The Productivity Gaps in Wales: Evidence from Firm Level Data

Despite continued efforts through improved levels of investment in infrastructure and education, Wales continues to trail behind the rest of the UK in terms of productivity performance. In this paper we review recent trends and present firm-level findings that suggest that the Priority Sectors first identified by the Welsh Government’s latest economic plan have little productivity advantage over and above that associated with firms with a high probability of foreign ownership, exporting behaviour and high growth.