Bloom, Nicholas and Van Reenen, John 
ORCID: 0000-0001-9153-2907
(2010)
Why do management practices differ across firms and countries?
Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24 (1).
203 - 224.
ISSN 0895-3309
Abstract
Economists have long puzzled over the astounding differences in productivity between firms and countries. In this paper, we present evidence on a possible explanation for persistent differences in productivity at the firm and the national level -- namely, that such differences largely reflect variations in management practices. We have, over the last decade, undertaken a large survey research program to systematically measure management practices across firms, industries, and countries. Our survey approach focuses on aspects of management like systematic performance monitoring, setting appropriate targets, and providing incentives for good performance. We explain how we measure management; identify some basic patterns in our data; then turn to the question of why management practices vary so much across firms and nations. What we find is a combination of imperfectly competitive markets, family ownership of firms, regulations restricting management practices, and informational barriers allow bad management to persist.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Official URL: | http://www.aeaweb.org/jep/index.php |
| Additional Information: | © 2010 American Economic Association |
| Divisions: | Economics Centre for Economic Performance |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management |
| JEL classification: | F - International Economics > F2 - International Factor Movements and International Business > F23 - Multinational Firms; International Business L - Industrial Organization > L2 - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior > L25 - Firm Performance: Size, Diversification and Scope, Age, Profit, and Sales M - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting > M1 - Business Administration > M10 - General |
| Date Deposited: | 05 Apr 2011 15:46 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Nov 2024 00:08 |
| URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/33893 |
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