Human Resources
In terms of human resources, Ukraine is at par with the most advanced economies of Central and Eastern Europe (see table below). At the same time, Ukraine’s human resources are cheaper than in Russia and 2,5 times cheaper than in Czech Republic.
Table: Human Capital
Urbanisation |
Life expec- tancy, |
Infant mort, |
Secondary school, |
Patent appli- cations (2004), residents |
Avg wage, |
|
Czech R. |
74
|
77.19
|
3.73
|
99
|
619
|
739
|
Hungary |
68
|
74.79
|
5.31
|
99.49
|
738
|
516
|
Poland |
61
|
76.05
|
6.54
|
99.8
|
2,381
|
612
|
Romania |
57
|
73.98
|
11.02
|
97.3
|
937
|
515
|
Russia |
73
|
66.29
|
10.08
|
99.4
|
22,944
|
675
|
Slovakia |
75
|
75.83
|
6.59
|
99.6
|
214
|
857
|
Ukraine |
60
|
68,58
|
8,54
|
99.4
|
4,086
|
300
|
Citation:
Factors of production-labor and capital – were and remain (at least this is true about labor) very “cheap” and, therefore, competitive. A very low salary level is evidence of this, whereas at the beginning of the economic growth period five years ago there was also evidence of excess capacity.
Lorenzo FIGIUOLI, IMF Senior Resident Representative in Ukraine
Mirror Weekly #32 August 2004