How much of the convergence in labor productivity that we observe in manufacturing is due to convergence in technology versus convergence in capital-labor ratios? To shed light on this question, we introduce a nonparametric counterfactual decomposition of labor productivity growth into growth of the capital-labor ratio (K/L), technological productivity (TEP) and total factor productivity (TFP). Our nonparametric specification enables us to model technology allowing for heterogeneity across all relevant dimensions (i.e. countries, sectors and time). Using data spanning from the 1960s to the 2000s, covering 42 OECD and non OECD countries across 11 manufacturing sectors, we find TEP and TFP to account for roughly 46 and −6% of labor productivity growth respectively, on average. While technological growth at the world level is driven primarily by the US and a handful of other OECD countries, we find strong evidence of convergence in both technology and capital-labor ratios. Interestingly, very few of the usual growth determinants are found to enhance the process of technological catching-up.

中文翻译：

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劳动生产率的增长：技术与资本积累的分离

我们在制造业中观察到多少劳动生产率的趋同归因于技术的趋同与资本劳动比率的趋同？为了阐明这个问题，我们将劳动生产率增长的非参数反事实分解引入了资本劳动比率（K / L），技术生产率（TEP）和全要素生产率（TFP）的增长。我们的非参数规范使我们能够对技术进行建模，以实现所有相关维度（即国家，部门和时间）的异质性。使用从1960年代到2000年代的数据，涵盖11个制造业的42个经合组织国家和非经合组织国家，我们发现TEP和TFP分别平均约占劳动生产率增长的46％和-6％。虽然世界范围内的技术增长主要是由美国和其他一些OECD国家推动的，但我们发现有力的证据表明技术和资本劳动比率趋于一致。有趣的是，很少有通常的增长决定因素能促进技术追赶进程。