Firm Behavior, Structure, and Constraints in Egyptian Manufacturing: Introducing the Egyptian Industrial Firm Behavior Survey Through an Adapted Structure–Conduct–Performance Framework

Abstract This paper introduces the Egyptian Industrial Firm Behavior Survey (EIFBS) 2020/21 and develops the conceptual framework guiding the accompanying special issue. Drawing on data covering 2,383 manufacturing firms, it adapts the Structure–Conduct–Performance framework to place firm behavior and institutions at the center of analysis and to allow for feedbacks between firm conduct and performance. It then provides a descriptive sectoral diagnostic of market concentration, employment generation, technological upgrading, firm-size transitions, and institutional constraints. The observed patterns suggest differences between concentrated, capital- and policy-intensive sectors, which exhibit greater technological upgrading but limited employment generation, and more competitive, labor-intensive sectors, which absorb more firms and workers but display lower upgrading and firm-size mobility. These patterns are descriptive and do not establish causal relationships. Together, the eight accompanying papers use the EIFBS to examine productivity, firm growth, digitalization and innovation, institutional constraints, exporting, spatial agglomeration, labor demand, and firms’ adjustment to COVID-19.