Posted by oecdecoscope. A key indicator of households’ material conditions, or economic well-being, is per capita household income, after deducting taxes and social contributions and including social benefits. It provides a better gauge than gross domestic product (GDP) of the resources households have at their disposal to buy goods and services or save for the future. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. Slovakia’s economy continues to perform extremely well. More and more people are able to find jobs. Employment and hours worked are already at the highest since independence. The unemployment rate has fallen below historical norms. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. While workers in many OECD countries are worried whether robots will take their jobs, the inhabitants of the Slovenian town of Kočevje are less concerned. In 2016 Japanese robotics firm, Yaskawa, announced plans to produce robots in Kočevje, which could create up to 200 jobs. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. Growth in Italy is taking place more slowly than in other Eurozone countries. Public debate about this fact offers several explanations but rarely juxtaposes long-period trends with recent policies. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. All travellers know that the prices of goods and services vary between countries. In order to capture these price differences, Eurostat and the OECD collect data on the prices of identical goods and services in their member countries, and compile “Purchasing Power Parities” (PPPs) – conversion rates that neutralise price differences between countries. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. Digitalisation will redesign production processes and alter relationships between work and leisure, capital and labour, the rich and the poor, the skilled and the unskilled. It creates opportunities to boost inclusive growth and well-being by raising productivity, enhancing private and public services, and democratising information. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. After several years of subdued growth, economic output accelerated in 2016 supported by a tax reform that entered into force in 2015-16, and more recently a pick-up in international trade. The upturn has improved fiscal balances, and the public debt ratio, though still high, is on a downward path. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. Following years of unsustainable economic policies, Argentina has recently undertaken bold reforms and a turnaround in policies that has helped to avoid another crisis and stabilise the economy (OECD, 2017).  Nevetheless, the work is far from being finished. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. Strong economic performance, comfortable fiscal situation and well-run institutions make life good for most residents of Luxembourg. Average earnings are the highest in the OECD, while labour market insecurity and income inequality are low. Yet, the development of the digital economy is constantly expanding the domain of tasks that can be automatized and affecting both jobs and the skill sets need to perform them. More...

Posted by oecdecoscope. Icelandic labour market is flexible with high labour market participation, low unemployment, and labour supply dynamically responds to the economic cycle. Iceland is the most highly unionised country in the OECD and wage bargaining is a cornerstone of the economy. More...