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Lessons from Productivity Comparisons of Germany, Japan, and the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Neil Baily
  • Barry P. Bosworth
  • Siddhi Doshi

Abstract

Germany, Japan and the United States are the three largest mature economies and set the productivity frontier in most industries. In aggregate, Germany caught up to US productivity by the 1990s but Japan remains well below the leaders and has the potential for faster growth. The article estimates the industry productivity leaders in the 1990s and whether lagging industries subsequently caught up to the leader. Germany lags the United States in some industries, like electronics, but has the advantage of worker training programs. US and German productivity slowed with the decline in global innovation. Japan lags behind US service sector productivity. Its manufacturing industries set the productivity frontier in the 1990s but have since fallen behind. Japan has low productivity small firms and lacks effective competition.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Neil Baily & Barry P. Bosworth & Siddhi Doshi, 2020. "Lessons from Productivity Comparisons of Germany, Japan, and the United States," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 38, pages 81-103, Spring.
  • Handle: RePEc:sls:ipmsls:v:38:y:2020:4
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    File URL: http://www.csls.ca/ipm/38/Baily_Bosworth_Doshi.pdf
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Kyoji Fukao & YoungGak Kim & HyeogUg Kwon, 2021. "The Causes of Japan’s Economic Slowdown: An Analysis Based on the Japan Industrial Productivity Database," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 40, pages 56-88, Spring.
    2. Claudia Fontanari & Antonella Palumbo, 2023. "Permanent scars: The effects of wages on productivity," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(2), pages 351-389, May.
    3. Goldin, Ian & Koutroumpis, Pantelis & Lafond, François & Winkler, Julian, 2020. "Why is productivity slowing down?," MPRA Paper 99172, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Betts, Caroline, 2021. "How many (more) lost decades? The great productivity slowdown in Japan," MPRA Paper 106503, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    productivity comparisons;

    JEL classification:

    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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