Attribution of Changes in Vietnam’s Labor Productivity

This study examines the change in labor productivity in Vietnam by means of a Fisher index decomposition and attribution analysis. The results can be summarized as follows. First, the aggregate labor productivity is decomposed into pure labor productivity and structural change from 2007 to 2019. All of the aggregate labor productivity, pure labor productivity, structural change, and interaction terms have increased by 69.83%, 36.74%, 24.20%, and 8.89%, respectively. Second, the percentage change in labor productivity is attributed to 20 sub-industries by pure labor productivity and structural change. The sum of the multi-period attribution of pure labor productivity and structural change shows that the manufacturing industry positively dominates (15.84%) and plays a key role in economic development. The positive pure labor productivity and structural change in the manufacturing industry imply that the structural bonus hypothesis does hold in the industry. The findings also indicate that pure labor productivity, especially in the service industry, should be improved to sustain economic growth.

Evaluation and Influencing Factors of China’s Agricultural Productivity from the Perspective of Environmental Constraints

Based on provincial panel data for the past 15 years in China, the SBM-ML index method was used to measure agricultural productivity under the environmental-constraint perspective with agricultural surface source pollution as the non-desired output. A dynamic panel regression model was used to empirically analyze the factors influencing agricultural productivity to provide a reference for formulating policies to alleviate the conflict between economic development and environmental pollution. The results show that the green total factor productivity of Chinese agriculture exhibits a slow, incremental trend year by year. The growth of green total factor productivity in agriculture mainly comes from the increase in the rate of green technological progress. In terms of geographical disparity, the eastern, central, and western regions show a high-to-low gradient of agricultural green total factor productivity. Agricultural green total factor productivity showed a significant positive spatial correlation in some years. As for the influencing factors, foreign trade in agricultural products is conducive to enhancing green total factor productivity in agriculture, whereas foreign direct investment in agriculture and agricultural technology input inhibit the growth of green total factor productivity in agriculture. This research also found a significant U-shaped relationship between environmental management inputs and green total factor productivity in agriculture. Accordingly, suggestions are provided to optimize the international trade structure of agricultural products, selectively introduce high-quality green foreign investment projects, drive the efficiency of R&D investment through digital technology, and increase investment in special funds for agricultural pollution control.

CHANGES OF PRODUCTIVITY IN THE TOURISM SECTOR OF THE EU BEFORE THE PANDEMIC- IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICIES AFTER COVID-19

The constraints caused by the fight against COVID-19 have hit the tourism sector the hardest of all. The tourism industry's backbone services, such as accommodation and catering, but also the services partially related to transport, arts and entertainment have declined by tens of percent year-on-year. The business environment plays an important role in achieving economic growth. Tourism is also a key sector contributing to economic growth. We can conclude that tourism is one of the worst affected areas. Under various restrictive measures introduced by governments and national authorities, the number of foreign and domestic tourists has fallen. Using descriptive and sampling statistical methods, we will assess the significance of pandemic-related changes at EU country level. Based on these findings and an evaluation of measures against the spread of the coronavirus, we apply regression modelling to identify the impact of these decisions on the performance of tourism indicators. We decided to quantify the efficiency of investments and subsidies to rescue and revitalize tourism entities. Based on the results, we reached conclusions that contribute to the prosperity of tourism in the European countries. EU countries should invest primarily in infrastructure. Country leaders should promote the idea of sustainable 'green' tourism on the basis of improving the conditions for doing business in this area.

PRODUCTIVITY IN UK HEALTHCARE DURING AND AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Measured health output in the UK declined sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the evident large increase in some National Health Service (NHS) activities such as critical care, and the new test and trace and vaccination programmes. We explain the measurement methods applied to public services that produced the published decline, in the context of the inherent difficulties of defining and measuring health output and productivity;and describe the changes in practice that had to take place in NHS hospitals. We also discuss, on the basis of these changes including increased use of technology, the likely outlook for healthcare productivity. We conclude that within NHS England capacity, constraints have contributed to substantial falls in non-Covid-19 healthcare output and argue that increased capacity in the social infrastructure of the health service is essential to enable higher productivity in an uncertain environment.