Douglas R Johnson

Using historical, firm-level data, this study compares the productivity of Japanese and U.S. integrated steel producers. In recent decades Japanese producers have demonstrated higher labor productivity than their U.S. counterparts, due largely to higher investment. Calculations of multi-factor productivity suggest that the American firms, nevertheless, maintain a small advantage in overall efficiency. One implication is that steel producers in Japan may have invested too heavily in capital equipment, while American companies invested too little. In both countries, productivity differences among integrated steel producers appear small relative to those found among auto manufacturers.