International Comparisons of Industry Output, Inputs and Productivity Levels: Methodology and New Results

In this paper we provide new evidence on relative levels of output, inputs and productivity at a detailed industry level for a set of seven countries. These comparisons are based on sectoral output measures that exclude intra-industry flows. We argue that this improves international comparability and the insightfulness of the analysis. Productivity levels are relatively similar in the European and Anglo-Saxon countries we analyze, but we do find large differences in production structures. US industries use more skilled labour, more ICT capital, more services and more energy, but less materials, per unit of output than the other countries. This pattern is found for both goods-producing and services-producing industries.