Ristuccia, C. and Solomou, S. N.

General purpose technologies and economic growth: electricity diffusion in the manufacturing sector before WWII

European Review of Economic History

(2012)

Abstract: This paper evaluates the diffusion of electricity within the context of a GPT perspective. The paper develops a new comparative data set on the usage of electricity in the manufacturing sectors of the US, Britain, France, Germany and Japan and proceeds to evaluate the hypotheses of a productivity slowdown and of a productivity bonus as postulated by many existing GPT models.

Author links: Solomos Solomou