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Technological sources of productivity growth in Japan, the U.S. and Germany

Author

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  • Jesús Rodríguez López

    (Department of Economics, Universidad Pablo de Olavide)

  • José Luis Torres Chacón

    (Departamento de Teoría e Historia Económica de la Universidad de Málaga)

Abstract

In this paper, we use a dynamic general equilibrium growth model to quantify the contribution of different technological sources to productivity growth in the three leading economies: Germany, Japan, and the U.S. The sources of technology are classified as representing either neutral progress or investment-specific progress. The latter can be split into two different types of equipment: information and communication technologies (ICT) and non-ICT equipment. We find that in the long run, neutral technological change is the main source of productivity growth in Germany. For Japan and the U.S., the main source of productivity growth is investment-specific technological change, mainly associated with ICT. We also find that a non negligible part of productivity growth has been due to technology specific to non-ICT equipment; this is mainly true after 1995.

Suggested Citation

  • Jesús Rodríguez López & José Luis Torres Chacón, 2009. "Technological sources of productivity growth in Japan, the U.S. and Germany," Working Papers 09.09, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Economics, revised Mar 2010.
    • Handle: RePEc:pab:wpaper:09.09
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    Cited by:

    1. Díaz, Antonia & Franjo, Luis, 2016. "Capital goods, measured TFP and growth: The case of Spain," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 19-39.
    2. José Luis Torres Chacon, 2015. "Introduction to Dynamic Macroeconomic General Equilibrium Models," Vernon Press Titles in Economics, Vernon Art and Science Inc, edition 2, number 54.
    3. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2020. "An RBC model with investment-specific technological change: lessons for Bulgaria (1999–2018)," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 511-524, May.
    4. Molinari, Benedetto & Rodríguez, Jesús & Torres, José L., 2013. "Growth and technological progress in selected Pacific countries," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 60-71.
    5. Georg Duernecker, 2014. "Technology Adoption, Turbulence, And The Dynamics Of Unemployment," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 12(3), pages 724-754, June.
    6. Hidalgo Pérez, Manuel A. & O׳Kean Alonso, José María & Rodríguez López, Jesús, 2016. "Labor demand and ICT adoption in Spain," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 450-470.
    7. Georges Daw, 2024. "Impact of technical change via intermediate consumption: exhaustive general equilibrium growth accounting and reassessment applied to USA 1954–1990," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 23(1), pages 55-87, January.
    8. Molinari Benedetto & Rodríguez-López Jesús & Torres José L., 2013. "Information and communication technologies over the business cycle," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 13(1), pages 933-963, July.
    9. Antonia Díaz & Luis A. Puch, 2013. "A Theory of Vintage Capital Investment and Energy Use," Documentos de Trabajo del ICAE 2013-35, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Instituto Complutense de Análisis Económico.
    10. Díaz Antonia & Puch Luis A., 2019. "Investment, technological progress and energy efficiency," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 1-28, June.
    11. José Luis Torres Chacon, 2015. "Introduction to Dynamic Macroeconomic General Equilibrium Models [Second Edition, Paperback]," Vernon Press Titles in Economics, Vernon Art and Science Inc, edition 2, number 44.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Productivity growth; Investment-specific progress; Neutral progress; Information and communication technology.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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