| Article ID: | iaor1997896 |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Volume: | 24 |
| Issue: | 3 |
| Start Page Number: | 321 |
| End Page Number: | 335 |
| Publication Date: | Jun 1996 |
| Journal: | OMEGA |
| Authors: | Hitchens D.M.W.N., Birnie j.E., Wagner K. |
| Keywords: | productivity |
This study compares east German productivity with that of west Germany within the newly unified Germany. It does so by comparing in detail the performance of a sample of 32 plants in east Germany with 34 matching plants in west Germany. The results refer mainly to 1990 and 1991 but some less formally based results for 1993 are also given. Possible reasons for productivity differences are examined. The results provide important conclusions on the role of machinery and training in productivity improvement. The research is complimentary to more macro-orientated and statistically based studies of economic performance of eastern European countries.