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Deutschlands West-Ost-Gefälle der Produktivität: Befund, Deutung und Konsequenzen

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  • Karl-Heinz Paqué

Abstract

The subject of the paper is the persistent labour productivity gap between western and eastern Germany, almost two decades after German re-unifi cation. The paper shows that labour productivity in manufacturing is still roughly one quarter lower in the East than in the West. It explains this fact as a consequence not of a different quality and/or quantity of the production factors labour and capital, but of a persistent lag of the East in terms of industrial innovative ability. It concludes that economic policy should focus on improving the capacity of eastern manufacturing to innovative rather than massively investing in physical infrastructure. Gegenstand dieses Beitrags ist der fortdauernde Abstand der Arbeitsproduktivität zwischen dem Westen und dem Osten Deutschlands, fast 20 Jahre nach der deutschen Wiedervereinigung. Der Beitrag zeigt, dass die Arbeitsproduktivität im verarbeitenden Gewerbe noch immer im Osten rund ein Viertel niedriger liegt als im Westen. Er erklärt diese Tatsache nicht als Folge von Unterschieden der Menge und/oder der Qualität der Produktionsfaktoren Arbeit und Kapital, sondern als Ergebnis eines fortdauernden Rückstands des Ostens in der Innovationsfähigkeit der Industrie. Er schließt daraus, dass die Wirtschaftspolitik sich darauf konzentrieren solle, die Innovationskapazität des ostdeutschen verarbeitenden Gewerbes zu verbessern statt weiter die physische Infrastruktur auszubauen.

Suggested Citation

  • Karl-Heinz Paqué, 2009. "Deutschlands West-Ost-Gefälle der Produktivität: Befund, Deutung und Konsequenzen," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 78(2), pages 63-77.
  • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwvjh:78-2-5
    DOI: 10.3790/vjh.78.2.63
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bela Balassa, 1964. "The Purchasing-Power Parity Doctrine: A Reappraisal," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 72(6), pages 584-584.
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    3. Schwartz, Michael, 2008. "Langfristeffekte von Technologie- und Gründerzentren: Was wird aus den Firmen, wenn sie die Zentren verlassen?," Wirtschaft im Wandel, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), vol. 14(8), pages 317-322.
    4. repec:zbw:iwhwiw:8-08-4 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Thiess Buettner & Johannes Rincke, 2007. "Labor Market Effects of Economic Integration: The Impact of Re‐Unification in German Border Regions," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 8(4), pages 536-560, November.
    6. Schwartz, Michael, 2007. "Technologie- und Gründerzentren im Osten Deutschlands: Eine positive Zwischenbilanz," Wirtschaft im Wandel, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), vol. 13(12), pages 439-448.
    7. repec:bla:germec:v:8:y:2007:i::p:536-560 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Ochsner & Michael Weber, 2014. "Die Kleinteiligkeit der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft – dynamisch betrachtet," ifo Dresden berichtet, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 21(05), pages 22-33, October.
    2. Michael Gühne & Gunther Markwardt, 2014. "Lohnunterschiede zwischen Ost- und Westdeutschland: Neue Einsichten," ifo Dresden berichtet, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 21(03), pages 37-44, June.
    3. Gert G. Wagner, 2015. "Drei Fußnoten der Wirtschaftswissenschaften zur deutschen Einheit - und eine Fußnote zur wissenschaftlichen Politikberatung," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1511, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    East-West productivity gap; German unifi cation; regional economic development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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