Total Factor Productivity Growth in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan

We present total factor productivity growth (TFPG) calculations for Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, using a consistent methodology and data sets. We reassess the productivity growth experience of Korea and Taiwan, as compared to Japan and to previous work on Latin American countries. We conclude that Korea and Taiwan's experience is not explained simply by factor accumulation, as has recently been suggested by Krugman (1994), nor was TFPG in these countries similar to Latin America.