Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 08/2010

Approaches to Fostering Productivity Growth in Brazil, China and India

John Whalley, Manmohan Agarwal, Yao Li

April 2010

Centre for International Governance Innovation

Abstract

Productivity growth is a significant contributor to GDP growth, particularly to increases in per capita income. However, there is considerable ambiguity regarding how to measure the concept of technical progress, and consequently on policies that would foster productivity growth. Brazil, China and India, three important emerging economies, are seeking to foster productivity growth through encouraging innovation and technology transfers from the more developed economies. But given the ambiguities about how to encourage innovation and technology transfers, governments in these countries adopted a plethora of policies in the hope that the combination will be effective.