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The Cost Competitiveness of Manufacturing in China and India - An Industry and Regional Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Bart Van Ark

    (Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations)

  • Abdul Azeez Erumban
  • Vivian Chen
  • Utsav Kumar

Abstract

This paper focuses on comparisons of productivity, (unit) labor cost and industry level competitiveness for the manufacturing sector of China and India. We first provide a comparison between India and China using a broad international perspective. We find that China has increased its labor productivity to a level above that of India, but due to a somewhat higher compensation level, China is still somewhat at a disadvantage in terms of unit labor cost in manufacturing relative to India. In the second half of the paper, we make an analysis of industry level differences in productivity, labor compensation and unit labor costs at state and province level in the two countries from the mid 1990s to the early 2000s. We find rapid declines in unit labor cost across industries and provinces in China, but increases in many instances in India. This suggest that productivity and compensation growth have become much more aligned across regions in China whereas this is not (yet) the case in India. We relate these results to differences in the implementation of market reforms between the two countries and removal of barriers to resource mobility eradicating inefficient manufacturing activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Bart Van Ark & Abdul Azeez Erumban & Vivian Chen & Utsav Kumar, 2008. "The Cost Competitiveness of Manufacturing in China and India - An Industry and Regional Perspective," Macroeconomics Working Papers 22268, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:eab:macroe:22268
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Angus Maddison & D. S. Prasada & William Shepherd (ed.), 2002. "The Asian Economies in the Twentieth Century," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1721.
    2. Szirmai, Adam & Ren, Ruoen & Bai, Manyin, 2005. "Chinese Manufacturing Performance in Comparative Perspective, 1980-2002," Center Discussion Papers 28525, Yale University, Economic Growth Center.
    3. Wu, Harry X., 2001. "China's comparative labour productivity performance in manufacturing, 1952-1997: Catching up or falling behind?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(2-3), pages 162-189.
    4. Lee, Boon L. & Rao, D.S. Prasada & Shepherd, William, 2007. "Comparisons of real output and productivity of Chinese and Indian manufacturing, 1980-2002," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 378-416, September.
    5. Szirmai, Adam & Ruoen, Ren, 2000. "Comparative performance in Chinese manufacturing, 1980-1992," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 16-53.
    6. repec:dgr:rugggd:200796 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Guanghua Wan, 2007. "Understanding Regional Poverty And Inequality Trends In China: Methodological Issues And Empirical Findings," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 53(1), pages 25-34, March.
    8. van Ark, Bart, 1998. "Productivity," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 171-174, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yuming Cui & Changrong Lu, 2018. "Are China's unit labour costs still competitive? A comparison with ASEAN countries," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 32(1), pages 59-76, May.
    2. Joshi, Deepika & Nepal, Bimal & Rathore, Ajay Pal Singh & Sharma, Dipti, 2013. "On supply chain competitiveness of Indian automotive component manufacturing industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(1), pages 151-161.

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    JEL classification:

    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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