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Productivity differentials in the U.S. and EU distributive trade sector: statistical myth or reality

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  • Timmer, Marcel P.
  • Inklaar, Robert

    (Groningen University)

Abstract

In this paper we asses whether productivity growth differentials between the U.S. and Europe in the distributive trade sector are real or mainly a statistical myth. New estimates of retail trade productivity are constructed, taking into account purchase prices of goods sold. We also adjust U.S. wholesale productivity growth for the upward bias due to the use of constant-quality prices of ICT-goods sales. We find that multifactor productivity growth in the U.S. has been higher than in Europe after 1995, but that this lead is smaller than suggested by national accounts based estimates. This finding is robust for various productivity measurement models.

Suggested Citation

  • Timmer, Marcel P. & Inklaar, Robert, 2005. "Productivity differentials in the U.S. and EU distributive trade sector: statistical myth or reality," CCSO Working Papers 200501, University of Groningen, CCSO Centre for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:gro:rugccs:200501
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Betancourt, Roger R & Gautschi, David A, 1993. "The Outputs of Retail Activities: Concepts, Measurement and Evidence from U.S. Census Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 75(2), pages 294-301, May.
    2. Bart van Ark & Robert Inklaar & Robert H. McGuckin, 2003. "ICT and Productivity in Europe and the United States Where Do the Differences Come From?," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 49(3), pages 295-318.
    3. Zvi Griliches, 1992. "Output Measurement in the Service Sectors," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number gril92-1.
    4. C.J. Krizan & John Haltiwanger & Lucia Foster, 2002. "The Link Between Aggregate and Micro Productivity Growth: Evidence from Retail Trade," Working Papers 02-18, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    5. Martin Neil Baily & Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, 2004. "Transforming the European Economy," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 353, April.
    6. Robert J. Gordon, 2004. "Why was Europe Left at the Station When America's Productivity Locomotive Departed?," NBER Working Papers 10661, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. repec:dgr:rugccs:200311 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Ark, Bart van & Inklaar, Robert & McGuckin, Robert H., 2003. "ICT and productivity in Europe and the United States," CCSO Working Papers 200311, University of Groningen, CCSO Centre for Economic Research.
    9. Timmer, Marcel P. & Ypma, Gerard, 2006. "Productivity Levels in Distributive Trades: A New ICOP Dataset for OECD Countries," GGDC Research Memorandum GD-83, Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen.
    10. Paul Schreyer, 2002. "Computer Price Indices and International Growth and Productivity Comparisons," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 48(1), pages 15-31, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Camarero, Mariam, 2008. "The real exchange rate of the dollar for a panel of OECD countries: Balassa-Samuelson or distribution sector effect?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 620-632, December.
    2. Jonathan Haskel & Raffaella Sadun, 2012. "Regulation and UK Retailing Productivity: Evidence from Microdata," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 79(315), pages 425-448, July.
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    4. Inklaar Robert & Timmer Marcel P. & Ark Bart van, 2007. "Mind the Gap! International Comparisons of Productivity in Services and Goods Production," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 8(2), pages 281-307, May.
    5. Jonathan Beck & Michal Grajek & Christian Wey, 2005. "Hypermarket Competition and the Diffusion of Retail Checkout Barcode Scanning," CIG Working Papers SP II 2005-19, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin (WZB), Research Unit: Competition and Innovation (CIG).
    6. Hoekman, Bernard & Mattoo, Aaditya, 2008. "Services trade and growth," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4461, The World Bank.
    7. Esther Gordo & Javier Jareño & Alberto Urtasun, 2006. "Radiografía del sector servicios en España," Occasional Papers 0607, Banco de España.
    8. Boon Lee, 2011. "Distribution Trade Sector Output and Productivity Performance: A Case Study of Singapore and Hong Kong 2001-2008," School of Economics and Finance Discussion Papers and Working Papers Series 270, School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology.
    9. Timmer, Marcel P. & Ypma, Gerard, 2006. "Productivity Levels in Distributive Trades: A New ICOP Dataset for OECD Countries," GGDC Research Memorandum GD-83, Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen.
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