Approaches to Fostering Productivity Growth in Brazil, China and India

Working Paper #47

April 26, 2010

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.

About the Authors

Yao Li has worked on several CIGI research projects since May 2007. Currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Economics at the University of Western Ontario, her major fields of study are international trade, international macroeconomics and applied econometrics.

Between 2003 and 2005 she worked as a research fellow in the Planning Research Institute of China's Ministry of Information Industry. She holds BA (2001) and MA (2003) degrees in Economics from Peking University.