Total Factor Productivity of Tunisia's manufacturing sectors: measurement, determinants and convergence towards OECD countries

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, sector-based Total Factor Productivity (TFP) is calculated for six Tunisian manufacturing sectors over the period 1983-2002. Economic determinants of the productive performance are also investigated. In doing so, we take care of the direction of the causality by using a panel data Granger type-test. The recent literature in international economics has placed a particular emphasis on the relation between TFP and variables reflecting the potential impact of both trade and financial openness. Sector-based TFPs proved to be sensitive to some of these variables, highlighting a causality that does not reject the stimulating impact of exports and foreign direct investments. Second, the paper implements some panel data unit root tests to investigate the statistical hypothesis of TFP catching up of Tunisia with OECD members. In benchmarking each of the six Tunisian sectors by those of the most developed countries, panel data unit root tests do not reject the hypothesis of an overall catching- up for five of them.cerdi

Total Factor Productivity of Tunisia’s manufacturing sectors: measurement, determinants and convergence towards OECD countries

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, sector-based Total Factor Productivity (TFP) is calculated for six Tunisian manufacturing sectors over the period 1983-2002. Economic determinants of the productive performance are also investigated. In doing so, we take care of the direction of the causality by using a panel data Granger type-test. The recent literature in international economics has placed a particular emphasis on the relation between TFP and variables reflecting the potential impact of both trade and financial openness. Sector-based TFPs proved to be sensitive to some of these variables, highlighting a causality that does not reject the stimulating impact of exports and foreign direct investments. Second, the paper implements some panel data unit root tests to investigate the statistical hypothesis of TFP catching up of Tunisia with OECD members. In benchmarking each of the six Tunisian sectors by those of the most developed countries, panel data unit root tests do not reject the hypothesis of an overall catching- up for five of them.

Textile manufacturing in eight developing countries:How far does the business environment explain firms' productive inefficiency?

Production frontiers and inefficiency determinants are estimated by using stochastic models. Textile manufacturing is considered for a sample of eight developing countries encompassing about one thousand firms. We find that the most influential individual inefficiency determinants relate to in-house organization. Both access to financing and infrastructural services (e.g. power supply, modern information technologies...) also matter. Information about determinants is then regrouped into three broad categories (e.g. managerial organization, economic environment, institutions) by using principal component analyses. Results do not reject the hypothesis that managerial know-how and the quality of institutions are the most important determinants. The impact of the external economic environment is of less importance although statistically significant. Sector-based simulations are then proposed in order to assess productivity gains which would occur if firms had the opportunity to evolve in most favorable environments within the sample. Domestic and international production contexts are considered, respectively. When referring to domestic benchmarks, the contribution of in-house organization prevails as the main source of gains for the eight countries. The role of institutions proves dominant for Egypt and India when focusing on international simulations.textile;firms;Technical efficiency;organizational know-how;productivity;institutions;external economic environment;one step stochastic frontier method

Total Factor Productivity of Tunisia's manufacturing sectors: measurement, determinants and convergence towards OECD countries

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, sector-based Total Factor Productivity (TFP) is calculated for six Tunisian manufacturing sectors over the period 1983-2002. Economic determinants of the productive performance are also investigated. In doing so, we take care of the direction of the causality by using a panel data Granger type-test. The recent literature in international economics has placed a particular emphasis on the relation between TFP and variables reflecting the potential impact of both trade and financial openness. Sector-based TFPs proved to be sensitive to some of these variables, highlighting a causality that does not reject the stimulating impact of exports and foreign direct investments. Second, the paper implements some panel data unit root tests to investigate the statistical hypothesis of TFP catching up of Tunisia with OECD members. In benchmarking each of the six Tunisian sectors by those of the most developed countries, panel data unit root tests do not reject the hypothesis of an overall catching- up for five of them

Textile manufacturing in eight developing countries:How far does the business environment explain firms' productive inefficiency?

Production frontiers and inefficiency determinants are estimated by using stochastic models. Textile manufacturing is considered for a sample of eight developing countries encompassing about one thousand firms. We find that the most influential individual inefficiency determinants relate to in-house organization. Both access to financing and infrastructural services (e.g. power supply, modern information technologies...) also matter. Information about determinants is then regrouped into three broad categories (e.g. managerial organization, economic environment, institutions) by using principal component analyses. Results do not reject the hypothesis that managerial know-how and the quality of institutions are the most important determinants. The impact of the external economic environment is of less importance although statistically significant. Sector-based simulations are then proposed in order to assess productivity gains which would occur if firms had the opportunity to evolve in most favorable environments within the sample. Domestic and international production contexts are considered, respectively. When referring to domestic benchmarks, the contribution of in-house organization prevails as the main source of gains for the eight countries. The role of institutions proves dominant for Egypt and India when focusing on international simulations

Total Factor Productivity within the Tunisian manufacturing sectors and international convergence with OECD countries

The purpose of this paper is to examine Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of six Tunisian manufacturing sectors and to compare these productivities with those of OECD countries. The analysis covers the period 1983-1999. First, TFP is measured and some of the main economic and financial determinants are identified. In carrying out this econometric exercise we are careful to take into account the problem of the direction of causality between variables. For the empirical analysis, panel data causality tests are conducted. The results suggest that TFP growth rates are sensitive to variables reflecting international openness. Secondly, the paper investigates the evolution of the TFP gaps between Tunisia and OECD countries. A stochastic convergence has been considered here. Two panel data unit root tests are employed. A global convergence is evidenced for five sectors.

Total Factor Productivity within the Tunisian manufacturing sectors and international convergence with OECD countries

The purpose of this paper is to examine Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of six Tunisian manufacturing sectors and to compare these productivities with those of OECD countries. The analysis covers the period 1983-1999. First, TFP is measured and some of the main economic and financial determinants are identified. In carrying out this econometric exercise we are careful to take into account the problem of the direction of causality between variables. For the empirical analysis, panel data causality tests are conducted. The results suggest that TFP growth rates are sensitive to variables reflecting international openness. Secondly, the paper investigates the evolution of the TFP gaps between Tunisia and OECD countries. A stochastic convergence has been considered here. Two panel data unit root tests are employed. A global convergence is evidenced for five sectors.cerdi

La production textile à Sfax : le développement territorial à l’épreuve de la globalisation

L’étude du textile à Sfax constitue l’objet analytique de cet article. La première section décrit le secteur à travers son importance pour l’économie régionale et ses caractéristiques de développement dans une dialectique locale de respect et d’évolution des traditions entrepreneuriales. La seconde section s’inscrit dans la démarche analytique des « districts industriels ». Une concentration spatiale d’entreprises dans un secteur donné engendre une « atmosphère industrielle » à laquelle s’attachent des économies externes locales et des jeux de coopération. Notre objectif est ici de comprendre ces coopérations, leur intensité à travers la variété des phénomènes de contractualisation au niveau de la production. Les contrats dont il est question dans cet article relèvent pour l’essentiel de la sous-traitance dans ses dimensions verticales et horizontales. L’analyse économétrique des formes coopératives est effectuée à travers l’estimation de modèles à variables qualitatives discrètes: logit binaires et logit multinomiaux ordonnés. L’économétrie porte sur les données 2004 d’une enquête réalisée sur un échantillon représentatif de 25% des entreprises textiles du gouvernorat. Une des conclusions de l’analyse empirique est que la coopération est positivement liée à la taille et négativement à l’âge. L’émergence de la coopération est par ailleurs plus facile lorsque l’entreprise est exportatrice et non liée à une ascendance familiale, ce dernier élément du « capital social » jouant ici le rôle d’un facteur bloquant, source d’inertie. L’implantation dans le gouvernorat de Sfax semble également compter avec une propension à la coopération qui décroît avec l’éloignement du centre ville. La troisième section retrace les avantages et faiblesses du système productif localisé et définit les conditions de sa consolidation dans un environnement de concurrence internationale croissante. On revient en conclusion sur les principaux résultats et prolongements de l’étude.

The mediterranean sea we want

open58siThis paper presents major gaps and challenges for implementing the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) in the Mediterranean region. The authors make recommendations on the scientific knowledge needs and co-design actions identified during two consultations, part of the Decade preparatory-phase, framing them in the Mediterranean Sea’s unique environmental and socio-economic perspectives. According to the ‘Mediterranean State of the Environment and Development Report 2020’ by the United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan and despite notable progress, the Mediterranean region is not on track to achieve and fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030. Key factors are the cumulative effect of multiple human-induced pressures that threaten the ecosystem resources and services in the global change scenario. The basin, identified as a climate change vulnerability hotspot, is exposed to pollution and rising impacts of climate change. This affects mainly the coastal zones, at increasing risk of extreme events and their negative effects of unsustainable management of key economic assets. Transitioning to a sustainable blue economy is the key for the marine environment’s health and the nourishment of future generations. This challenging context, offering the opportunity of enhancing the knowledge to define science-based measures as well as narrowing the gaps between the Northen and Southern shores, calls for a joint (re)action. The paper reviews the state of the art of Mediterranean Sea science knowledge, sets of trends, capacity development needs, specific challenges, and recommendations for each Decade’s societal outcome. In the conclusions, the proposal for a Mediterranean regional programme in the framework of the Ocean Decade is addressed. The core objective relies on integrating and improving the existing ocean-knowledge, Ocean Literacy, and ocean observing capacities building on international cooperation to reach the “Mediterranean Sea that we want”.openCappelletto M.; Santoleri R.; Evangelista L.; Galgani F.; Garces E.; Giorgetti A.; Fava F.; Herut B.; Hilmi K.; Kholeif S.; Lorito S.; Sammari C.; Lianos M.C.; Celussi M.; D'alelio D.; Francocci F.; Giorgi G.; Canu D.M.; Organelli E.; Pomaro A.; Sannino G.; Segou M.; Simoncelli S.; Babeyko A.; Barbanti A.; Chang-Seng D.; Cardin V.; Casotti R.; Drago A.; Asmi S.E.; Eparkhina D.; Fichaut M.; Hema T.; Procaccini G.; Santoro F.; Scoullos M.; Solidoro C.; Trincardi F.; Tunesi L.; Umgiesser G.; Zingone A.; Ballerini T.; Chaffai A.; Coppini G.; Gruber S.; Knezevic J.; Leone G.; Penca J.; Pinardi N.; Petihakis G.; Rio M.-H.; Said M.; Siokouros Z.; Srour A.; Snoussi M.; Tintore J.; Vassilopoulou V.; Zavatarelli M.Cappelletto M.; Santoleri R.; Evangelista L.; Galgani F.; Garces E.; Giorgetti A.; Fava F.; Herut B.; Hilmi K.; Kholeif S.; Lorito S.; Sammari C.; Lianos M.C.; Celussi M.; D'alelio D.; Francocci F.; Giorgi G.; Canu D.M.; Organelli E.; Pomaro A.; Sannino G.; Segou M.; Simoncelli S.; Babeyko A.; Barbanti A.; Chang-Seng D.; Cardin V.; Casotti R.; Drago A.; Asmi S.E.; Eparkhina D.; Fichaut M.; Hema T.; Procaccini G.; Santoro F.; Scoullos M.; Solidoro C.; Trincardi F.; Tunesi L.; Umgiesser G.; Zingone A.; Ballerini T.; Chaffai A.; Coppini G.; Gruber S.; Knezevic J.; Leone G.; Penca J.; Pinardi N.; Petihakis G.; Rio M.-H.; Said M.; Siokouros Z.; Srour A.; Snoussi M.; Tintore J.; Vassilopoulou V.; Zavatarelli M

Suppression of Phospholipase Dγs Confers Increased Aluminum Resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is the major stress in acidic soil that comprises about 50% of the world's arable land. The complex molecular mechanisms of Al toxicity have yet to be fully determined. As a barrier to Al entrance, plant cell membranes play essential roles in plant interaction with Al, and lipid composition and membrane integrity change significantly under Al stress. Here, we show that phospholipase Dγs (PLDγs) are induced by Al stress and contribute to Al-induced membrane lipid alterations. RNAi suppression of PLDγ resulted in a decrease in both PLDγ1 and PLDγ2 expression and an increase in Al resistance. Genetic disruption of PLDγ1 also led to an increased tolerance to Al while knockout of PLDγ2 did not. Both RNAi-suppressed and pldγ1-1 mutants displayed better root growth than wild-type under Al stress conditions, and PLDγ1-deficient plants had less accumulation of callose, less oxidative damage, and less lipid peroxidation compared to wild-type plants. Most phospholipids and glycolipids were altered in response to Al treatment of wild-type plants, whereas fewer changes in lipids occurred in response to Al stress in PLDγ mutant lines. Our results suggest that PLDγs play a role in membrane lipid modulation under Al stress and that high activities of PLDγs negatively modulate plant tolerance to Al