Development Centre Studies

OECD Development Centre

ISSN :
1990-0295 (online)
ISSN :
1563-4302 (print)
DOI :
10.1787/19900295
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This series of monographs from the OECD Development Centre covers development issues generally and in some cases issues in specific countries. It  includes Angus Maddison’s books containing long-term historical estimates of GDP for various areas of the world.

Also available in: French
 
The Ladder of Competitiveness

The Ladder of Competitiveness

How to Climb it You do not have access to this content

OECD Development Centre

Authors:
Daniel Cohen, Orsetta Causa
Publication Date :
27 Oct 2006
Pages :
137
ISBN :
9789264028272 (PDF) ; 9789264028265 (print)
DOI :
10.1787/9789264028272-en

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Tables of national competitiveness give an easily comparable ranking of the winners and losers of global economic competition. But they don't explain why the "poor" countries are four times less productive than the "rich" ones or why some rich countries are twice as productive as others.  Using empirical data from over 50 countries, this book shows how even small differences in a number of factors combine to boost or block productivity. Governments need such information to set priorities. Investors need it too, and two new rankings are proposed as alternatives to a simple comparison of industrial productivity. The first, called the "investor ranking", is based on infrastructure, human capital and total factor productivity. The second, "exporter ranking", is for investors whose prime concern is for a production platform well-integrated into world trade. Combining the new rankings with a more traditional one produces three groups of countries, termed balanced, high potential, and vulnerable. Group membership reserves some surprises: you may be rich, but that doesn’t mean you’re not vulnerable.
Also available in: French
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Preface
Executive Summary
Introduction
Chapter 1. Manufacturing Productivity|
Chapter 2. Explanatory Factors
Chapter 3. The Overall Productivity of the Economy
Chapter 4. Social Infrastructure
Chapter 5. International Trade
Chapter 6. New Approaches to Competitiveness
Conclusion
Annex I. Data: Definitions and Sources
Annex II. The Econometrics of Productivity
Annex III. Econometric Analysis of Relative Prices and the Lucas Paradox
Annex IV. The Econometrics of Trade
Annex V. Theoretical Framework
Bibliography