The most productive countries of Europe

[Foxy]

Are Italians Really Lazy?

FEBRUARY 27, 2012 BY ALEX ROE

Recent statistics released by Europe’s statistical bureau Eurostat revealed that salaries in Italy are amongst the lowest in Europe.
Growth in salaries in Italy between 2005 and 2009 was a measly 3.3%. By way of comparison, in the same period in Spain, salaries grew by almost 30%. Even crisis struck Portugal managed to increase its workers pay by over 20%.
The reason for such low salaries in Italy, stated Labor Minister Elsa Fornero, is one of poor productivity. Italians, she stated, need to become more productive. In a round about sort of way, Fornero implied Italians are lazy. Is this true?
Well, how about fighting a little statistical fire with some more statistical fire, fueled by the very same source as the figures on low earnings in Italy – Eurostat?
Let’s see how Italy shapes up on the productivity front.
Italians More Productive Than Germans
According to Eurostat Labor productivity per person employed figures for the period 1999 to 2010, productivity in Italy is not that bad. Indeed, in 2010, Italians (109.6) were more productive than those masters of efficiency, or so the stereotype goes, the Germans (105.3).
Dig further back in time, to 1999, and productivity levels in Italy were much higher than in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and a good few other countries in Europe.

The Most Productive Country in Europe
Luxembourg is the most productive country in Europe and has been so since 1999.
How does the USA Shape Up?
Very well. The United States is not in the same league as Luxembourg, but at a figure of around 140 since 1999, Americans appear to be consistently more productive workers than their European counterparts. Incidentally, in 1999, the figure for labor productivity in the USA was 144.1. Italy was at 128.9 in 1999.
And Italy’s Problem Is?
Primarily, one suspects, Italy suffers from a lack of organization, reams of red tape, poor training and government policy which has done little or nothing to promote growth, such as forcing businesses to pay suppliers within 30 days, for a start.
Productivity levels in Italy seem to have fallen greatly in the new millennium. For a large chunk of the period, the Prime Minister was one Silvio Berlusconi who seemed to be more concerned with things like partying, than with helping Italy’s economy maintain post 2000 levels of productivity. A case of counter-productive politics?
What Minister Elsa Fornero needs to do is to give Italians something to produce – a rise in productivity levels, which is not as low as salary figures suggest, will most likely follow.
Upping salaries in Italy may also encourage workers to work at 1999 levels and will prevent super-productive and intelligent Italians from leaving Italy for jobs in countries where their productivity is appropriately rewarded. Of course it is no good producing huge quantities if nobody knows about the goods being produced: they will not sell – this comes to another all Italian issue – that the Boot does not know how to market itself effectively.
The problem is not that Italians are lazy: they simply do not have enough to do. Give them enough, Ms Fornero, and Italy could be the number one economy in Europe.
Here is a data table of Eurostat productivity figures.

http://italychronicles.com/are-italians-really-lazy/

[Foxy]

EUROSTAT PRODUCTIVE TABLE AVAILABLE HERE

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm...pcode=tsieb030

[Riki]

Since the crisis all Southerners are called lazy.Never before the crisis I heard that Portuguese were lazy,per ex.
In fact when abroad we were always seen as trustworthy,honest hard working people.
But since the crisis we all know how we are perceived.

[Foxy]

Since the crisis all Southerners are called lazy.Never before the crisis I heard that Portuguese were lazy,per ex.
In fact when abroad we were always seen as trustworthy,honest hard working people.
But since the crisis we all know how we are perceived.

I didn't know that Portugueses are known as a lazy people, we only think that Portugal is few industrialized. There is a difference between being lazy and have few factories. What really wonders me is that apparently Greeks and Germans are equally productive.

[askra]

i was reading an article where is written that italians work more hours than japanese and americans, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD), the problem in italy is the quality of work, in fact are practised jobs that produce less wealth, compared to other industrialised countries.

http://pagni.blogautore.repubblica.i...gli-americani/

[Riki]

I didn't know that Portugueses are known as a lazy people, we only think that Portugal is few industrialized. There is a difference between being lazy and have few factories. What really wonders me is that apparently Greeks and Germans are equally productive.

We didn't use to be seen like It.but since the crisis one just has to wonder about, in News articles,Forums etc,and read the comments.
Our "clever"politicians to join the Euro,had to cut on the Industry that was the base of our National Income,ex,Fishing fleet destroyed,Farming Its dead, Shipping Industry killed,etc.And now they are selling one of the only good things left(It was actually sold already) which was the clean energy and general energy company.More than 30% of Portugal energy its clean.
All the energy prices went up.Coincidence?

[Sikeliot]

Germany, Scandinavia, France, UK, and Italy I'd guess.

[Virtuous]

Hey, we're in the dark green zone, so hooray for Malta!

[Tony]

i was reading an article where is written that italians work more hours than japanese and americans, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD), the problem in italy is the quality of work, in fact are practised jobs that produce less wealth, compared to other industrialised countries.

But we're talking here of labor productivity, not merely of working hours.

[Queen B]

It suprises me that Greeks are in the same color with Germans.

We are not industrialized, and we don't have the same techonology that Germans have.
Although we are called lazy, its a fact that Greeks work more hours than Germans, and its also a fact that Greek diasporians are known to be hardworking people.
But being hardworking has nothing to do with being productive.

I don't know how they calculate this, though. Probably Germany ranks ''low'' because they work less and get bigger salaries? Maybe this is what affects it ?