Productivity and Growth

  • Labor Market Challenges Facing Israel’s Arab Society During Normalcy and Emergency

    Marian Tehawkho, Amit Loewenthal, Tali Larom and Ayala Partush

    This study analyzes labor market disparities between Arab and Jewish societies, assesses the impact of the war on employment in Arab communities, and offers policy recommendations to address employment challenges and enhance the integration of Arab individuals into quality jobs.

  • Effects of the War on Israel's Haredi Society

    Hila Axelrad, Sarit Menahem-Carmi, Itschak Trachtengot and Tom Sadeh

    The war which broke out on October 7 has had a considerable economic impact on the Israeli economy, including the mass deployment of IDF reserve soldiers, evacuation of residents of frontier communities, restrictions imposed by the Homefront Command, and a decrease in the consumption of goods and services.

  • The Challenges Facing the Israeli Economy in Turbulent Times

    Zvi Eckstein, Sarit Menahem-Carmi, Sergei Sumkin, Idit Kalisher

    This paper analyzes economic growth sources and labor productivity changes, providing scenarios for 2023-2025 amidst potential threats. It suggests an economic strategy to boost productivity and reduce living costs.

  • High-Quality Transportation for 2040: Planning, Investments, and Benefits

    Sani Ziv and Oren Shapir

    This paper presents comprehensive objectives for transportation accessibility nationwide up to the year 2040, accompanied by corresponding transportation strategies. Additionally, it assesses the anticipated impact of these objectives on the country's GDP and, consequently, on the overall welfare of its residents.

  • Debt-Financed Investment for Growth

    Zvi Eckstein, Benjamin Bental and Sergei Sumkin

    This paper points to a historic opportunity facing the Israeli economy to mobilize resources and direct them to invest in growth-accelerating projects, such as public infrastructure, quantitatively examining the growth scenario and the expected debt burden resulting from the policy of increasing investment in public capital financed by increasing debt.

  • Public Investment and Structural Reforms

    Zvi Eckstein, Sarit Menahem-Carmi and Sergei Sumkin

    This paper presents the reforms which are necessary to address the main growth barrier facing the Israeli economy – low labor productivity. Our recommendations include investment in public infrastructures, encouraging private investments and employment and human capital policy.

  • Promoting Digital Transformation

    Hila Axelrad, Sergei Sumkin and Shachar Haver

    This paper examines the OECD strategy for promoting digital transformation, and suggests ways to implement it in Israel through formulating a prioritized strategic plan, setting targets, and regular measurement, in order to realize the full potential of the promotion of digital transformation.

  • Investment Strategy and Reforms for Productivity

    Zvi Eckstein, Sarit Menahem-Carmi and Sergei Sumkin

    This paper presents the need for increased public and private investment to address productivity gaps, the necessary policy in regard to public investment, the proposed policy for encouraging private investment and the funding aspects of government investment.

  • Committee for Economic Advancement

    The committee for economic advancement of the commerce and services sectors, headed by Ms. Michal Fink and Prof. Zvi Eckstein, drafted recommendations for a plan for economic advancement of the commerce and services sectors, with an emphasis on improving labor productivity and reducing the cost of living.

  • Digital Challenge for Arab Society

    Hila Axelrad, Hanin Matar, and Marian Tehawkho

    This paper presents the existing gaps between the Arab and (non-Haredi) Jewish populations in Israel in terms of digital infrastructures, digital literacy, and the usage characteristics of digital tools and services, and proposes short- and long-term policies to reduce these gaps.

  • Digital development Challenges

    Hila Axelrad and Israel Dancziger

    This paper maps the barriers to promoting digitalization and digital transformation, and proposes a national plan for digital development, which includes clear targets and priorities, as a primary tool for increasing productivity and enhancing growth.

  • Economic Effects of the Metro

    Oren Shapir and Sani Ziv

    This paper gauges the indirect effects that the metro project is expected to have on productivity and the GDP, as a result of increased agglomeration of workers and businesses.

  • Bureaucracy Reduction Policy

    Sergei Sumkin

    This paper proposes a reform centered around advancing the Israeli economy and enhancing its productivity by promoting free competition and improving the ease of doing business, through the reduction of excess regulation and minimalization of the bureaucratic cost associated with unavoidable regulation.

  • Policy for Economic Recovery

    Zvi Eckstein, Tali Larom and Avihai Lifschitz*

    Policy for Economic Recovery This paper outlines an economic plan which focuses on increasing high-quality employment and productivity, and includes a significant expansion of employment policy and growth-enhancing projects. A key feature of this plan is creating demand for workers in various economic sectors, and reducing barriers and uncertainties facing the business sector.

  • A Growth Strategy

    Zvi Eckstein, Avihai Lifschitz and Sarit Menahem-Carmi

    This paper presents a macroeconomic analysis of the sources of the productivity gap between Israel and comparable OECD economies, and proposes a comprehensive economic strategy for the Israeli economy.