2006年-世界发展银行全球_Services_Inputs_and_Firm_Productivity_in_Sub-Saharan_Africa___Evidence_from_Firm-Level_Data_16页_354kb

Summary of "Services Inputs and Firm Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Firm-Level Data"

Core Content

This paper examines the relationship between the productivity of manufacturing firms in Sub-Saharan Africa and their access to services inputs, specifically telecommunications, electricity, and financial services. Using firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey in 10 countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia), the study analyzes how variations in services performance at the regional level affect firm productivity. The paper argues that improvements in services industries can enhance downstream economic activities, thereby contributing to growth and poverty reduction.

Main Viewpoints

• Services Inputs are Critical for Firm Productivity: The study finds a significant and positive relationship between firm productivity and the availability and performance of services inputs across all three sectors analyzed.
• Endogeneity Addressed: By using regional variation in services performance, the paper mitigates concerns about endogeneity, which is a common issue in studies that use firm-level data.
• Empirical Strategy: The authors aggregate firm-level data to regional averages, reducing the influence of individual firm characteristics and allowing for the control of unobserved country-level factors through country fixed effects.
• Foreign Ownership and Productivity: Foreign-owned firms are found to be more productive than domestic ones, which aligns with the broader literature on foreign direct investment (FDI).
• Capital Region Advantage: Firms located in capital regions tend to be more productive, possibly due to better access to services and other regional advantages.

Key Information

Data and Methodology

• Data Source: World Bank Enterprise Survey data for over 1,000 firms across 10 Sub-Saharan African countries.
• Time Period: Surveys were conducted between 2001 and 2005.
• Productivity Measure: Total factor productivity (TFP) is calculated using a Cobb-Douglas production function with real output as a function of capital, labor, and intermediate inputs.
• Services Performance Measures:
  • Objective: Number of days to obtain a phone connection, number of days to clear domestic/foreign currency wires, number of days with power outages, and percentage of firms with generators.
  • Subjective: Firm self-assessment on a 1–5 scale for telecommunications, access to finance, cost of finance, and electricity.

Empirical Findings

• Telecommunications:
  • A lower number of days to obtain a phone line is associated with higher firm productivity.
  • If Zambia improved to South Africa's level of telecommunications performance, firm productivity would increase by 13.2%.
• Electricity:
  • More frequent power outages are linked to lower productivity.
  • Firms with generators are more productive, indicating that self-provisioning can mitigate the negative effects of unreliable electricity.
• Financial Services:
  • Faster payment processing (both domestic and international) is associated with higher firm productivity.
  • If Zambia improved to South Africa's level of financial services performance, firm productivity would increase by 5.8%.

Control Variables

• Exporter Status: Exporters show mixed results, with some models showing a positive association and others a negative one.
• Firm Age and Size: Older and larger firms tend to be more productive.
• Foreign Ownership: Foreign-owned firms are consistently more productive than domestic ones.
• Location in Capital Region: Firms in capital regions are more productive, likely due to better infrastructure and services.

Policy Implications

• The study supports the argument that improving the performance of services sectors is essential for enhancing the productivity of downstream industries.
• Services inputs, such as telecommunications, electricity, and financial services, are a major component of firm costs in Sub-Saharan Africa, often exceeding labor costs.
• Reforms in the services sector could significantly boost productivity and thus contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction.

Conclusion

The paper concludes that services inputs are a crucial determinant of firm productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. By analyzing regional variations in services performance, it provides robust evidence that better services infrastructure leads to higher productivity in manufacturing. This reinforces the importance of services sector development as a strategic component for economic growth and poverty alleviation in the region.