The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) launched the 2014 edition of the APO Productivity Databook featuring comparative productivity analysis and economic growth for Asian countries at a press conference on 17 October at Keio University, Tokyo.

The APO Productivity Databook contains the most comprehensive productivity analyses of Asian countries, produced under a research partnership between the APO and Keio Economic Observatory (KEO), Keio University. It provides an overview of the economic growth and productivity levels of Asia-Pacific economies in relation to global and regional economies from 1970 to 2012.

The 2014 edition of the APO Productivity Databook offers insights into the economic growth of the region. Baseline indicators are calculated for 29 Asian economies, representing the 20 APO members and nine nonmembers in Asia. Data from Australia, the EU, Turkey, and the USA are also included in certain analyses. According to APO Secretary-General Mari Amano, “At present, there is a serious lack of economic statistics on Asia, which poses a range of challenges in analyzing the productivity of the region. In light of this, I am happy to be able to present the highlights of the APO Productivity Databook today. This publication contains productivity analyses of Asia-Pacific and reference economies and is the fruit of long-term efforts we have made to meet those challenges.”

Dr. Koji Nomura, the chief expert for the APO Productivity Databook project and Associate Professor of KEO, presented the highlights of the 2014 edition at the press conference, which included:

• 1. Scale of the Asian economy: new estimates of purchasing power parity (PPP) revise the sizes of regional economies;
• 2. Price levels in Asian countries and PPP revision;
• 3. Labor productivity growth: acceleration of labor productivity growth between 2000 and 2012;
• 4. Labor productivity differences among Asian countries (including comparison with Japan);
• 5. Source of Asia’s economic growth: capital inputs as the main engine of economic growth;
• 6. Total factor productivity (TFP) growth: Asian countries with remarkable TFP growth between 2000 and 2012; and
• 7. Energy productivity: analysis of production, energy, and CO₂ emissions.

He went on to provide forecasts for three areas. The real GDP growth of the Asian economy is expected to continue to expand for the next two decades, i.e., 2012–2020 and 2020–2030. The growth rate will decrease slightly from 6.4% in 2005–2012 to 6.2% in 2012–2020. In 2020–2030, it is expected to slow to 5%, mainly reflecting the slowdown in PR China’s growth. Pakistan, the Philippines, and IR Iran are expected to accelerate growth in 2012–2020 and 2020–2030.

The number of workers in Asia is expected to increase by 168 million by 2020. India will contribute 42% of those 168 million, Indonesia 10%, and Pakistan 7.5%. The employed in Asia will therefore total approximately 341 million.

In the area of labor productivity growth, strong improvement for the two decades is expected to be sustained. Asia’s annual labor productivity (ALP) will likely grow at 5.1% in 2012–2020, compared with 5.3% in 2005–2012. In 2020–2030, it may slow to 4.1%. ASEAN is expected to sustain sound ALP growth even in 2020–2030.

The APO Mobile Productivity Database app was also introduced (see icon below). It presents 95 economic indicators closely related to productivity.

This app gives easy access to comprehensive statistical data and information showing trends in indicators for APO members as well as reference Asian and other economies. The APO Mobile Productivity Database is divided into 10 main indicator categories: Productivity; Output; Labor; Capital; Demand; Income; Population; Prices; Energy; and Enterprises.