Browsing by Author "Mamede, Ricardo Paes"
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- Are the dynamics of knowledge-based industries any different?Publication . Mamede, Ricardo Paes; Mota, Daniel; Godinho, ManuelThe concept of «knowledge-based industries» (KBIs) has been widely used both in the academy and in policymaking over the last decade, due to the increasing role those industries play – both in terms of value added and employment – in contemporary, advanced economies. In this paper we discuss the extent to which KBIs differ from other industries in what concerns some of the stylised facts and regularities of industry dynamics usually found in the literature. In particular, we analyse the patterns and the determinants of firm entry and post-entry performance (measured in terms of survival of new firms), comparing KBIs groups with the remaining industries, using data for the Portuguese economy in the second half of the 1990s. We find that KBIs and the firms within them show some signs of distinctiveness in their dynamics as compared to the general case. In particular, on average, KBIs firms have higher survival chances, and entry within the KBIs groups is less responsive to incentives.
- Assessment and challenges of industrial policies in PortugalPublication . Godinho, Manuel Mira; Mamede, Ricardo Paes; Simões, VitorLike most developed countries, the Portuguese economy was severely hit by the international crisis of 2008-2009, with GDP at constant prices dropping 2,9% in 2009 and unemployment increasing by 2,1 percentage points (p.p.) in the same year, affecting 10,6% of the workforce. As a combined result of the decrease in tax revenues, the rise in social transfers and, to a lesser extent, the countercyclical measures adopted by the government, gross public debt increased by 12 p.p., reaching 84% of the GDP in 2009. As we have discussed in this chapter, Portugal urgently needs to enhance the competitive performance of its economy it the world markets, in order to reduce its external imbalances and improve the prospects for a sustainable improvement of living conditions. Such goal can hardly be achieved without upgrading the specialization profile of the economy, towards more sophisticated, tradable products. While some of the ‘structural reforms’ implemented under the adjustment program agreed in 2011 with the troika of international creditors (the IMF, the ECB, and European Commission) may have a role in improving the cost-competitiveness of the 17 country, this is probably insufficient – or even counter-productive – for inducing the necessary changes. Clearly put, Portugal should not dismiss the role of policies which specifically aim at enhancing productivity through structural change.
- Assessment and challenges of industrial policies in PortugalPublication . Godinho, Manuel Mira; Mamede, Ricardo Paes; Simões, Vítor CoradoLike most developed countries, the Portuguese economy was severely hit by the international crisis of 2008-2009, with GDP at constant prices dropping 2,9% in 2009 and unemployment increasing by 2,1 percentage points (p.p.) in the same year, affecting 10,6% of the workforce. As a combined result of the decrease in tax revenues, the rise in social transfers and, to a lesser extent, the countercyclical measures adopted by the government, gross public debt increased by 12 p.p., reaching 84% of the GDP in 2009. As we have discussed in this chapter, Portugal urgently needs to enhance the competitive performance of its economy it the world markets, in order to reduce its external imbalances and improve the prospects for a sustainable improvement of living conditions. Such goal can hardly be achieved without upgrading the specialization profile of the economy, towards more sophisticated, tradable products. While some of the ‘structural reforms’ implemented under the adjustment program agreed in 2011 with the troika of international creditors (the IMF, the ECB, and European Commission) may have a role in improving the cost-competitiveness of the 17 country, this is probably insufficient – or even counter-productive – for inducing the necessary changes. Clearly put, Portugal should not dismiss the role of policies which specifically aim at enhancing productivity through structural change.
- Critical transitions: unpacking decarbonization strategies in portuguese industry and regional disparitiesPublication . Vale, Mário; Alves, Tiago L.; Fontes, Margarida; Mamede, Ricardo Paes; Bento, NunoIn the wake of the Paris Agreement, the urgency for decarbonization has intensified globally, prompting varied responses from different regions and sectors. This study critically examines the uneven decarbonization trajectories of Portuguese firms within the framework of the Portugal 2020 (PT2020) program, informed by transition theory and regional innovation systems. Employing a multi-method approach that combines natural language processing and a systematic literature review, we identify and categorize the decarbonization strategies of 278 out of 2,793 firms funded by PT2020 between 2020 and 2023. Our findings reveal a modest (less than 10 % of all projects) but pivotal engagement in decarbonization, predominantly focused on the Porto metropolitan area and adjacent regions, indicating a pattern of uneven geographical transitions. Larger, established firms predominantly undertake these initiatives, reflecting a skew in policy effectiveness towards more stable entities. The most common pathways—demand and co-benefits (49 %) and decarbonization of electricity (34 %)—suggest a preference for immediately actionable strategies (electrification of uses and technological breakthroughs). This study underscores the disparity in decarbonization efforts across firms, but also regions, correlating higher industrial productivity and urbanization with increased activity. Such trends reveal the influence of existing economic structures and regional capacities on the adoption of green technologies, which exacerbate regional inequalities in the face of global decarbonization mandates. This study improves the understanding on the potential of decarbonization to increase or decrease inequalities among companies and regions. It provides crucial lessons for policies aiming to accelerate decarbonization to achieve the 2030 goals. Further research is required to explore the impact of regional specialization on decarbonization strategies and to develop more inclusive and equitable policies.
- Southern Europe in crisis : industrial policy lessons from Italy and PortugalPublication . Godinho, Manuel Mira; Mamede, Ricardo Paestaly and Portugal have characteristics in common and some relevant differences, both of which provide useful inputs for a comparative analysis. Lucchese et al. (Industrial policy and technology in Italy, 2016) argue that deindustrialization in Italy stems partially from the shortcomings of industrial policy, which has been unable to promote the development of more knowledge-intensive activities. In contrast, our assessment of industrial policy in Portugal indicates that the absence of structural change towards more knowledge-intensive activities does not seem to result from the absence of adequate industrial policy measures. Even though most of the policy instruments that have been put in place in Portugal being of a ‘horizontal’ nature, support has been unevenly distributed across industries, often being concentrated in more technology-intensive industries. We conclude that despite existing room for improvements in the industrial policies, overcoming the current crisis in the Southern belt of the euro zone will require decisive changes in macroeconomic policies.