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Culture and labour productivity: An empirical investigation

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  • Bakas, Dimitrios
  • Kostis, Pantelis
  • Petrakis, Panagiotis

Abstract

Culture is considered as one of the most powerful forces that shape human behaviour and thereby economic activity. This paper investigates the effects of culture on labour productivity and examines the cultural traits driving this relationship. Using panel data analysis, empirical evidence is provided covering a sample of 34 OECD countries over a wide period of three decades. Our empirical results suggest a significant positive relationship between the cultural background and labour productivity. The main channels of this positive impact are control and work ethic environment, while obedience has a negative impact on productivity. These findings are robust to a series of robustness checks, including alternative cultural measures, additional control variables, various country samples, and alternative specifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Bakas, Dimitrios & Kostis, Pantelis & Petrakis, Panagiotis, 2020. "Culture and labour productivity: An empirical investigation," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 233-243.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:85:y:2020:i:c:p:233-243
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2019.05.020
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labour productivity; Culture; Social capital; Panel data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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