates before World War I, but we also extend them to 1997, a long period of relative stability. In an effort to identify the contribution of transport revolutions to global commodity price convergence, we create route-specific deflators, rather than relying on the Sauerbeck index. Finally, using the price-dual and new factor price indices, we calculate total factor productivity growth for five global routes, and then identify the sources of productivity growth along them.     

广东农业科技创新效率研究 ——基于超效率DEA模型和M almquist指数法

基于2010—2016年广东省各市的面板数据,运用超效率DEA模型和Malmquist指数法对广东农业科技创新效率和全要素生产率进行了实证分析。结果表明:广东省农业科技创新水平较高,但区域发展不平衡问题突出,粤北与珠三角、粤西、粤东有较大差距;广东全要素生产率指数平均值大于1,农业科技创新效率呈上升趋势,技术进步是全要素生产率增长的动力所在。因此,农业科技创新效率的提高关键在于提升农业技术水平,同时还需注意技术效率,科学调整农业科技资源配置,提升农业科技资源经营和管理水平。