Good Business Practices Improve Productivity in Myanmar’s Manufacturing Sector

Paolo Falco, Henrik Hansen, John Rand, Finn Tarp and Neda Trifkovic

Journal of Development Studies, 2023, vol. 59, issue 8, 1258-1282

Abstract: We investigate the relationship between business practices and enterprise productivity using panel data with matched employer and employee information from Myanmar. The data show that micro, small, and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in Myanmar typically adopt only a few modern business practices, and the persistence in the use is extremely low. Even so, we find a positive and economically important association between business practices and productivity. Specifically, the empirical results show that a one standard deviation difference in applied business practices (equivalent to applying an additional 4 to 5 of the 20 business practices in focus) is associated with an 8–10 per cent difference in labour productivity. Utilising the employer–employee information to estimate Mincer-type wage regressions, we find that workers receive about half to two-thirds of the productivity gain in higher wages. Overall, our findings support the notion of business practices as a production technology, and we find that workers and managers split the productivity gains evenly.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2023.2218002

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