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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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<strong>Challenges</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Era</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Globalization</strong><br />

Edited by Emmanuel Obuah<br />

Our result also <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>gly shows that vertical <strong>in</strong>tegration had a negative impact on productivity growth<br />

and this was statistically significant <strong>in</strong> almost all <strong>the</strong> 5 models apart from <strong>the</strong> fifth one. This seems to<br />

confirm that <strong>the</strong> free cash flow available to <strong>the</strong> managers were <strong>in</strong>vested <strong>in</strong> projects with negative net<br />

present values, while f<strong>in</strong>ancial pressure was not effective enough at check<strong>in</strong>g this problem. The log <strong>of</strong><br />

total assets was found to impact positively on <strong>the</strong> productivity growth <strong>of</strong> listed non-f<strong>in</strong>ancial firms, this<br />

seems reasonable as firms with large assets could secure some economies <strong>of</strong> large scale production<br />

rang<strong>in</strong>g from f<strong>in</strong>ance, market<strong>in</strong>g, managerial and research and development. The log <strong>of</strong> age recorded a<br />

negative but not significant impact on productivity growth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> firms.<br />

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations<br />

This paper exam<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial pressure created through total debt, bank debt, borrow<strong>in</strong>g ratio<br />

and f<strong>in</strong>ancial distress on productivity growth <strong>of</strong> listed non-f<strong>in</strong>ancial firms <strong>in</strong> Nigeria. This was <strong>in</strong>itiated<br />

due to limited studies emanat<strong>in</strong>g from Nigeria, moreover, studies such as that <strong>of</strong> Onaolapo and Kajola<br />

(2010) focused on <strong>the</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> capital structure on firm pr<strong>of</strong>itability which is not a comprehensive<br />

<strong>in</strong>dicator <strong>of</strong> firm performance, especially <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> context <strong>of</strong> Nigeria. For <strong>in</strong>stance, it is very possible for a<br />

firm to record a higher pr<strong>of</strong>itability by <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> prices <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir f<strong>in</strong>al products while ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g a<br />

fixed level <strong>of</strong> output. This is very possible <strong>in</strong> Nigeria because <strong>of</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> adequate competitive pressure<br />

that could check <strong>the</strong> monopolistic tendencies <strong>of</strong> firms. More so, <strong>the</strong> study <strong>in</strong> question used <strong>the</strong> OLS<br />

model which is subject to various econometric problems. This study hence focused on productivity<br />

growth while account<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>the</strong> endogeneity problems <strong>in</strong>herent <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> OLS and fixed effect models<br />

<strong>of</strong> panel data analysis by employ<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Arellano and Bond general methods <strong>of</strong> moments (GMM) method.<br />

Our study reveals that f<strong>in</strong>ancial pressure through borrow<strong>in</strong>g ratio (BRT) and Debt ratio (DBT) had a<br />

negative but not significant impact on firm productivity growth, while bank debt (BNK), f<strong>in</strong>ancial distress<br />

(LSS) and bank debt <strong>in</strong> firms with f<strong>in</strong>ancial distress (BLS) recorded a positive but <strong>in</strong>significant impact on<br />

productivity growth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> firms. Vertical <strong>in</strong>tegration was found to exert a negative and significant<br />

impact on productivity while total assets recorded a positive and significant impact on productivity<br />

growth.<br />

We still <strong>in</strong>tend to improve this study by consider<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> ownership structure and competitive pressure <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> firms to determ<strong>in</strong>e whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial pressure varies with ownership concentration and<br />

director sharehold<strong>in</strong>gs. However, our study has confirmed that f<strong>in</strong>ancial pressure does not enhance<br />

productivity growth <strong>of</strong> firms <strong>in</strong> Nigeria.<br />

References<br />

Adenik<strong>in</strong>ju, A.F. (2005). “Productivity Performance <strong>in</strong> Develop<strong>in</strong>g Countries: Country Case Studies”, A<br />

Report Submitted to UNIDO.<br />

Arellano, M. and Bond, S. (1991), “Some Tests <strong>of</strong> Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence<br />

and an Application to Employment Equations.” Review <strong>of</strong> Economic Studies, 58(2): 277-297.<br />

Aghion, P. and Howitt, P. (1996): “A Research and development <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> growth<br />

process”. Journal <strong>of</strong> Economic Growth, 1(1), 49-73.<br />

Benito A. and Ignacio H. (2002). Extricate: F<strong>in</strong>ancial Pressure and Firm Behavior <strong>in</strong> Spa<strong>in</strong>,<br />

http://www.bde.es/webbde/SES/Secciones/Publicaciones/PublicacionesSeriadas/DocumentosTrabajo/02/<br />

Fic/dt0227e.pdf<br />

Grossman, S.J. and Hart, O. D. (1982). Corporate F<strong>in</strong>ancial Structure and Managerial Incentives <strong>in</strong><br />

J.McCall (ed.), The Economics <strong>of</strong> Information and Uncerta<strong>in</strong>ty, Chicago: University <strong>of</strong> Chicago Press.<br />

Issakson, A (2007) Productivity and aggregate growth: a global picture, Research and Statistics Branch<br />

Staff Work<strong>in</strong>g Paper 05/2007. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).<br />

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