Productivity Trends in Asia Since 1980

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Abstract

This article examines labour productivity and total factor productivity trends in 12 Asian economies since 1980, drawing on data from the Asian Productivity Organization. It finds that while most Asian countries achieved strong economic growth in the 1980s and early 1990s led by the Asian NIEs, the 1997 financial crisis caused major disruptions and highlighted the importance of TFP growth for sustainable development. The article presents country-level TFP estimates and discusses whether Asian growth has been driven primarily by factor accumulation or genuine productivity improvement, finding significant variation across countries and periods.

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