Productividad del trabajo y es tructura sectorial en las economías europeas

This paper analyzes the contribution of manufacturing and services to aggregate productivity growth in the European economies during the period 1994-2003. In a context of mediocre demand growth, productivity in services is growing slowly, which in economies increasingly oriented towards services is a strong restriction to the increase in aggregate productivity. On the other hand, manufacturing contributes very signicantly to that productivity growth. This is because industry presents better conditions for achieving productivity gains trough the expansion of demand. This is conrmed by the empirical analysis whose statistical source is the Groningen Growth and Development Centre, 60-Industry Database (GGDC). This empirical analysis shows a sharp contrast between the style of growth in manufacturing, based on increased productivity, and the services sector, based on increased employment.