The Role of ICT on the Spanish Productivity Slowdown

Mas, Matilde and Quesada, Javier (2006): The Role of ICT on the Spanish Productivity Slowdown. Published in: Fundación BBVA - Documentos de Trabajo No. 13 (2006)

Abstract

The paper presents a quantification of Spanish productivity performance over the last two decades –with a special mention to the role played by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). It makes use of the capital service data -recently released by the BBVA Foundation- exploiting its sectoral break down. It concentrates in twenty six industries belonging to the business (non-primary) sectors of the economy. These industries are further grouped in two clusters according to their intensity in the use of ICT capital. Our results show that the ICT cluster as a whole has presented the most dynamic behaviour. However, some important differences can be detected, both among the industries included in the cluster and also over the period under consideration. A growth accounting exercise allows us to conclude that the Spanish economy shows notable inefficiencies, as identified by negative Total Factor Productivity (TFP) contributions to productivity growth during the period 1985-2004. However, the ICT intensive cluster has reversed its behaviour since 2000, driving a modest resurgence of labour productivity in Spain over the 2000-2004 period.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Growth Accounting, Productivity, Information and Communication Technologies
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O11 - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O4 - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity > O47 - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth ; Aggregate Productivity ; Cross-Country Output Convergence; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O5 - Economywide Country Studies > O52 - Europe

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