The Myths and Reality of Deindustrialization in Sweden: The Role of Productivity

Abstract

This article analyzes three possible hypotheses behind deindustrialization in Sweden. The main conclusion is that deindustrialization is both a myth and a reality. There has been a decrease in manufacturing employment in both relative and absolute terms in the post-war period, and the share of nominal GDP has gone in the same direction. However, the high productivity growth in manufacturing has lead to an increase in its share of real GDP since the beginning of the 1990's. Using input-output analysis, it is shown that the loss of employed who work with satisfying final demand for manufactured goods is less pronounced than what is shown by official statistics. The explanation for this is a deeper interaction with the rest of the economy, particularly in relation to knowledge-intensive service industries.