Does Technological Diffusion Explain Australia's Productivity Performance?
Abstract
This paper analyzes the impact of product and labor market policies on technological diffusion and multi-factor productivity (MFP) in a panel of industries in 15 OECD countries over the period 1980 to 2003, with a special focus on Australia. We use a simple convergence empirical framework to show that, on average, convergence of MFP within industries across countries has slowed-down in the 1990s. In contrast, Australian industries have significantly caught-up with industry productivity best practices over the past 16 years, and have benefited from the diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). We show that reforms of both the labor and product markets since the early 1990s can explain Australia's productivity performance and adoption of ICTs.Download Info
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.Bibliographic Info
Paper provided by International Monetary Fund in its series IMF Working Papers with number 08/4.Length: 35
Date of creation: 01 Jan 2008
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:08/4
Contact details of provider:
Postal: International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC USA
Phone: (202) 623-7000
Fax: (202) 623-4661
Email:
Web page: http://www.imf.org/external/pubind.htm
More information through EDIRC
Order Information:
Web: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/pubs/ord_info.htm
Related research
Keywords: Productivity; Labor markets;This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2008-01-26 (All new papers)
- NEP-EFF-2008-01-26 (Efficiency & Productivity)
- NEP-INO-2008-01-26 (Innovation)
- NEP-LAB-2008-01-26 (Labour Economics)
References
References listed on IDEASPlease report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Acemoglu, D. & Aghion, P. & Zilibotti, F., 2006.
"Distance to frontier, selection, and economic growth,"
Open Access publications from University College London
http://discovery.ucl.ac.u, University College London.
- Daron Acemoglu & Philippe Aghion & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2006. "Distance to Frontier, Selection, and Economic Growth," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 4(1), pages 37-74, 03.
- Acemoglu, Daron & Aghion, Philippe & Zilibotti, Fabrizio, 2002. "Distance to Frontier, Selection, and Economic Growth," CEPR Discussion Papers 3467, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Zilibotti, Fabrizio & Aghion, Philippe & Acemoglu, Daron, 2006. "Distance to Frontier, Selection, and Economic Growth," Scholarly Articles 4554122, Harvard University Department of Economics.
- Daron Acemoglu & Philippe Aghion & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2002. "Distance to Frontier, Selection, and Economic Growth," NBER Working Papers 9066, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Howitt, Peter & Griffith, Rachel & Aghion, Philippe & Blundell, Richard & Bloom, Nick, 2005.
"Competition and Innovation: An Inverted-U Relationship,"
Scholarly Articles
4481507, Harvard University Department of Economics.
- Philippe Aghion & Nick Bloom & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt, 2005. "Competition and Innovation: An Inverted-U Relationship," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 120(2), pages 701-728, May.
- Philippe Aghion & Nicholas Bloom & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt, 2002. "Competition and innovation: an inverted U relationship," IFS Working Papers W02/04, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
- Philippe Aghion & Nicholas Bloom & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt, 2002. "Competition and Innovation: An Inverted U Relationship," NBER Working Papers 9269, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Robert Inklaar & Marcel P. Timmer & Bart van Ark, 2006.
"Mind the gap! International comparisons of productivity in services and goods production,"
Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series
d06-175, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
- Robert Inklaar & Marcel P. Timmer & Bart van Ark, 2007. "Mind the Gap! International Comparisons of Productivity in Services and Goods Production," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 8, pages 281-307, 05.
- Inklaar, Robert & Timmer, Marcel & van Ark, Bart, 2006. "Mind the gap! International Comparisons of Productivity in Services and Goods Production," GGDC Research Memorandum GD-89, Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen.
- Keller, Wolfgang, 2002.
"International Technology Diffusion,"
CEPR Discussion Papers
3133, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Wolfgang Keller, 2004. "International Technology Diffusion," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 42(3), pages 752-782, September.
- Wolfgang Keller, 2001. "International Technology Diffusion," NBER Working Papers 8573, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Robert Inklaar & Mary O'Mahony & Marcel Timmer, 2005.
"ICT AND EUROPE's PRODUCTIVITY PERFORMANCE: INDUSTRY-LEVEL GROWTH ACCOUNT COMPARISONS WITH THE UNITED STATES,"
Review of Income and Wealth,
International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 51(4), pages 505-536, December.
- Inklaar, Robert & Mahony, Mary O' & Timmer, Marcel, 2003. "ICT and Europe's productivity performance industry-level growth account comparisons with the United States," GGDC Research Memorandum 200368, Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen.
- Hopenhayn, Hugo & Rogerson, Richard, 1993. "Job Turnover and Policy Evaluation: A General Equilibrium Analysis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(5), pages 915-38, October.
- Ram C. Acharya & Wolfgang Keller, 2009.
"Technology transfer through imports,"
Canadian Journal of Economics,
Canadian Economics Association, vol. 42(4), pages 1411-1448, November.
- Acharya, Ram C. & Keller, Wolfgang, 2007. "Technology Transfer through Imports," CEPR Discussion Papers 6296, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Ram C. Acharya & Wolfgang Keller, 2007. "Technology Transfer through Imports," NBER Working Papers 13086, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Griffith, Rachel & Harrison, Rupert & Simpson, Helen, 2006.
"Product Market Reform and Innovation in the EU,"
CEPR Discussion Papers
5849, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Rachel Griffith & Rupert Harrison & Helen Simpson, 2010. "Product Market Reform and Innovation in the EU," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 112(2), pages 389-415, 06.
- Rachel Griffith & Rupert Harrison & Helen Simpson, 2006. "Product market reform and innovation in the EU," IFS Working Papers W06/17, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
- Griffith, R & Harrison, R & Simpson, H, 2006. "Product market reform and innovation in the EU," Open Access publications from University College London http://discovery.ucl.ac.u, University College London.
- Dale W. Jorgenson & Kevin J. Stiroh, 2000.
"Raising the Speed Limit: U.S. Economic Growth in the Information Age,"
Brookings Papers on Economic Activity,
Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 31(1), pages 125-236.
- Dale W. Jorgenson & Kevin J. Stiroh, 2000. "Raising the Speed Limit: US Economic Growth in the Information Age," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 261, OECD Publishing.
- Anders Sorensen, 2001. "Comparing Apples to Oranges: Productivity Convergence and Measurement across Industries and Countries: Comment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(4), pages 1160-1167, September.
- Philippe Aghion & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt & Susanne Prantl, 2009.
"The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity,"
The Review of Economics and Statistics,
MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 20-32, February.
- Aghion, Philippe & Richard, Blundell & Rachel, Griffith & Peter, Howitt & Susanne, Prantl, 2009. "The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity," Scholarly Articles 4554222, Harvard University Department of Economics.
- Aghion, P. & Blundell, R. & Griffith, R. & Howitt, P. & Prantl, S., 2009. "The effects of entry on incumbent innovation and productivity," Open Access publications from University College London http://discovery.ucl.ac.u, University College London.
- Philippe Aghion & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt & Susanne Prantl, 2006. "The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity," NBER Working Papers 12027, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Aghion, Philippe & Blundell, Richard William & Griffith, Rachel & Howitt, Peter & Prantl, Susanne, 2005. "The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity," CEPR Discussion Papers 5323, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Aghion, Philippe & Blundell, Richard & Griffith, Rachel & Howitt, Peter & Prantl, Susanne, 2006. "The effects of entry on incumbent innovation and productivity," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Competition and Innovation SP II 2006-18, Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB).
- Saint-Paul, G., 1995.
"Employment Protection, International Specialization, and Innovation,"
DELTA Working Papers
95-31, DELTA (Ecole normale supérieure).
- Saint-Paul, Gilles, 2002. "Employment protection, international specialization, and innovation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 375-395, February.
- Gilles Saint Paul, 1996. "Employment protection, international specialization and innovation," Economics Working Papers 256, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised May 1997.
- Gilles Saint-Paul, 1996. "Employment Protection, International Specialization, and Innovation," IMF Working Papers 96/16, International Monetary Fund.
- Saint-Paul, Gilles, 1996. "Employment Protection, International Specialization, and Innovation," CEPR Discussion Papers 1338, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Giuseppe Bertola, 1991.
"Flexibility, Investment, and Growth,"
NBER Working Papers
3864, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Bertola, Giuseppe, 1994. "Flexibility, investment, and growth," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 215-238, October.
- Bertola, Giuseppe, 1990. "Flexibility, Investment and Growth," CEPR Discussion Papers 422, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Christopher Kent & John Simon, 2007. "Productivity Growth: The Effect of Market Regulations," RBA Research Discussion Papers rdp2007-04, Reserve Bank of Australia.
- Helmut Ziegelschmidt & Vassiliki Koutsogeorgopoulou & Simen Bjornerud & Michael Wise, 2005. "Product Market Competition and Economic Performance in Australia," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 451, OECD Publishing.
- Giuseppe Nicoletti & Andrea Bassanini & Ekkehard Ernst & Sébastien Jean & Paulo Santiago & Paul Swaim, 2001. "Product and Labour Markets Interactions in OECD Countries," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 312, OECD Publishing.
- Paul Conway & Giuseppe Nicoletti, 2006. "Product Market Regulation in the Non-Manufacturing Sectors of OECD Countries: Measurement and Highlights," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 530, OECD Publishing.
- Coe, David T. & Helpman, Elhanan, 1995.
"International R&D spillovers,"
European Economic Review,
Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 859-887, May.
- David T. Coe & Elhanan Helpman, 1995. "International R&D Spillovers," NBER Working Papers 4444, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Coe, David T & Helpman, Elhanan, 1993. "International R&D Spillovers," CEPR Discussion Papers 840, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Elhanan Helpman & David T. Coe, 1993. "International R&D Spillovers," IMF Working Papers 93/84, International Monetary Fund.
- Coe, D.T. & Helpman, E., 1993. "International R&D Spillovers," Papers 5-93, Tel Aviv.
- Marcel P. Timmer & Mary O’Mahony & Bart van Ark, 2007. "EU KLEMS Growth and Productivity Accounts: An Overview," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 14, pages 71-85, Spring.
- Timmer, Marcel & Ypma, Gerard & van Ark, Bart van, 2007. "PPPs for Industry Output: A New Dataset for International Comparisons," GGDC Research Memorandum GD-82, Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen.
- Stefano Scarpetta & Thierry Tressel, 2002. "Productivity and Convergence in a Panel of OECD Industries: Do Regulations and Institutions Matter?," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 342, OECD Publishing.
- Caves, Douglas W & Christensen, Laurits R & Diewert, W Erwin, 1982. "Multilateral Comparisons of Output, Input, and Productivity Using Superlative Index Numbers," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 92(365), pages 73-86, March.
- Kevin J. Stiroh, 2001.
"Information technology and the U.S. productivity revival: what do the industry data say?,"
Staff Reports
115, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
- Kevin J. Stiroh, 2002. "Information Technology and the U.S. Productivity Revival: What Do the Industry Data Say?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(5), pages 1559-1576, December.
- Ben Dolman & Dean Parham & Simon Zheng, 2007. "Can Australia Match US Productivity Performance?," Staff Working Papers 0703, Productivity Commission, Government of Australia.
- Cameron, Gavin & Proudman, James & Redding, Stephen, 2005. "Technological convergence, R&D, trade and productivity growth," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 775-807, April.
- Paul Conway & Donato de Rosa & Giuseppe Nicoletti & Faye Steiner, 2006. "Regulation, Competition and Productivity Convergence," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 509, OECD Publishing.
- Productivity Commission, 2004. "ICT Use and Productivity: A Synthesis from Studies of Australian Firms," Development and Comp Systems 0410005, EconWPA.
Citations
Lists
This item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.Statistics
Access and download statisticsCorrections
When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:08/4For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Jim Beardow) or (Hassan Zaidi).
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.
If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

