Productivity: An International Comparison

Hyvärinen Jari

This study conducts an international comparison of productivity and profitability. First, the level and growth of productivity are compared in OECD countries for the period from 1975 to 2009. According to this comparison, productivity growth has been faster in the key Finnish sectors com-pared with Finland’s competitors. One of the main engines of growth since 1995 has been the ICT revolution. Second, the profitability of industries is calculated for 2007. Profitability is divided into productivity, prices and labour compensation. The results show that profitability in Finnish manufacturing is competitive because of the high productivity level in 2007. However, the measurement of profitability and the quality of price components require further research.