Creative accounting or creative destruction? Firm-level productivity growth in Chinese manufacturing

Loren Brandt (), Johannes Van Biesebroeck and Yifan Zhang

Journal of Development Economics, 2012, vol. 97, issue 2, 339-351

Abstract: We present the first comprehensive set of firm-level total factor productivity (TFP) estimates for China's manufacturing sector that spans China's entry into the WTO. For our preferred estimate, which adjusts for a number of potential sources of measurement error and bias, the weighted average annual productivity growth for incumbents is 2.85% for a gross output production function and 7.96% for a value added production function over the period 1998–2007. This is among the highest compared to other countries. Productivity growth at the industry level is even higher, reflecting the dynamic force of creative destruction. Over the entire period, net entry accounts for over two thirds of total TFP growth. In contrast to earlier studies looking at total non-agriculture including services, we find that TFP growth dominates input accumulation as a source of output growth.

Keywords: TFP; Industrial development; Reallocation; Entry; Exit; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D24 O14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1054)

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Working Paper: Creative Accounting or Creative Destruction? Firm-level Productivity Growth in Chinese Manufacturing (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:97:y:2012:i:2:p:339-351

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2011.02.002

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