Productivity Gap Research Articles

Educational efficiency across Spanish regions: a comparative analysis over time

AbstractThe present study aims to assess the performance of Spanish regional education systems using data from the last waves of the Programme for International Student Assessment dataset (2018 and 2022) to explore how productivity gaps across regions change over time. To do this, we apply a robust version of the base‐group base‐period Luenberger index, which allows us to estimate and compare the performance of schools from different groups (regions in our case), assuming they use different technology of production. Consequently, we can compare the technical and efficiency gaps between regions, to identify the best performers (benchmark) and explain the gaps in terms of efficiency change (catching‐up effect) and technological change. The results show that all Spanish regions have experienced a deterioration in their performance over time, thus confirming the expected negative effect of the school closures caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, there are notable differences in the evolution experienced by the different regions, which allow us to draw several relevant conclusions for the design of educational policies.

Sectoral specialization and productivity in European metropolitan regions: empirical insights and policy implications

This article presents new empirical insights into European metropolitan regions, addressing a gap in the existing literature by examining the sectoral specialization and its impact on the productivity growth of metropolitan regions. The lack of evidence for European metropolitan regions contrasts with the empirical evidence for U.S. metropolitan regions, highlighting a significant research gap. By employing panel-regression analysis and leveraging unique regional data encompassing European metropolitan regions from 2000 to 2020, the authors unveil a multitude of significant findings. Key findings are that higher income countries (EU-15) tend to experience greater benefits from sectoral specialization in metropolitan regions compared to Eastern European regions (EU-NMS), suggesting that generalizing conclusions for EU-27 may be misleading. The study reveals a productivity gap resulting from sectoral specialization between metropolitan and non-metropolitan regions: Results suggest a higher concentration of specialized sectors in metropolitan regions. Policy implications are highlighted within the discussion on the framework of smart specialization in the context of metropolitan regions.

Club convergence in regional labor productivity: how do Australian states and territories compare to the US, UK, and Canadian subnational regions?

AbstractDeveloping strategies to enhance productivity growth requires identifying leading and lagging regions, industries, and growth drivers. However, there are limited cross-country studies using subnational data. Our study goes beyond the traditional country convergence approach and estimates labor productivity convergence using Philips and Sul’s club convergence approach and subnational data from 2004 to 2020. We aim to determine whether labor productivity growth rates in Australian states and territories are equal, converging, or divergent as compared to United States, United Kingdom, and Canadian subnational regions. The results show that five Australian jurisdictions, including Western Australia and New South Wales, are in the high labor productivity group (Club 1), while the remaining three i.e., Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, and Queensland, are in the moderate growth group (Club 2). We also used fixed effects models with least squares dummy variable estimators to identify the club’s characteristics. The results show that regions with a high proportion of employees in information and communications technology, energy, mining, and resources experienced higher labor productivity growth than those with a manufacturing sector. Human capital, innovation, and household disposable income were associated with high labor productivity, whereas high old-age dependency and children-to-women ratios were associated with lower growth. These results are consistent with the macroeconomic phenomenon that economic development leads to inequality and polarization in certain regions of a country. Nonetheless, the findings are useful for decision-makers and researchers to use in benchmarking and improving regional strategies by identifying regional peers and factors that influence convergence or divergence that can be improved. The results provide insightful findings for consideration by policymakers seeking to boost labor productivity or to bridge regional gaps in productivity.

An Evaluation of Evapotranspiration Products over the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract In situ observations from 13 sites located over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are used to evaluate evapotranspiration (ET) products, including remote sensing–based, land surface–modeled, and reanalysis products. It is found that the Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) product, the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) product, and the simulations by the Community Land Model–dynamic global vegetation model [biogeochemical dynamic vegetation (CLM–BGCDV)] are the top-ranked products measured by the percentage bias, root-mean-square error, and correlation coefficient against in situ observations. The evaluated data are then used to examine the consistency in spatial and temporal variability of summer ET and its controlling factors on the TP and the three-river source region (TRSR). All products show consistently that precipitation in the central semiarid part of TP is the dominant factor influencing summer ET, while air temperature plays a certain role in the southeastern and eastern TP. Uncertainties exist in the western TP, possibly due to the lack of observations or gaps in the satellite data. Some suggestions for improving ET product development based on models and satellite retrievals, particularly for the cold and complex surface of the TP, are also given. Significance Statement Evapotranspiration (ET) is a crucial water cycle component, but accurately assessing it remains difficult. In situ measurements are scarce, while other products have large uncertainties, such as satellite remote sensing retrievals, land surface model simulations, and reanalyses. This is particularly a problem for the Tibetan Plateau (TP). With some considerable effort, ET fluxes from 13 sites and reasonable length in the TP have become available. These in situ data are used to evaluate gridded ET products. Based on an overall score, they are ranked as the Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) product, the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) product, and the model simulation by the Community Land Model–dynamic global vegetation model [biogeochemical dynamic vegetation (CLM–BGCDV)]. Then, we used these top-ranked products to detect the spatial and trend consistencies and the environmental impacts to further discuss the product conformance. It was shown that all products show precipitation dominated the summer ET variation in the semiarid region in the central TP, while air temperature had more impact on the relatively humid region in the east and southeast of the TP. Uncertainties exist in the west TP possibly due to the lack of observations in the assimilation product or missing gaps in the satellite product. Specifically, we conclude that dynamic vegetation could play an increasing role under the background of climate warming, which should be considered in the ET model–based product generation. The suggestions for ET generation based on models and satellite retrievals, particularly for the special cold and complex surface of the TP, are also provided.

Yield Gap in Milk Production and its Determinants in East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya

Yield Gap in Milk Production and its Determinants in East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya

Assessing Assam's Fish Seed Production Gap and its implications on Food Security and Sustainable Aquaculture

Assessing Assam's Fish Seed Production Gap and its implications on Food Security and Sustainable Aquaculture

Parenthood premium but fatherhood super-premium in academic productivity? A matter of partner's employment

ABSTRACT While the discourse about work-family balance in academia (and elsewhere) is generally framed as a woman's issue, this study focuses on the association between childbirth and the scholarly productivity of both academic women and men. In particular, the authors examine whether the association between parenthood and scholarly productivity is contingent on gender and partner's employment status. Using German longitudinal data and addressing self-selection, results indicate the existence of a ‘parenthood premium’: scholarly productivity is higher for both fathers and mothers compared to their childless counterparts. Yet, academic fathers publish more than childless men and more than academic mothers, giving rise to a ‘fatherhood super-premium’. Additionally, the study reveals that the fatherhood super-premium is influenced by the employment status of the female partner, while this is not the case for academic mothers. Overall, the research highlights the importance of considering the division of labour within couples in understanding the gender gap in scholarly productivity and, ultimately, gender disparities in academia.

Digitalization and Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China

Based on panel data of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China from 2011 to 2022, this paper empirically examines the impact of digitalization on the inputs and outputs of the agricultural production process, and thereby derives the effects and mechanisms by which digitalization empowers the growth of agricultural green total factor productivity. The study finds that agricultural and rural areas’ digitalization significantly improves agricultural green total factor productivity, and this promotion mainly comes from the improvement of technical efficiency. Further analysis shows that digitalization mainly reduces land input and labor input, increases expected output, and reduces undesired output during the agricultural production process to achieve an improvement in agricultural green total factor productivity, indicating that digitalization has altered the allocation of agricultural factors. Heterogeneity analysis finds that the effect of digitalization on the growth of agricultural green total factor productivity is more pronounced in the eastern regions, southern regions, and areas with higher levels of agricultural digitalization, indicating that the development of digitalization exacerbates the gap in agricultural green total factor productivity among regions.

Industrial Policy and The New Structural Economics Theory: A Transitional Economy Perspective

Abstract This paper explores the connection between industrial policy and New Structural Economics (NSE) from the perspective of a transitioning economy. The NSE emphasizes that by leveraging comparative advantages, investing in infrastructure and human capital, diversifying the industrial base, and enacting institutional reforms, transitioning economies can achieve sustainable economic development. For industrial policy to be effective, it must align with these principles. Using Bangladesh as a case study, this paper proposes a theoretical framework that links industrial policy with NSE to foster sustainable economic growth. The framework emphasizes the critical role of government intervention in resource allocation, benefit distribution, and industrial growth, all of which are driven by targeted industrial policies. Additionally, it categorizes Bangladesh’s industries into five groups, prioritizing leading-edge sectors focused on technological advancement and skill development over catching-up industries that address productivity gaps. This paper contributes to the understanding of Bangladesh’s industrial policy through the lens of NSE, shedding light on the underlying dynamics that shape the country's industrial structure, competitiveness, and future economic trajectory. JEL classification numbers: J18, L16, L52, L78. Keywords: Industrial Policy, New Structural Economics Theory (NSE), Sustainable Economic Growth, Comparative advantage, Government intervention.

Poland in Blue: The Phenomenon of the Denim Clothing Industry in Polish Society During the Socialistic Period

In the People’s Republic of Poland 1 , blue jeans were much more than just an element of clothing. They have become a symbol of freedom, a generational rebellion, and an aspiration for the world on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Aid parcels sent by relatives, mainly from the USA and also from Great Britain, Canada, and Australia played a significant role in getting to know denim clothing in socialist Poland. In the second half of the 1960s, the domestic production of substitute denim-like materials 2 , including denim-like trousers, was started. They were a response to the demand, in particular, of groups of young people for products made of this type of material. The new improvements and material inventions were supervised by the association of clothing industries and research laboratories, which played an essential role in the creation of materials for domestic production (Kortan 1981). A group of active Polish textile and fashion designers contributed to promote comfortable denim clothing from the West. This article presents the role of the denim clothing industry in Poland during the socialist period (1952–1989), considering the cultural context and the impact of this clothing on discovering alternative forms, replacing the originals from capitalist countries. It should be noted that in the People’s Republic of Poland, new types of textile materials were developed and improved so that they corresponded, at least in part, to materials from the West and filled in product gaps. To this end, proprietary commercial versions of fabrics used to produce garments, including the jeans discussed in this publication, were made of a textile known as in Polish word “Teksas” a denim substitute. Researching archival materials and showing achievements in the field of textiles and fashion fills the gap in research on cultural significance of fashion, textile materials and the production of denim and clothing from domestic fabrics of the socialist era.

Establishing the water resources implications for closing the land and water productivity gaps using remote sensing – A case study of sugarcane

ContextTwo of the key limitations for sustainably increasing agricultural production are the scarcity of land and fresh water resources. Establishing land and water productivity gaps is, therefore, essential for measuring how efficiently these resources are being utilised and assessing the scope for increasing feed and food production. Monitoring the productivity gaps at large scales or over time using field data is challenging and expensive. Remote sensing offers an alternative data source to reveal spatial and temporal variations in productivity. ObjectiveThis paper presents a framework that integrates remote sensing derived data and field data to assess (1) land and water productivity gaps, (2) bright spots – fields exhibiting land- and water productivity equal to or higher than the target, and (3) net irrigation water demand for increasing production. MethodsThe framework is developed and applied to the Xinavane sugarcane estate in Mozambique, demonstrating its practical application through systematic evaluation on a 6637 ha section of the estate divided by different irrigation application methods. ResultsThe results reveal that the productivity gap is the highest on fields irrigated by furrow (13.1 tonnes (ton) per ha), followed by sprinkler (12.6 ton/ha) and centre pivot (9.4 ton/ha). Bridging the productivity gap on the same cropland results in an increased sugarcane production of 12.5 % requiring 8.5 % additional irrigation water, whereas achieving the same production increase through irrigation expansion requires more blue water. ConclusionsThe analyses show that remote sensing provides a viable source of information to diagnose the productivity constraints and how bright spots can provide insights into the best field management practices to overcome them. The framework demonstrates its usefulness for policy makers and stakeholders to make informed decisions on the scarce blue water allocation for enhancing agricultural production.

In Good Times and in Bad, in Sickness and in Health: The Continuous Rise in Adoption of Labour-Saving Agricultural Technologies in Myanmar

Agriculture is rapidly transforming in many low- and middle-income countries – most often driven by the adoption of new agricultural technologies – but changes remain poorly understood in fragile and conflict-affected states. We look at the case of Myanmar, a prime example of such a state. After decades of isolationism and economic stagnation, it opened its economy in the beginning of the 2010s, leading to rapid economic growth. But the COVID-19 health crisis and a military coup in the beginning of 2021 – leading to heightened conflicts, forced displacements, and increased migration – dramatically reversed that outlook. Based on large-scale farm surveys, we find that adoption of labour-saving agricultural technologies – measured by the use of mechanization, herbicides, and direct seeding of rice – increased rapidly over the economic growth period and that the increase surprisingly persisted during the crisis years, but at a slower rate. This uptake was lower, however, for households in the most conflict-affected areas, partly due to differential agricultural input availability. Smallholders and more remote farmers also participated less. This finding suggests an increasing labour productivity gap for remote and conflict-affected smallholders, with important implications for their welfare.

The gender productivity gap in Biochemical and Biophysical sciences. Some evidence to solve the productivity puzzle

This paper studies the gender productivity gap in biochemical and biophysical sciences in Argentina for the period 2011–2018. Women publish less papers than men due to academic and non-academic differences. We define the former as the individual characteristics related to research activity, that are developed in the public sphere, and non-academic as the ones related to the private sphere (such as housework and breeding). The later tend to negatively impact on the academic characteristics of female researchers, even when they are not supposed to be related. We test whether the gender productivity gap persists even when academic characteristics between men and women are alike, and to what extent these characteristics contribute to reduce the gap. The methodological approached is based on an extension of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, named multivariate decomposition for nonlinear response models. Results show that both observable (academic) and unobservable factors (both academic and non-academic) explain the gender productivity gap and that the former contribute to the reduction but not the elimination.

The pharmaceutical productivity gap – Incremental decline in R&D efficiency despite transient improvements

Rising research and development costs, currently exceeding $3.5 billion per novel drug, reflect a five-decade decline in pharmaceutical R&D efficiency. While recent reports suggest a potential turnaround, this review offers a systems-level analysis to explore whether this marks a structural shift or transient reversal. We analyzed financial data from the 200 largest pharmaceutical firms, novel drug approvals, and more than 80 000 clinical trials between 2012 and 2023. Our analysis revealed that despite recent stabilization, the pharmaceutical industry continues to face challenges, particularly due to elevated late-stage clinical attrition, suggesting that a sustained turnaround in R&D efficiency remains elusive.

Photopolymerization of Stainless Steel 420 Metal Suspension: Printing System and Process Development of Additive Manufacturing Technology toward High-Volume Production

As the metal additive manufacturing (AM) field evolves with an increasing demand for highly complex and customizable products, there is a critical need to close the gap in productivity between metal AM and traditional manufacturing (TM) processes such as continuous casting, machining, etc., designed for mass production. This paper presents the development of the scalable and expeditious additive manufacturing (SEAM) process, which hybridizes binder jet printing and stereolithography principles, and capitalizes on their advantages to improve productivity. The proposed SEAM process was applied to stainless steel 420 (SS420) and the processing conditions (green part printing, debinding, and sintering) were optimized. Finally, an SS420 turbine fabricated using these conditions successfully reached a relative density of 99.7%. The SEAM process is not only suitable for a high-volume production environment but is also capable of fabricating components with excellent accuracy and resolution. Once fully developed, the process is well-suited to bridge the productivity gap between metal AM and TM processes, making it an attractive candidate for further development and future commercialization as a feasible solution to high-volume production AM.

Agglomeration and the Italian North–South divide

Abstract This article offers new evidence on agglomeration economies by examining the link between total factor productivity (TFP) and employment density in Italy. We investigate whether and how the TFP–density nexus contributes to explaining a relevant share of the marked productivity gap between the northern and the southern Italian regions. We estimate TFP for a large sample of manufacturing firms and then aggregate it at the level of local labour market areas. We tackle the endogeneity issues stemming from the presence of omitted covariates and reverse causation with an innovative set of diagnostic tests and an instrumental variable approach that relies on geological and historical data. Our estimate of the TFP elasticity to the spatial concentration of economic activities is about 0.045, a magnitude comparable to those measured for other developed countries. We also show that no significant heterogeneity emerges in the intensity of agglomeration economies across the country and that the positive TFP difference in favour of the firms located in the North is not due to the tougher competition taking place in those areas.

Gender gap in agricultural productivity: evidence from Burkina Faso

PurposeWomen make a major contribution to the agricultural sector, especially in developing countries. Despite this, women still face many obstacles in carrying out their agricultural activities. These obstacles have a negative impact on their productivity and create a gender gap. This paper analyses the difference in agricultural productivity between male-headed and female-headed households in Burkina Faso.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from the Permanent Agricultural Survey (EPA), we applied the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method to determine the size of the gender gap and identify the variables explaining this gap. In this study, we used the value of production per farm worker as a measure of productivity.FindingsThe results indicate a gender gap of 43.8 percentage points in favor of male-headed households. Around 131% of this difference is explained by differences in observable household characteristics. The factor that most explains this difference in productivity is the difference in the total area of land available to households.Practical implicationsThis finding calls for women’s access to land to be considered in the design and implementation of agricultural development policies.Originality/valueOne of the main contributions of this article in relation to previous studies lies in the unit of analysis. Rather than focusing on individual producers, as in previous studies, we have instead considered the household as the unit of analysis, since in developing countries such as Burkina Faso, production decisions are taken at household level. It contributes to inform economic policy decisions by providing decision-makers with the factors on which they can act to bring about an increase in agricultural productivity by reducing the gap between male-headed households and female-headed households.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2023-0923

Long-term grassland diversity-productivity relationship regulated by management regimes in northern China

Grasslands are the most extensively distributed terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, providing a range of ecosystem services that are vital for sustaining human life and critical for sustainable development at the global scale. However, the relationship between the two most important attributes of grassland, plant diversity, and productivity, remains controversial even after many years of research. Here, we develop an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model based on decadal-scale experimental data from a degraded meadow steppe in northeastern Inner Mongolia, China to quantify the response of aboveground biomass (AGB) to plant species diversity under varying management regimes. We report that AGB responds negatively to the plant diversity in fallow grasslands and positively in grazing grasslands, transiting from negative to positive in mowing grasslands as mowing became more frequent. We show that the changing diversity-productivity relationships are driven by changes in species composition of the plant community, given the significant productivity gap between rare and non-rare species. This highlights the role of management in regulating the diversity-productivity relationships in grasslands. These results not only provide provocative insights into the relationships between plant diversity and productivity but also support more sustainable use and management of grassland resources.

Exploring the complex interplay of green finance, business cycles, and energy development

Green finance has emerged as a contemporary mechanism to support investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure projects. This study aims to provide empirical insights into the asymmetric influence of green finance and business cycle fluctuations on energy development in 60 developing countries from 2000 to 2021. Four aspects of energy development, including energy access, stability, efficiency, and production gap, are examined using panel quantile regression with additive fixed effects. The research findings demonstrate that green finance plays a significant role in fostering energy development, with varying effects across different quantiles of the distribution. Specifically, the results indicate that green finance supports energy access and stability, particularly during economic recession, low-income levels, and limited technological advancement. However, the impact of green finance on energy efficiency exhibits notable heterogeneity, contingent upon technological and periods of economic expansion. Achieving tangible improvements in energy efficiency necessitates a certain level of technological and economic development. Moreover, green finance shows a capacity to maintain an optimal level of energy production, particularly evident during economic expansion and for highly technologically developed countries. The impact of business cycle fluctuations varies across different quantile distributions of energy development indicators, predominantly exerting an inhibitory effect of economic recession. In light of these results, it is recommended that policies in developing countries be revised to enhance energy access, optimize energy production levels, and promote the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy in conjunction with green finance initiatives.

Analysis of the distribution of authorship by gender in scientific output: A global perspective

This study presents a thorough examination of gendered scholarly contributions and impact from 2003 to 2023, encompassing details on 212,631,585 authorships indexed in Scopus. The analysis unveils promising advancements towards gender equity, demonstrating an increase in contributions from both genders, which indicates the trend towards a progressive and inclusive environment. These findings challenge an initial perception of male prolificacy. The positive trends extend to female-led research teams, highlighting a correlation between gender balance and leadership. This evolving landscape is reflected in the convergence of male and female authorship participation over time. A decline in citable papers suggests a narrowing of the productivity gap, which challenges gender disparities in impact metrics and emphasizes the multifaceted nature of scholarly excellence across genders. Our data and gender classification method also enables us to look into the country level in order to characterize gender distribution locally. Contrary to conventional assumptions, developing countries are exhibiting a pronounced evolution in female authorship rates. In summary, the study underscores the positive trends towards gender equity, advocating for sustained efforts to promote diversity and foster nuanced understanding in academia.