This paper uses firm-level panel data from Taiwan’s manufacturing industries from 1987 to 2000 to investigate the impact of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) on the technical efficiency of the OFDI firms. Propensity score matching is used to construct an appropriate group of non-OFDI firms to compare with OFDI firms, and a metafrontier framework is subsequently used to calculate comparab...

Technology absorption is critical to emerging market growth. To study this process I exploit fuel economy standards, which compel automakers to either acquire fuel efficiency technology or reduce vehicle quality. With novel, unique data on the Chinese auto market between 1999 and 2012, I evaluate the effect of China’s 2009 fuel economy standards on firms’ vehicle characteristic choices. Through...

This study examines competencies of Human Resource (HR) professionals in the manufacturing companies of Malaysia. The Human Resource Competency Survey (HRCS) model is used in this study. The competencies that are examined in this study are business knowledge, strategic contribution, HR delivery, personal credibility and HR technology. All these competencies will be tested whether or not they ar...

Heterogeneity among firms is quite prevalent in industries. Using the random coefficients model, this paper aims to measure productive efficiency of firms allowing heterogeneity of firms. Firm level data from the Bangladesh food manufacturing are used for empirical estimation. The results show that there are wide variations in efficiency across firms attributable to firms’ heterogeneity. Furthe...

This paper studies the location choices of Japanese manufacturing and service firms in Europe between 1970 and 1995. We examine whether the presence of Japanese manufacturing (service) firms attracts other Japanese manufacturers (service providers), whether there exist interindustry linkages between the two sectors, and how such intraand interindustry agglomeration effects have evolved over tim...

One of the goals of the government is to increase the competitiveness of domestic firms to export goods and services. Moreover, the role of exports in many economic sectors has been emphasized. There are two essential requirements for developing non-oil exports: first, the presence of firms in export markets and increasing their competitiveness; second, the survival of them in international mar...

*This Report has not been formally edited. The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its fr...

Mass customization capabilities enable firms to design, produce, and deliver a high volume of differentiated products that meet specific customer needs in a timely manner and at close to mass-production prices. A critical part of mass customization is simultaneously achieving customer responsiveness, cost efficiency, and high volume production in the manufacturing system. This research describe...

This paper explores the issue of whether strict liability imposed on polluters has served to reduce uncontrolled releases of toxics into the environment. Strict liability should create additional incentives for firms to handle hazardous substances more carefully, thus reducing the future likelihood of uncontrolled releases of toxics. However, the size of these incentives may vary according to t...