Date of Award

1-1-2001

Thesis Type

Masters

Document Type

Thesis

Divisions

Faculty of Business and Economics

Department

-

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

This paper contributes to the debate concerning the sources of growth of newly industrializing East Asian economies, of which Malaysia is an example. It provides an empirical analysis of total factor productivity (TFP) in Malaysia for the period of 1971- 1999. This paper finds that the TFP growth is estimated to be around 2% per annum over the last thirty year, somewhat higher than the previous estimates for four Asian Tigers but remain a small fraction of the actual GDP per worker growth. The variables found to have significant influence on TFP growth in Malaysia during 1971-1999 are related to the degree of openness to foreign companies and the world economy. These results can be useful in designing future economic policies that target higher TFP growth in Malaysia. The paper proceeds as follows. Chapter 1 comprises a preliminary review of the debate over the sources of growth of some East Asian economies, some previous study and a brief discussion. Objectives of this research are also stated in this section. Literature reviews are cove.red briefly in Chapter 2. The next chapter is devoted to the definition and measurement of Total Factor Productivity (TFP). Chapter 4 measured TFP growth in Malaysia over a time series for the period 1971-1999. TFP is estimated in a neoclassical framework by subtracting from output growth the portion of growth due to capital accumulation and labor force growth. Chapter 5 regresses the total factor productivity growth (TFPG) estimates to a list of variables. In Chapter 6, an attempt is made to discuss some of the main determinants of TFPO. Lastly, some concluding remarks are presented in the Chapter 7.

Initial

snms

Additional Information

Dissertation (M.A) -- Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya, 2001.

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