Research

Do Productivity Shocks Cause Inputs Misallocation?

Under Review

Firms exhibit varying productivity levels even within narrowly defined industries and face uncertainty when predicting future performance. This paper investigates the link between productivity uncertainty, heterogeneity, and misallocation across all inputs. Using a model where heterogeneous firms face staggered productivity shocks, creating gaps between expected and actual productivity, I find a positive association between marginal revenue product dispersions and productivity variability. The analysis reveals that productivity shocks predominantly drive marginal revenue product dispersions. By comparing baseline estimates with those from the factor shares approach, I highlight the limitations of the latter method in analyzing the effects of productivity evolution.

[Preprint] [Versions Repo (arXiv)] 

Factor-Biased Efficiency Gains from Exporting: Evidence from Colombia 

Joint with Joonkyo Hong

Submitted

This study examines whether exporting enhances efficiency and favors specific inputs. We develop a production function model within a dynamic exporting and investment framework, capturing factor-biased technical changes. Using Kalman filtering to address measurement error and propensity score matching to control for self-selection into exporting, we analyze Colombia’s manufacturing sectors from 1981 to 1991. New exporters achieve a 4% annual increase in labor-augmenting and unskilled labor relative productivity, with no change in Hicks-neutral productivity. Unskilled labor-augmenting productivity grows by 8% annually, aligning with machinery asset expansion, while TFP rises by 3% per year.

[Preprint] [Versions Repo (arXiv)]