Productivity Growth in Different Plant-Size Groups in the Malaysian Manufacturing Sector

Abstract

In the present study, we develop a stochastic frontier production model that allows for different groups of firms to have different patterns of technical efficiency over time. We apply our model to the Malaysian manufacturing sector to decompose total factor productivity growth into technical efficiency change and technical progress for different plant size groups (e.g. large and small) in seven industries during 2000–2004. Our empirical results indicate that technical efficiency has worsened across all industries and plant-size groups. In contrast, we find evidence of substantial technical progress in all industries. In fact, technical progress has been larger than technical efficiency deterioration in most industries and plant-size groups, leading to total factor productivity growth. Our analysis identifies the industries and plant-size groups that lag the most in terms of productivity, and thus have the greatest scope for policies that facilitate productivity growth.