Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Surveys of Applied Economics pp 239–282Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

A Survey Of International Comparisons Of Productivity

  • Chapter

Abstract

Productivity is the ratio of output to one input such as labour services or to inputs taken in their totality. Since economics is in its very essence concerned with the organisation of inputs (scarce means) to produce outputs (satisfy human wants), comparisons of productivity go to the heart of the assessment of economic performance. By far the most common form of comparisons is over time in a given country.1 We are concerned here, however, with the less frequently made comparisons between countries.

This is the ninth of a series sponsored jointly by the Social Science Research Council and the Royal Economic Society.

I have greatly benefited from the advice of Solomon Fabricant in preparing this article. I am grateful too to David Teece, who helped organise the data and to Alicia Civitello and Helen Hirschfeld who did most of the statistical work. Christopher Clague and Laszlo Drechsler were helpful with source materials. I wish to thank Mr Drechsler, D. J. Daly, E. Denison, J. Mairesse, F. Nyitrai and members of the Joint Committee of the Royal Economic Society and the Social Science Research Council, especially Professors Champernowne and Reddaway, for their helpful criticisms of earlier drafts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

eBook
USD   14.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   19.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Arrow, K. J., Chenery, H. B., Minhas, B. S. and Solow, R. M. (1961). “Capital-Labor Substitution and Economic Efficiency.” Review of Economics and Statistics, vol. 43 (August).

    Google Scholar 

  • Balassa, B. (1973). “Just How Misleading are Official Exchange Rate Conversions? A Comment,” ECONOMIC JOURNAL, vol. 83 (December).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1975). “The Rule of Four Ninths: A Rejoinder.” ECONOMIC JOURNAL, vol. 84 (September).

    Google Scholar 

  • Baranson, J. (1969). Automotive Industries in Developing Countries. World Bank Staff Occasional Paper No. 8. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barna, T. (1959). “Alternative Methods of Measuring Capital.” In The Measurement of National Wealth, Income and Wealth (ed. R. Goldsmith and C. Saunders), series in. Chicago: Quadrangle Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beckerman, W. (1966). International Comparisons of Real Incomes. Paris: Development Center of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and Bacon R. (1966). “International Comparisons of Income Levels: A Suggested New Measure.” ECONOMIC JOURNAL, vol. 76 (September).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1970). “The International Distribution of Incomes.” In Unfashionable Economics: Essays in Honour of Lord Balogh (ed. Paul Streeten). London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergson, A. (1971). “Comparative Productivity and Efficiency in the Soviet Union and the United States.” In Comparison of Economic Systems (ed. Alexander Eckstein). Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1968). Planning and Productivity Under Soviet Socialism. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite, S. M. (1968). “Real Income Levels in Latin America.” Review of Income and Wealth (June).

    Google Scholar 

  • Branchu, J.J., Grotius, J., Temple, P. and Wartenberg, E. (1973). “Comparaison des charges d’exploitation et de la productivité dans sept secteurs en France et en Republic Federal d’Allemagne.” Les Collections de VINSEE, sêrie E, no. 22 (November).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (1968). An International Comparison of Unit Labor Cost in the Iron and Steel Industry, 1964: United States, France, Germany, United Kingdom. Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrie, J. (1956). “Plant Level Measurements Methods and Results.” Productivity Measurement, vol. 11 (January). European Productivity Agency, Organisation for European Cooperation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandrasekar, K. (1973). “U.S. and French Productivity in 19 Manufacturing Industries.” Journal of Industrial Economics (April).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cilingiroglu, A. (1969). Manufacture of Heavy Electrical Equipment in Developing Countries. World Bank Staff Occasional Paper, no. 9. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clague, C. (1967). “An International Comparison of Industrial Efficiency: Peru and the United States.” Review of Economics and Statistics, vol. 49, no. 4 (November).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and Tanzi, V. (1972). “Human Capital, Natural Resources and the Purchasing Power Parity Doctrine: Some Empirical Results.” Economia Internazionale, February.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, C. (1940). The Conditions of Economic Progress. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conference of European Statisticians (1969). Comparison of Industrial Production and Productivity Between Austria and Hungary, WG. 21/8 (29 January).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1969). Comparison of Levels of Labor Productivity in Industry Between Czechoslovakia and France, WG. 21/9 (17 November).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1970). Bilateral Comparison, as Between the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and the Hungarian Peoples Republic, of Levels of Labor Productivity in Industry for 1967, and Analysis of the Main Factors Influencing Labor Productivity, WG. 21/14 (14 February).

    Google Scholar 

  • s—— (1971). Comparative Study of the Factors of Labor Productivity in Industry in Czechoslovakia and France, WG. 21/17 (4 January).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1971). Methodological Problems of International Comparisons of Levels of Labor Productivity in Industry. New York: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1972). Comparisons of Levels of Labor Productivity in Industry in Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, and Hungary, Statistical Standards and Studies, no. 24. New York: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daly, D. J., Keys, B. A. and Spence, E. J. (1968). Scale and Specialization in Canadian Manufacturing. Staff Study, no. 21. Economic Council of Canada, Ottawa, Canada: Queen’s Printer and Controller of Stationery (March).

    Google Scholar 

  • David, P. A. (1972). “Just How Misleading Are Official Exchange Rate Conversions?” ECONOMIC JOURNAL, vol. 82 (September).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1973). The Rule of Four-Ninths Upheld; A Rejoinder to Professor Balassa. Harvard University and Stanford University, Discussion Paper, no. 290 (April). Harvard Institute of Economic Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1973).“A Reply to Professor Balassa.” ECONOMIC JOURNAL, vol. 83 (December).

    Google Scholar 

  • Denison, E. F., assisted by J. P. Poullier (1967). Why Growth Rates Differ. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drechsler, L., Kux, J. and Nyitrai, F. (1974). International Comparison of Labour Productivity (in Hungarian). Budapest Statistical Publisher.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fabricant, S. (1968). “Productivity.” International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. New York: Macmillan Co. and Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fareed, A. E. (1972) “Human-Capital Intensity of U.S. Trade.” ECONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 82 (June).

    Google Scholar 

  • Federal Institute for Statistics of Yugoslavia and Hungarian Central Statistical Office (1973). The Comparison of the Yugoslav and of the Hungarian Industry (Labor Productivity and Structure Comparison), 1969–70. Budapest, May.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flux, A. W. (1933). “Industrial Productivity in Great Britain and the United States.” Quarterly Journal of Economics (November).

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankel, M. (1957). British and American Manufacturing Productivity. Bureau of Economic and Business Research. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galenson, W. (1955). Labor Productivity in Soviet and American Industry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geary, R. C. (1944). “The Concept of Net Volume of Output with Special Reference to Irish Data.” Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, parts III–IV.

    Google Scholar 

  • General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1966). A Study on Cotton Textiles. Geneva. (July).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1973). International Trade, 1972. Geneva.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, M. and Kravis, I. (1954). An International Comparison of National Products and the Purchasing Power of Currencies—A Study of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. Paris: Organisation for European Economic Cooperation.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and Associates (1958). Comparative National Products and Price Levels. Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, R. G. and James, D. W. (1973). “Do New Factories Embody Best Practice Technology?” ECONOMIC JOURNAL (December).

    Google Scholar 

  • Griliches, Z. and Jorgenson, D. (1966). “Sources of Measured Productivity Change: Capital Input.” American Economic Review, vol. 56 (May).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, S. B. (1968). “Some Tests of the International Comparisons of Factory Efficiency with the CES Production Function.” Review of Economics and Statistics, vol. 50 (November).

    Google Scholar 

  • Haig, B. D. (1968). Real Product, Income and Relative Prices in Australia and the United Kingdom. Canberra: Australian National University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayami, Y., with Miller, B., Wade, W. and Yamashita, S. (1971). An International Comparison of Agricultural Production and Productivities. University of Minnesota Agricultural Experimental Station, Technical Bulletin no. 277.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and Ruttan, V. W. (1971). Agricultural Development. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— Ruttan, V. W. and Southworth, H.M. (forthcoming). Agricultural Growth in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and the Philippines. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath, J. B. (1957). “British-Canadian Industrial Productivity.” ECONOMIC JOURNAL, vol. 67, no. 268 (December).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hufbauer, G. E. (1970). “The Impact of National Characteristics and Technology on the Commodity Composition of Trade and Manufactured Goods.” In The Technology Factor in International Trade (ed. R. Vernon). New York: National Bureau of Economic Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Labor Organisation (1951). Productivity in Coal Mines. Geneva.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendrick, J. (1961). Productivity Trends in the U.S. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1973). Postwar Productivity Trends in the U.S., 1948–69. New York: National Bureau of Economic Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, G. (1936). Natural and Political Observations and Conclusions upon the State and Condition of England (1696). In Two Tracts by Gregory King (ed. G. Barnett). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kravis, I., Kenessey, Z., Heston, A. and Summers, R. (1975). A System of International Comparisons of Gross Product and Purchasing Power. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreinin, M. (1965). “Comparative Labor Effectiveness of the Leon tief Scarce-Factor Paradox.” American Economic Review (March).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuznets, S. (1957). “Quantitative Aspects of the Economic Growth of Nations. II. Industrial Distribution of National Product and Labor Force.” Economic Development and Cultural Change, supplement to vol. 5, no. 4 (July).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1970). Economic Growth of Nations. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kux, J., Mairesse, J. and Dreschler, L. (1969). “Labour Productivity Comparison Between Czechoslovakia and France.” The Review of Income and Wealth, series 15, no. 3 (September).

    Google Scholar 

  • Leibenstein, H. (1966). “Allocative Efficiency versus X-Efficiency.” American Economic Review, June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, I., Scitovsky, T. and Scott, M. (1970). Industry and Trade in Some Developing Countries. London: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maddison, A. (1970). Economic Progress and Policy in Developing Countries. York: W. W. Norton and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1967). “Comparative Productivity Levels in the Developed Countries.” Banca Nazionale del Lavoro Quarterly Review (December).

    Google Scholar 

  • Maizels, A. (1958). “Comparative Productivity in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study of Australia and Canada.” Economic Record (April).

    Google Scholar 

  • Minsol, A. (1968). “Some Tests of the International Comparisons of Factor Efficiency with the CES Production Function. A Reply.” Review of Economics and Statistics, vol. 50 (November).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, E. J. (1968). “Explaining the International Pattern of Labor Productivity and Wages: A Production Model with Two Labor Inputs.” Review of Economics and Statistics, vol. 50 (November).

    Google Scholar 

  • Moroney, M. J. (1953). Facts from Figures. London: Penguin Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulhall, M. G. (1886). MulhalVs Dictionary of Statistics, 2nd ed. London: George Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadiri, M. I. (1970). “Some Approaches to the Theory and Measurement of Total Factor Productivity: A Survey.” Journal of Economic Literature (December).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1972). “International Studies of Factor Inputs and Total Factor Productivity, A Brief Survey.” Review of Income and Wealth, June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R. R. (1968). “International Productivity Differences.” American Economic Review (December).

    Google Scholar 

  • Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics (1966). “Comparisons of Labor Productivity in the United Kingdom and the Nethierlands, 1958.” Statistical Studies, no. 18 (January).

    Google Scholar 

  • Paige, D. and G. Bombach, G. (1959). A Comparison of National Output and Productivity of the United Kingdom and the United States. Paris: Organisation for European Economic Cooperation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paretti, V., Krijnse-Locker, H. and Goybet, Ph. (1974). “Comparaison réelle du produit intérieur brut des pays de la Communauté Européenne: Parités de prix et rapports de volume, 1970.” Analyse et Prévision, vol. 17, no. 6 (juin).

    Google Scholar 

  • Phelps Brown, E. H. (1973). “Levels and Movements of Industrial Productivity and Real Wages Internationally Compared, 1860–1970.” ECONOMIC JOURNAL, vol. 83 (March).

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and Browne, M. H. (1968). A Century of Pay. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pratten, C. and Silberston, A. (1967). “International Comparisons of Labour Productivity in the Automobile Industry, 1950–1965.” Bulletin of the Oxford Institute of Economics and Statistics (November).

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddaway, W. B. (1951). “Some Problems in the Measurement of Changes in the Real Geographical Product.” Income and Wealth, series 1 (ed. E. Lundberg). Cambridge: Bowes and Bowes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rostas, L. (1948). Comparative Productivity in British and American Industry. Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samuelson, P. A. (1974). “Analytical Notes on International Real-Income Measures.” ECONOMIC JOURNAL, vol. 84 (September).

    Google Scholar 

  • Snow, E. C. (1944). “The International Comparison of Industrial Output.” Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, part 1, vol. 107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Staehle, H. (1934). “International Comparisons of Food Costs.” International Comparisons of the Cost of Living. Geneva: International Labor Office, Studies and Reports, series N, no. 20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Statistical Reports of the Northern Countries (1954). Cost of Living and Real Wages in the Capitals of the Northern Countries. Stockholm: K. L. Beckmans Boktryckeri.

    Google Scholar 

  • Studentski, P. (1958). The Income of Nations. New York: New York University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Summers, R. and Ahmad, S. (1974). “Better Estimates of Dollar Gross Domestic Product for 101 Countries: Exchange Rate Bias Eliminated.” University of Pennsylvania, Discussion Paper no. 297 (December).

    Google Scholar 

  • Swamy, S. (1973). “Economic Growth in China and India, 1952–1970: A Comparative Appraisal.” Economic Development and Cultural Change, vol. 21 (4), part 11 (July).

    Google Scholar 

  • Taussig, F. W. (1924). “Labor Costs in the United States Compared with Costs Elsewhere.” Quarterly Journal of Economics (November).

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations, Statistical Papers (1968). International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities, series M, no. 4, rev. 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— Statistical Papers (1961). Standard International Trade Classification, series M, no. 34. New York: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1970). Yearbook of National Accounts Statistics. New York: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (1970). Economic Survey of Europe in 1069, part 1 New York: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walters, D. (1968). Canadian Income Levels and Growth: An International Perspective. Staff Study, no. 23, Economic Council of Canada. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— (1970). Canadian Growth Revisited, 1950–67. Staff Study, no. 28. Economic Council of Canada. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer.

    Google Scholar 

  • West, E. C. (1971). Canada-United States Price and Productivity Differences in Manufacturing Industries, 1963. Staff Study, no. 32. Economic Council of Canada. Ottawa: Queen’s Printer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukizawa (1975). “Japanese and American Manufacturing Productivity: An International Comparison of Physical Output per Head.” Discussion Paper, no. 087. Kyoto: Kyoto Institute of Economic Research, Kyoto University (March).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. I. B. Kravis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Copyright information

© 1977 The Royal Economic Society and the Social Science Research Council

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kravis, I.B. (1977). A Survey Of International Comparisons Of Productivity. In: Surveys of Applied Economics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-01863-5_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation