The diversification and determinants of labour productivity in furniture industry in the EU countries

The main goal of the study was to analyse the level and diversification of labour productivity in furniture industry in the EU countries. The analysis was based on the statistics published by EUROSTAT. It enabled analysis of the entire furniture manufacturing sector as well as analysis according to the size of enterprises measured with the number of employees. The research revealed considerable differences between the EU countries in labour productivity measured with value added. In general, the highest labour productivity was noted in the furniture industry in the old EU member-states, whereas the countries which joined the EU after 2003 were characterised by the lowest productivity. Apart from that, the regression model revealed that the technological equipment used by employees was the factor causing the greatest diversification in the furniture industry in the EU.