Herrendorf, Berthold, Rogerson, Richard and Valentinyi, Ákos 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9166-7489
(2026)
Unconditional Convergence in Manufacturing: A Reassessment.
American Economic Review: Insights, 8
(3).
pp. 303-319.
DOI https://doi.org/10.1257/aeri.20250071
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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1257/aeri.20250071
Abstract
The movement of labor out of agriculture is a central feature of the development process. A long-held view is that successful development requires that much of the labor released from agriculture be allocated to manufacturing rather than services. Rodrik's (2013) finding of unconditional convergence for manufacturing productivity, using data from UNIDO, provided empirical support for this view. We argue that the UNIDO data are ill-suited for studying cross-country productivity dynamics. Using recently released GGDC data designed for this purpose, we revisit the issue and find no evidence of unconditional convergence in manufacturing productivity over 1990-2018.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| JEL classification: | D24 - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity J24 - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity L60 - Industry Studies: Manufacturing: General O13 - Economic Development: Agriculture; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Other Primary Products O14 - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology Q10 - Agriculture: General |
| Divisions: | Institute of Economics |
| Subjects: | Agriculture |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1257/aeri.20250071 |
| ID Code: | 13359 |
| Deposited By: | MTMT SWORD |
| Deposited On: | 06 Oct 2026 13:38 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Oct 2026 13:38 |
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