Structure of the Manufacturing Industry: Firm Size and Employment
The manufacturing industry in higher-income economies exhibits a distinct structure regarding firm size and its contribution to employment. Based on OECD data from 32 countries, the sector is numerically dominated by small businesses; 83% of manufacturing firms have fewer than ten employees. However, large firms with 250 or more employees, while representing a small fraction of all firms (8%), are disproportionately important for employment, as they provide jobs for over half of the entire manufacturing workforce.
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