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Back on the Rails -- Competition and Productivity in State-owned Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Rohini Somanathan

    (Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi, India)

  • Kala Krishna

    (Department of Economics, Pennsylvania State University)

  • Sergey Lychagin

    (Department of Economics, Pennsylvania State University)

  • Sanghamitra Das

Abstract

The importance of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) in explaining output changes is widely accepted, yet its sources are not well understood. We use a proprietary data set on the oor-level operations at the Bhilai Rail and Structural Mill (RSM) in India to understand the determinants of changes in plant productivity between January 2000 and March 2003. During this period there was a 35% increase in output with minimal changes in the stock of physical capital or the number of employees, but sizable reductions in the number and duration of various types of production delays. We model interruptions to the production process as a function of worker characteristics and find that a large part of the avoidable delay reductions are attributable to training. Overall, changes in all delays account for over half the changes in productivity. Our results provide some explanation for the large within-industry di erences in productivity observed in developing countries and also suggest that speci c knowledge-enhancing investments can have very high returns. Our approach also provides an example of how detailed data on production processes can be fruitfully used to better understand TFP changes, which have typically been treated as residuals in growth-accounting exercises.

Suggested Citation

  • Rohini Somanathan & Kala Krishna & Sergey Lychagin & Sanghamitra Das, 2010. "Back on the Rails -- Competition and Productivity in State-owned Industry," Working papers 184, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:cde:cdewps:184
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sanghamitra Das & Kala Krishna & Sergey Lychagin & Rohini Somanathan, 2013. "Back on the Rails: Competition and Productivity in State-Owned Industry," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(1), pages 136-162, January.
    2. Ana Cecília Fieler & Marcela Eslava & Daniel Xu, 2014. "Trade, Skills, and Quality Upgrading: A Theory with Evidence from Colombia," NBER Working Papers 19992, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. David Alfaro‐Serrano & Tanay Balantrapu & Ritam Chaurey & Ana Goicoechea & Eric Verhoogen, 2021. "Interventions to promote technology adoption in firms: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(4), December.
    4. E. Somanathan & Rohini Somanathan & Anant Sudarshan & Meenu Tewari, 2021. "The Impact of Temperature on Productivity and Labor Supply: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(6), pages 1797-1827.
    5. Steven D. Levitt & John A. List & Chad Syverson, 2013. "Toward an Understanding of Learning by Doing: Evidence from an Automobile Assembly Plant," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 121(4), pages 643-681.
    6. Fieler, Ana Cecília & Harrison, Ann E., 2023. "Escaping import competition in China," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    7. Lundborg, Petter & James, Stefan & Lagerqvist, Bo & Vikström, Johan, 2021. "Learning-by-Doing and Productivity Growth among High-Skilled Workers: Evidence from the Treatment of Heart Attacks," IZA Discussion Papers 14744, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Andreas Menzel, 2017. "Knowledge Exchange and Productivity Spill-overs in Bangladeshi Garment Factories," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp607, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Total Factor Productivity (TFP); Plant level data; Competitiveness and trade.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • L61 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Metals and Metal Products; Cement; Glass; Ceramics
    • M53 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Training

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