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Missing growth measurement in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Schreiber Sven

    (Macroeconomic Policy Institute Duesseldorf (IMK at Hans Boeckler Foundation), Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Schmidt Vanessa

    (38960 Berlin School of Economics, Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Using detailed establishment-level micro data, this paper analyzes for the German case the hypothesis by Aghion et al. (2019), stating that officially published figures for real output growth would be systematically understated. The effect rests on overstated inflation estimates due to imputed prices for disappearing goods and services varieties, where measurable plant entry and exit dynamics play a crucial rule. Our main results regarding understated real output growth lie in the range of 0.39 to 0.54 average annual percentage points for 1998–2016, which is quite closely in line with existing findings for France, the USA, and Japan (in different periods). We also find that services sectors appear most affected, and that the effect in East Germany is somewhat larger. We investigate different market share proxies, provide additional robustness analysis and also discuss limitations of the approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Schreiber Sven & Schmidt Vanessa, 2022. "Missing growth measurement in Germany," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 23(3), pages 493-527, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:germec:v:23:y:2022:i:3:p:493-527:n:1
    DOI: 10.1515/ger-2021-0068
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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