The economic strategy for the Hong Kong SAR: Evidence from productivity and cost analysis

By using a growth accounting framework for the period 1980–2000, this paper estimates Hong Kong's total factor productivity and unit labor cost of twenty industries classified into three economic sectors of tradable goods, tradable services and non-tradable services. The results show that Hong Kong's total factor productivity has fallen in the 1990s. The competitiveness of the three sectors of tradable goods, tradable services and non-tradable services has increased, remained unchanged and declined, respectively in the last two decades. Policy recommendation for Hong Kong will be to aim for a supply-drive strategy so as to broaden the economic base.