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The Latin American Efficiency Gap

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  • Francesco Caselli

    (Author-Workplace-Name: Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM))

Abstract

The average Latin American country produces about 1 fifth of the output per worker of the US. What are the sources of these enormous income gaps? This paper reports development-accounting results for Latin America. Development accounting compares differences in income per worker between developing and developed countries to counter-factual differences attributable to observable components of physical and human capital. Such calculations can serve a useful preliminary diagnostic role before engaging in deeper and more detailed explorations of the fundamental determinants of differences in income per worker.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Caselli, 2014. "The Latin American Efficiency Gap," Discussion Papers 1421, Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM).
    • Handle: RePEc:cfm:wpaper:1421
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    File URL: http://www.centreformacroeconomics.ac.uk/Discussion-Papers/2014/CFMDP2014-21-Paper.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    3. Caselli, Francesco & Ciccone, Antonio, 2013. "The contribution of schooling in development accounting: Results from a nonparametric upper bound," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 199-211.
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    12. Johnson, Simon & Larson, William & Papageorgiou, Chris & Subramanian, Arvind, 2013. "Is newer better? Penn World Table Revisions and their impact on growth estimates," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 255-274.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eric A. Hanushek & Jens Ruhose & Ludger Woessmann, 2017. "Knowledge Capital and Aggregate Income Differences: Development Accounting for US States," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 184-224, October.
    2. Eric A. Hanushek & Jens Ruhose & Ludger Woessmann, 2015. "Human Capital Quality and Aggregate Income Differences: Development Accounting for U.S. States," CESifo Working Paper Series 5411, CESifo.
    3. Mendez-Guerra, Carlos, 2020. "Labor Productivity, Capital Accumulation, and Aggregate Efficiency Across Countries: New Evidence for an Old Debate," MPRA Paper 99268, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Mendez-Guerra, Carlos, 2017. "Labor productivity, capital accumulation, and aggregate efficiency across countries: Some stylized facts," MPRA Paper 82461, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Jorge Thompson Araujo & Markus Brueckner & Mateo Clavijo & Ekaterina Vostroknutova & Konstantin M. Wacker, 2014. "Benchmarking the Determinants of Economic Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean," World Bank Publications - Reports 21318, The World Bank Group.
    6. Jorge Thompson Araujo & Ekaterina Vostroknutova & Markus Brueckner & Mateo Clavijo & Konstantin M. Wacker, 2016. "Beyond Commodities," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 25321, December.
    7. Nikita Céspedes & Pablo Lavado & Nelson Ramírez (ed.), 2016. "Productividad en el Perú: medición, determinantes e implicancias," Books, Departamento de Economía, Universidad del Pacífico, edition 1, number 07-14.

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