Essays on Firm Behavior and Performance in Ethiopian Manufacturing: Labor Demand, Capital Accumulation, and International Linkages
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Date
2025-09-22
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A.A.U
Abstract
First and foremost, I am deeply grateful to the Almighty God for granting me the strength, health,
and perseverance to undertake and complete this PhD journey. I am sincerely indebted to my
principal advisor, Prof. Måns Söderbom, for his invaluable guidance, constructive feedback, and
continuous encouragement throughout every stage of this research. His scholarly rigor and
intellectual generosity have been a constant source of inspiration. I also extend my heartfelt thanks
to my co-advisor, Dr. Atnafu Gebremeskel, for his insightful comments, support, and contributions
that greatly enriched the quality of this dissertation.
I am grateful to the Department of Economics at Addis Ababa University, the Environment for
Development (EfD) initiative, and the University of Gothenburg for providing a stimulating
academic environment, access to resources, and institutional support. I also thank the Swedish
International Development Agency (SIDA) for the generous financial support that made this
research possible. My appreciation extends to the staff of the Ethiopian Statistical Services (ESS),
Dr. Tadele Ferede, and Dr. Tsegay Gebrekidan for facilitating access to the firm-level datasets
used in this study. I would also like to thank International Growth Center (IGC) for the PhD
fellowship opportunity. I am grateful to Adrian Poignant, Postdoc researcher at University of
Gothenburg for his constructive comments. Special thanks to my fellow PhD colleagues, friends,
and faculty members for their encouragement and moral support.
Finally, I dedicate my deepest gratitude to my family, especially my wife, Dr. Asresie Tesfaw, and
my children, Eyoas and Zemichael, for their unconditional love, patience, and unwavering belief
in me. Your sacrifices and support sustained me through the most challenging times.
To all who contributed to this work, directly or indirectly, I offer my sincere thanks.