Civil conflict and firm performance: evidence from Cote d'Ivoire

Leora Klapper, Christine Richmond () and Trang Tran

No 6640, Policy Research Working Paper Series from The World Bank

Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of political instability and civil conflict on firms. It studies the unrest in Cote d'Ivoire that began in 2000, using a census of all registered firms for the years 1998-2003. The analysis uses structural estimates of the production function and exploits spatial variations in conflict intensity to derive the cost of conflict on firms in terms of productivity loss. The results indicate that the conflict led to an average 16-23 percent drop in firm total factor productivity and the decline is 5-10 percentage points larger for firms that are owned by or employing foreigners. These results are consistent with anecdotal evidence of increasing violent attacks and looting of foreigners and their businesses during the conflict. The results suggest increases in operating costs is a possible channel driving this impact. Finally, the paper investigates whether firms responded by hiring fewer foreign workers and finds evidence supporting this hypothesis.

Keywords: Economic Theory&Research; Labor Policies; Microfinance; E-Business; Post Conflict Reconstruction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-10-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-dev and nep-eff
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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