COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF ASEAN MEMBER-COUNTRIES’ LABOR PRODUCTIVITY IN THE CONTEXT OF INNOVATION

Abstract

To compare the ASEAN member-countries’ labor productivity, this study analyzed the following attributes of geography of innovation constructs, namely: Population’s Labor Force, Human Capital, Quality of Math and Science Education, Transparency of Government Policy-Making, Protection of Minority Shareholders, and Institutional Innovation. Using sectoral data from the AEC time period (2007-2014), the multiple regression analysis was used in the investigation of each of the factor affecting labor productivity. Results showed that countries can take advantage of the relative elasticity of labor productivity to changes in the Geography of Innovation constructs namely, Myanmar’s labor force; Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam’s human capital; and Philippines’ quality of math and science education, and institutional innovation.

KEYWORDS: Comparative Review, ASEAN, Labor Productivity, Innovation, Philippines