Productivity growth in East Asian manufacturing: a fading miracle or measurement problem?

Despite the intensive debates on the East Asian economic miracle that persisted during the last decade, the verdict on the source of output growth is inconclusive. There can be no dispute over the importance of total factor productivity (TFP) growth in the process of economic development and raising the level of living standards. But, the question of whether TFP growth played a significant role in East Asian economic growth remains contentious, especially in Singapore's case. This paper provides an updated review on productivity growth in the East Asian manufacturing and that of Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, and recommends options for further research to improve understanding on the issue of TFP growth in East Asian manufacturing. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]