What explains exit in Indian manufacturing industries?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the likelihood of firm exit, focusing on firm- and sector-specific factors and other potential constraints that may lead to exit. Design/methodology/approach The authors address the main research question by using hazard-cox and probit models on plant level data for the period 1998–1999 to 2012–2013, drawn from the Annual Survey of Industries collected by the Central Statistical Organisation. Findings The authors find that probability of exit reduces with improved firm performance. Urban firms, proprietary firms and smaller firms are more likely to exit as compared with their respective counterparts. The findings are robust to alternate measures of performance, alternate specifications and different methods. Originality/value Studies of entry and exit rates at a point in time are useful in examining the turnover of establishments. But to understand the establishment survival, the authors must also examine the probability of firm exit and the possible determinants that aid exit. There are institutional factors that prevent easy exit of firms from an industry. It would be worthwhile to see how the exit rate will be impacted if these barriers ceased to exist. In this study, the authors construct a model of exit, which would help us to predict firm exit.