Cost Function Estimation of Regional Manufacturing Industries in Ko-rea

지역별 제조업의 비용함수 추정

Regional production structres are investigated through an estimation of three-input(labor, capital and material) translog cost function. The estimation uses the pooled data in which time series data of 1970-1990 are combined with cross-sectional data corresponding to firm sizes. The empirical finding are the following: (1) the factors are Allen substitutes each otner in general except Pusan and a couple of regionss, and (2) estimates are very small in its absolute value irrespective of the regions. The low elasticity estimates of this study implies that substitytability among the three inputs are very weak in the regional manufacturing production compared to that in the national production. Seoul-Kyungki metropolitan area produces not only the smallest elasticities but relatively stable estimates without much fluctuation between the sub-regions of the area.