Several studies have highlighted that African manufacturing wages are higher than comparator countries at similar levels of development, which contributes to the continent's lower levels of manufacturing competitiveness. This paper derives unit labor costs - average wages relative to...

Several studies have highlighted that African manufacturing wages are higher than comparator countries at similar levels of development, which contributes to the continent’s lower levels of manufacturing competitiveness. This paper derives unit labor costs - average wages relative to...

Using data collected by the World Bank, we empirically investigate the relationship between Chinese manufacturers' supply chain attributes, raw material and finished goods inventory turnover, and return on sales. Our findings indicate that location proximity, relationship continuity, and the...

Firms, especially Chinese manufacturing firms, invest significant resources in innovation activities to sustain their position in the intensifying competitive environment. However, innovation efficiency has led to growing concerns due to the rapid increase in R&D expenditures. The purpose of...

This report examines the place of China’s automobile industry in the global market and analyzes the recent, rapid increase in Chinese automobile exports. In addition, the implications carried by the rise of Chinese auto exports for the Korean automobile industry are identified and analyzed

The purpose of this paper is first to examine the historical and current development of the private sector in the PRC, and then to try to identify its characteristics, bottlenecks to further development and their policy implications. We then explore a simplified mathematical model, illustrating...

Using a panel data model, we study the effects of regional and industry-level traits on new business formation (NBF) for 164 industries across 266 Chinese prefectures between 1998 and 2007. The objective is to provide empirical estimates on effects of prefecture traits on entry rates, and in...

In China, local public debt issuance between 2006 and 2013 crowded out investment by private manufacturing firms by tightening their funding constraints, while it did not affect state-owned and foreign firms. Using novel data for local public debt issuance, we establish this result in three...

This paper examines the relationship between globalization and innovation. To do so, it draws from data that match the full population of workers and private-sector firms in Finland tracking them from 1995 to 2009. To correct for endogeneity the paper considers variation in trade exposure from...