Productivity in Estonian Enterprises: the Role of Innovation and Competition

This book uses detailed data on individual firms and households to explore the basis behind Estonia’s record as the most successful of all the EU countries over the last decade. We find that much of the reason is the greater flexibility of the Estonian economy, in both price setting in employment and wages and in consumption. Estonia is also able to adjust to shocks more rapidly and with less cost than other countries. Coupled with a favourable macroeconomic policy and a good institutional structure and legal framework, Estonia will be an example to others despite the recent downturn.