Economic Growth and Firm Size Dynamics: Evidence from Romania’s Development Regions

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18096/TMP.2024.02.05

Keywords:

economic growth, firms’ size class, GDP, Romanian regions

Abstract

The relationship between firms and economic growth is an intensely debated topic in the literature, emphasizing the impact of the large businesses or small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in ensuring growth, innovation and employment, the role of support measures or social benefits. Although the importance of each category in growth and development is far from a consensus, there is a tacit recognition that each size-class of firms has a series of specific characteristics that can better influence certain aspects of development. A better knowing of them could help adapting and calibrating measures and policies according to specific objectives, stages or geographical areas. In this paper, we propose an econometric approach to the relationship between economic growth (by GDP evolution) and the dynamics of the firms’ sector, by size class, at the level of the development regions of Romania. We found that the effect of the number of enterprises in each size class similarly influences the GDP, regardless of the region, with a more pronounced positively impact in the case of micro- and small enterprises and ambiguous in the case of medium-sized enterprises.

Author Biographies

Daniel Badulescu, University of Oradea

Department of Economics and Business, Oradea, Universitatii st 1, Romania

Alina Badulescu, University of Oradea, Department of Economics and Business

Alina Badulescu is Professor of Economics and doctoral supervisor at the Faculty of Economics and Doctoral School in Economics within the University of Oradea, Romania.
She graduated Bucharest University of Economic Studies and she has authored and co-authored numerous journal articles and books in the area of Tourism, Entrepreneurship,Microeconomics.

Ramona Simut, University of Oradea, Department of Economics and Business

Ramona Simut is Associate Professor at Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea. She graduated the same University, and her research interest area includes Entrepreneurship, Business Development and Economic Modelling.

Dragos Dianu, University of Oradea

Dragos Dianu graduated from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies and holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oradea. His doctoral research is focused on entrepreneurship and
regional development.

References

Acs, Z., & Audretsch, D. (1987). Innovation, Market Structure and Firm Size. Review of Economics and Statistics, 69(4), 567-575. https://doi.org/10.2307/1935950

Akcigit, U., Harun, A., & Peters, M. (2021). Lack of Selection and Limits to Delegation: Firm Dynamics in Developing Countries. American Economic Review, 111(1), 231-275. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20180555

Amaghouss, J., & Ibourk, A. (2013). Entrepreneurial Activities, Innovation and Economic Growth: The Role of Cyclical Factors. Evidence from OECD Countries for the Period 2001-2009. International Business Research, 6(1), 153-162. https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v6n1p153

Armeanu, D., Istudor, N., & Lache, L. (2015). The Role of SMEs in Assessing the Contribution of Entrepreneurship to GDP in the Romanian Business Environment. Amfiteatru Economic, 17(38), 195-221.

Audretsch, D., & Thurik, R. (2001). Linking Entrepreneurship to Growth. OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers, 2001/2. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/736170038056

Audretsch, D., Carree, M., van Stel, A., & Thurik, R. (2000). Impeded Industrial Restructuring: The Growth Penalty. Discussion Paper Series, 26254, Hamburg Institute of International Economics.

Autor, D., Dorn, D., Katz, L., Patterson, C., & Van Reenen, J. (2020). The Fall of the Labor Share and the Rise of Superstar Firms. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 135(2), 645–709. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjaa004

Badulescu, D., Gavrilut, D., Simut, R., Bodog, S.-A., Zapodeanu, D., Toca, C.-V., & Badulescu, A. (2024). The Relationship between Sustainable Economic Growth, R&D Expenditures and Employment: A Regional Perspective for the North-West Development Region of Romania. Sustainability, 16, 760. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020760

Beck, T., Demirgüç-Kunt, A., & Levine, R. (2005). SMEs, Growth and Poverty. NBER Working Paper Series, 1124. https://doi.org/10.3386/w11224

Bento, P., & Restuccia, D. (2017). Misallocation, Establishment Size, and Productivity. American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, 9(3), 267–303. https://doi.org/10.1257/mac.20150281

Bento, P., & Restuccia, D. (2021). On average establishment size across sectors and countries. Journal of Monetary Economics, 117(C), 220-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmoneco.2020.01.001

Carneiro, D., Lobo e Silva, C., & Hewings, G. (2020). Firm Size and Economic Development: Evidence for The Brazilian Municipalities. Planejamento e Políticas Públicas, 54, 79-98. https://doi.org/10.38116/ppp54art04

Carree, M., & Thurik, R. (1998). Small Firms and Economic Growth in Europe. Atlantic Economic Journal, 26(2), 137-146. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02299356

Carree, M., van Stel, A., Thurik, R., & Wennekers, S. (2002). Economic Development and Business Ownership: An Analysis Using Data of 23 OECD Countries in the Period 1976–1996. Small Business Economics, 19(3), 271-290. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019604426387

Choi, I. (2001). Unit Root Test for Panel Data. Journal of International Money and Finance, 20(2), 249–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5606(00)00048-6

Cravo, T., Becker, B., & Gourlay, A. (2012). SMEs and regional economic growth in Brazil. Small Business Economics, 38(2), 217-230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-010-9261-z

Dejardin, M., & Fritsch, M. (2011). Entrepreneurial dynamics and regional growth. Small Business Economics, 36(4), 377-382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-009-9258-7 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41486103

Deller, S. (2010). Spatial variations in the role of microenterprises in economic growth. The Review of Regional Studies, 40(1), 71-97. https://doi.org/10.52324/001c.8161

Dianu, D., Gavriluț, D., Badulescu, D., Simut, R., & Herte, D. (2019). Business Formation, Discontinuity and Economic Growth in Romania. Madrid: The 34th International Business Information Management Association Conference (IBIMA).

Druica, E., Goschin, Z., & Grigore, A.-M. (2017). Regional interplay of factors informing SMES’ density in Romania. A panel data analysis. Eastern Journal of European Studies, 8(1), 79-95.

European Commission. (2003, 09 01). SME definition. Retrieved from https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/smes/sme-fundamentals/sme-definition_en

European Commission. (2023). Annual Report on European SMEs 2022/2023. SME Performance Review 2022/2023. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

Eurostat. (2024, 09 11). Business Demography. Database. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/business-demography/database

Gavrilut, D., Badulescu, A., & Badulescu, D. (2022). Innovative Startups and Local Development - The Case of the North-West Region of Romania. MEST Journal, 10(2), 71-80. https://doi.org/10.12709/mest.10.10.02.08

Glonti, V., Manvelidze, R., & Surmanidze, I. (2021). The Contribution of SME to Regional Economic Development: On example of Adjara Autonomous Republic. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 10(1), 513-526. https://doi.org/10.14207/ejsd.2021.v10n1p513

Goschin, Z. (2014). R&D as an Engine of Regional Economic Growth in Romania. Romanian Journal of Regional Science, 8(1), 24-37.

Granger, C., & Newbold, P. (1974). Spurious regressions in econometrics. Journal of Econometrics, 2(2), 111-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4076(74)90034-7

Gubik, A. (2020). Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth – Conceptualization Choices in the Literature. Észak-magyarországi Stratégiai Füzetek, XVII(1), 45-56. https://doi.org/10.32976/stratfuz.2020.4

Haltiwanger, J., Jarmin, R., & Miranda, J. (2010). Who creates jobs? Small vs large vs young. NBER Working Paper, No 16300. https://doi.org/10.3386/w16300 https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1666157

Im, K.; Pesaran, H.; Shin, Y. (2003). Testing for Unit Roots in Heterogeneous Panels. Journal of Econometrics, 115(1), 53–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4076(03)00092-7

Komarek, T., & Loveridge, S. (2015). Firms size and economic development: estimating long-term effects on U.S. county growth, 1990-2000. Journal of Regional Science, 55(2), 262-279. https://doi.org/10.1111/jors.12159

La Porta, R., & Shleifer, A. (2014). Informality and Development. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 28(3), 109-126. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.28.3.109

Lee, K., Kim, B.-Y., Park, Y.-Y., & Sanidas, E. (2013). Big businesses and economic growth: Identifying a binding constraint for growth with country panel analysis. Journal of Comparative Economics, 41(2), 561-582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2012.07.006

Levchenko, A., Ranciere, R., & Thoenig, M. (2007). Liberalization, Growth and Risk at the Industry Level: the Real Effects of Financial Liberalization. Washington, DC: Conference on New Perspectives on Financial Globalization, International Monetary Fund.

Loayza, N., Oviedo, A., & Serven, L. (2005). Regulation and macroeconomic performance. Policy Research Working Paper, 3469. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-3469

Majerovitz, J. (2023). How Do Firms Differ in Rich and Poor Countries? Retrieved 09 11, 2024, from https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2023/mar/how-firms-differ-rich-and-poor-countries

Mansury, M., & Love, J. (2008). Innovation, productivity and growth in US business services: a firm-level analysis. Technovation, 28(1-2), 52-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2007.06.002

National Institute of Statistics, Romania. (2024). Tempo Online. Domain. Retrieved 09 09, 2024, from http://statistici.insse.ro:8077/tempo-online/#/pages/tables/insse-table

OECD. (2020, 09 01). Enterprises by business size. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/en/data/indicators/enterprises-by-business-size.html

Piguillem, F., & Rubini, L. (2012). International Trade and the Firm Size. Meeting Papers, 857. Society for Economic Dynamics. https://ideas.repec.org/p/red/sed012/857.html

Popescu, A.-I., & Popescu, L. (2011). The Contribution of the European Structural Funds to the Development of Human Resources in Romania from a Regional Perspective. Sibiu, Romania: 18th International Economic Conference – IECS 2011.

Poschke, M. (2018). The Firm Size Distribution across Countries and Skill-Biased Change in Entrepreneurial Technology. American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, 10(3), 1–41. https://doi.org/10.1257/mac.20140181

Schumpeter, J. (1942). Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy (Third Edition, 2008 ed.). New York: Harper Perennial Modern Thought.

Schumpeter, J. (1961). The Theory of Economic Development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Shaffer, S. (2002). Firm size and economic growth. Economic Letters, 76(2), 195-203. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-1765(02)00043-5

Shaffer, S. (2006). Establishment size and local employment growth. Small Business Economics, 26(5), 439-454. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-005-5598-0

Simut, R., Badulescu, A., & Dianu, D. (2021). Do Entrepreneurial Dynamics Influence Economic Growth and Employment? Evidence for Romania. Oradea Journal of Business and Economics, 6(2), 98-110. http://doi.org/10.47535/1991ojbe133

Stancu, S., Grecu, E., Aceleanu, M., Trască, D., & Albulescu, C. (2021). Does Firm Size Matters for Firm Growth? Evidence from the Romanian Health Sector. Romanian Journal of Economic Forecasting, XXIV(1), 17-31.

Stelea, N., & Calefariu, G. (2022). Analysis of Competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Sustainable Regional Development – Result of European Funding in the CENTER Region-Romania. Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, XXII(1), 175-179. https://doi.org/10.61801/OUAESS.2022.1.22

Yang, H. (2019). Regional Economic Growth and Firm Performance. Retrieved 09 11, 2024, from https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/heyang/files/chainstores.pdf

Downloads

Published

2024-12-15

How to Cite

Badulescu, D., Badulescu, A., Simut, R., & Dianu, D. (2024). Economic Growth and Firm Size Dynamics: Evidence from Romania’s Development Regions. Theory, Methodology, Practice – Review of Business and Management, 20(02), 69–79. https://doi.org/10.18096/TMP.2024.02.05