business and finance

The quantification of structural reforms in OECD countries: a new framework

This document describes and discusses a new supply side framework that quantifies the impact of structural reforms on per capita income in OECD countries.




business and finance

Fostering productivity for income convergence in the Czech Republic

Over the past two decades, the income level of the Czech Republic has converged considerably towards the OECD average.




business and finance

Enhancing public sector efficiency and effectiveness in the Czech Republic

Spending on public administration itself is relatively low and so are indicators of its performance.




business and finance

Enhancing skills to boost growth in Hungary

Skill requirements in the labour market have significantly changed over the past two decades. The restructuring of the economy is making the labour market increasingly knowledge-based.




business and finance

Trends in productivity and sources of productivity growth in Slovenia

Slovenia’s living standards measured in GDP per capita are currently some 20% below the EU15 average and have not yet reached their pre-crisis level.




business and finance

Trends in productivity and sources of productivity growth in Slovenia

Slovenia’s living standards measured in GDP per capita are currently some 20% below the EU15 average and have not yet reached their pre-crisis level.




business and finance

Fostering productivity for income convergence in the Czech Republic

Over the past two decades, the income level of the Czech Republic has converged considerably towards the OECD average.




business and finance

Enhancing skills to boost growth in Hungary

Skill requirements in the labour market have significantly changed over the past two decades. The restructuring of the economy is making the labour market increasingly knowledge-based.




business and finance

Structural reforms can be inclusive; it all depends on the details

Structural reforms are regularly assessed based on their ability to boost GDP per capita. This emphasis relies on the assumption that higher GDP per capita is systematically associated with rising living standards for the vast majority of citizens. This view is increasingly being challenged.




business and finance

Contributions to GDP growth: third quarter 2016, Quarterly National Accounts, OECD

Stockbuilding pushes OECD GDP growth up to 0.5% in the third quarter of 2016




business and finance

Mexico: Reforms are starting to bear fruit, but further action is needed to boost productivity and ensure more inclusive growth, OECD says

Ambitious structural reforms and sound macroeconomic policies have strengthened the resilience of the Mexican economy despite a complex national scenario and challenging global conditions, but more can be done to boost productivity and ensure that growth is inclusive enough to achieve better living conditions for all, according to a new report from the OECD.




business and finance

Malaysia’s economic success story and challenges

Malaysia has sustained over four decades of rapid, inclusive growth, reducing its dependence on agriculture and commodity exports to become a more diversified, modern and open economy.




business and finance

Boosting productivity in Malaysia

Productivity growth is essential to providing sustainable increases in living standards. Malaysia has reached a development stage where growth needs to be driven more by productivity gains than the sheer accumulation of capital and labour inputs.




business and finance

Fostering inclusive growth in Malaysia

Malaysia has followed a comparatively equitable development path, largely eliminating absolute poverty and greatly reduced ethnic inequality.




business and finance

The Walking Dead? Zombie Firms and Productivity Performance in OECD Countries

This paper explores the extent to which “zombie” firms – defined as old firms that have persistent problems meeting their interest payments – are stifling labour productivity performance.




business and finance

Composite Leading Indicators (CLI), OECD, January 2017

Stronger signals of growth momentum picking-up in several major OECD economies




business and finance

Boosting productivity in Malaysia

Productivity growth is essential to providing sustainable increases in living standards. Malaysia has reached a development stage where growth needs to be driven more by productivity gains than the sheer accumulation of capital and labour inputs.




business and finance

Does growth lead to inequality? It depends.

Widespread increases in inequality over the past three decades have raised the question of whether growth in itself is a driver of income inequality.




business and finance

The Walking Dead? Zombie Firms and Productivity Performance in OECD Countries

This paper explores the extent to which “zombie” firms – defined as old firms that have persistent problems meeting their interest payments – are stifling labour productivity performance.




business and finance

Mexico’s reforms are paying off, but there is much left to do

The government has rolled out major structural reforms since 2012 aimed at improving growth, well-being and income distribution. The initial wave of reforms, kicked-off by the multi-partisan political commitments in the Pacto por México, led to notable progress across a range of areas and put Mexico at the forefront of reformers among OECD countries.




business and finance

Decoupling of wages from productivity: Macro-level facts

This paper provides a quantitative description of decoupling in OECD countries over the past two decades, with the results suggesting that it is explained by declines in both labour shares and the ratio of median to average wages (a partial measure of wage inequality).




business and finance

Decoupling of wages from productivity: Macro-level facts

This paper provides a quantitative description of decoupling in OECD countries over the past two decades, with the results suggesting that it is explained by declines in both labour shares and the ratio of median to average wages (a partial measure of wage inequality).




business and finance

The Best vs. the Rest: The Global Productivity Slowdown Hides an Increasing Performance Gap across Firms

Well-known global companies such as Google, Apple and Amazon of the digital era as well as more traditional ones of the likes of BMW, L’Oreal and Nestlé have recorded impressive productivity gains over the 2000s as they created more and more revenue per employee. At the same time, aggregate productivity growth in the OECD – that reflects the performance of all businesses not just the few most successful ones – has stagnated.




business and finance

The business climate has improved in Indonesia, but this is no time for complacency

The government has put a heavy emphasis on improving the business climate, thereby promoting a competitive, innovative and dynamic private business sector.




business and finance

Consumer Prices, OECD - Updated: 2 February 2017

Rising energy prices push OECD annual inflation to 1.8% in December 2016




business and finance

Strengthening economic resilience: What lessons to draw from the post-1970s record of severe recessions and financial crises

Major global crises such as the 2008-09 episode are mercifully rare, but severe recessions have been quite frequent among OECD countries over the past four decades.




business and finance

Portugal: Successful reforms have underpinned economic recovery

The Portuguese economy is gradually recovering from a deep recession thanks to a broad structural reform agenda that has led to rising economic growth, falling unemployment and remarkable progress in export performance.




business and finance

Pollution havens? Energy prices are not key drivers of offshoring

New evidence on the effect of energy prices on outward FDI can provide some reassurance in light of concerns about Pollution Havens.




business and finance

Composite Leading Indicators (CLI), OECD, February 2017

Composite leading indicators continue to point to growth gaining momentum in several advanced economies




business and finance

Sweden’s economy is resilient and growing strongly, but must address rising challenges

The Swedish economy is growing strongly, with unemployment trending downward and living standards among the highest in the world. Maintaining today’s high levels of well-being and addressing new challenges will require further actions to ensure inclusive, resilient and green growth for all, according to a new report from the OECD.




business and finance

Portugal needs stronger investment to maintain growth and improve living standards

Portugal’s economy has successfully recovered from the strong recession that lasted until 2014. Nonetheless, the economy’s still low investment, which has declined far more than in other Euro area countries, remains a source of concern.




business and finance

Conquering utopia anew – Income inequality in Sweden

Equality, a long-standing hallmark of Swedish society, carries multiple benefits in terms of economic performance, trust, opportunity and well-being.




business and finance

GDP Growth - Fourth quarter of 2016, OECD

OECD GDP growth slows to 0.4% in fourth quarter of 2016




business and finance

Sweden is a champion of gender equality, but parity is not reached yet

Sweden ranks among the OECD’s frontrunners in terms of gender equality. Women have a high employment rate, outperform men in education and are well represented in government and parliament.




business and finance

Finance and productivity: A literature review

This paper surveys a broad range of studies and highlights the main findings of the empirical literature regarding business finance and productivity.




business and finance

Finance and productivity: A literature review

This paper surveys a broad range of studies and highlights the main findings of the empirical literature regarding business finance and productivity.




business and finance

India: Strong growth has raised incomes and reduced poverty, but challenges remain

The Indian economy is expanding at a fast pace, boosting living standards and reducing poverty nationwide. Further reforms are now necessary to maintain strong growth and ensure that all Indians benefit from it, according to a new report from the OECD.




business and finance

Italy’s reforms are paying off but challenges remain

Italy is recovering after a deep and long recession. Structural reforms, accommodative monetary and fiscal conditions, and low commodity prices have spearheaded the ongoing economic recovery.




business and finance

Economic Survey of Australia 2017

Further structural reform is required to raise productivity growth through a better climate for business and stronger R&D outcomes.




business and finance

Deconstructing income inequality in Costa Rica: an income source decomposition approach

Despite an improvement in overall macroeconomic performance in Costa Rica, income inequality has risen and is currently at its maximum historical value.




business and finance

Boosting productivity in Mexico through integration into Global Value Chains

Mexico’s structural reforms are already boosting productivity, but more can be done.




business and finance

Consumer Prices, OECD - Updated: 7 March 2017

Sharp rise in energy prices pushes OECD annual inflation up to 2.3% in January 2017




business and finance

Modest pick-up in global growth but risks and vulnerabilities could derail recovery

Global economic growth is expected to pick up modestly next year to around 3.6 % from a projected 3.3% in 2017 but risks of rising protectionism, financial vulnerabilities, potential volatility from divergent interest rate paths and disconnects between market valuations and real activity hang over the outlook, according to the OECD.




business and finance

Economic resilience

Economic resilience can be strengthened implementing policies aimed at mitigating both the risks and consequences of severe crises.




business and finance

Efficient, Equitable and Enforceable: three "Es" for reforming India's tax system and better finance public services

Promoting inclusive growth in India requires improving social and physical infrastructure.




business and finance

G20 GDP Growth - Fourth quarter of 2016, OECD

Slight easing of G20 GDP growth in fourth quarter of 2016




business and finance

Spain: Maintain reform momentum to enhance economic recovery and boost inclusive growth

The Spanish economy is enjoying a robust recovery from a deep recession, with structural reforms contributing to high growth rates and a gradual decline in unemployment.




business and finance

Growth-oriented policy agenda needed to ensure stronger economic recovery with benefits for all workers and households

Governments must deploy policy packages that take advantage of the synergies between labour, product and financial market reforms to escape the low-growth trap and ensure that benefits are broadly shared by the vast majority of citizens, according to the OECD’s annual Going for Growth report.




business and finance

China: time to focus on financial risks and structural reform

As the Chinese economy matures to a slower but more sustainable growth path, policy efforts need to focus more on efficiency, stability and inclusiveness, according to a new OECD report.




business and finance

Raising skills holds the key to higher living standards and well-being in Portugal

For each hour worked Portugal produces about half of the output produced in the United States.