Infrastructure, ICT and Firms’ Productivity and Efficiency: An Application to the Indian Manufacturing
Résumé
This paper highlights the role of infrastructure and information and
communication technology (ICT) in the context of total factor productivity (TFP) and
technical efficiency (TE) of the Indian manufacturing sector for the period 1994–
2008. We use advanced estimation techniques to overcome problems of
non-stationary, omitted variables, endogeneity and reverse causality by applying
fully modified OLS, panel co-integration and system GMM. Estimation results
suggest that the impact of infrastructure and ICT is rather strong. Interestingly, sectors
exposed relatively more to foreign competition (e.g. Transport Equipment, Textile,
Chemicals, Metal and Metal Products) are more sensitive to infrastructure deficiencies.
This finding implies that improving infrastructure and ICT would benefit these
sectors to a large extent, thus contributing to India’s competitiveness. This outcome is
of particular importance in the context of infrastructure bottlenecks in India.