Labor Productivity Growth, Education, Health and Technological Progress: A Cross-Country Analysis

This study aims to calculate the growth rates of labor productivity of 30 countries categorized into four groups, including G7 countries, western developed countries, eastern developed countries and eastern developing countries, during 1981 - 2005 and examine the influences of education, health and technological progress on the growth rate of labor productivity. The findings reveal that the growth rates of labor productivity of every country, except the Philippines, were greater than four percent per annum during 1981 - 2005. Eastern developed countries had the highest average annual growth rate of labor productivity, following by western developed countries, G7 countries and eastern developing countries. Additionally, only education and technological progress are the significant determinants of the growth rate of labor productivity.