The effects of feedbacks on firms’ productivity growth. Micro, macro, and meso determinants of productivity growth in Argentinian firms

VERÓNICA ROBERT; MARIANO PEREIRA; RODRIGO KATAISHI; GABRIEL YOGUEL

Buenos Aires

Conferencia; IX Globelics Internacional Conference; 2011

UNGS-UNQ-UNSAM-CIC

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the study of the relationship between innovation and productivity growth from an evolutionary perspective, expanded on by complexity theory. We discuss the main theoretical and methodological contributions regarding this relationship and emphasize the relevance of including concepts from complexity theory in order to account for the fact that this relationship is a systemic phenomenon, affected by positive feedback loops. This paper analyzes the impact of micro-, meso-, and macro-economic determinants on productivity growth. The microeconomic dimension is estimated from a set of variables that account for the innovative behavior of the firm; the meso dimension from the heterogeneity of firms and the position of each firm in the competitive space; and the macro dimension by the expansion of internal demand. The paper presents empirical evidence relating to small and medium-sized manufacturing firms and knowledge-intensive services in Argentina between 2006 and 2008. It is important to highlight that this period is part of a phase of strong economic growth, accompanied by simultaneous increases in productivity and employment.