This work explores the link between firm performance in emerging economies and transport infrastructure endowment, as a key element of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We ground on the idea that transport infrastructures, by enabling connectivity, interactions and the exchange of knowledge and ideas, have the potential to enhance commercial opportunity recognition, technological development and, thus, firm economic performance. We also emphasize the crucial role of logistics system performance in providing better linkages between suppliers, firms and customers. The empirical analysis is focused on emerging economies whose infrastructure endowment is lower than those of developed ones; thus, its improvement is likely to be associated with better performance of their firms and economies. The results suggest that part of country-level differences in firm’s labour productivity is explained by transport endowment. Particularly, transport networks, such as roads and railways, and the logistics system and services show strong and positive relationships with productivity, while transport nodes, such as airports and ports, show little or no association. This might occur because networks spread knowledge spillovers in a more capillary way compared to nodes. Overall, the empirical results suggest that policy-makers in emerging economies can sustain the economic performance of firms, with beneficial effects on the economic system, by improving their transport endowment.

这项工作探讨了新兴经济体的公司绩效与交通基础设施禀赋之间的联系，这是创业生态系统的关键要素。我们基于这样的想法，即交通基础设施通过实现连通性、互动以及知识和思想的交流，有可能提高商业机会的识别度、技术发展，从而提高企业的经济绩效。我们还强调了物流系统性能在提供供应商、公司和客户之间更好的联系方面的关键作用。实证分析侧重于基础设施禀赋低于发达国家的新兴经济体；因此，它的改善很可能与其公司和经济的更好业绩有关。结果表明，企业劳动生产率在国家层面的部分差异可以用运输禀赋来解释。特别是，公路和铁路等交通网络以及物流系统和服务与生产力表现出强烈而积极的关系，而机场和港口等交通节点则表现出很少或没有关联。这可能是因为与节点相比，网络以更毛细管的方式传播知识溢出。总体而言，实证结果表明，新兴经济体的决策者可以通过改善企业的运输禀赋来维持企业的经济绩效，对经济体系产生有益影响。物流系统和服务与生产力有很强的正相关关系，而机场和港口等交通节点则很少或没有关联。这可能是因为与节点相比，网络以更毛细管的方式传播知识溢出。总体而言，实证结果表明，新兴经济体的决策者可以通过改善企业的运输禀赋来维持企业的经济绩效，对经济体系产生有益影响。物流系统和服务与生产力有很强的正相关关系，而机场和港口等交通节点则很少或没有关联。这可能是因为与节点相比，网络以更毛细管的方式传播知识溢出。总体而言，实证结果表明，新兴经济体的决策者可以通过改善企业的运输禀赋来维持企业的经济绩效，对经济体系产生有益影响。