Number: RL34677
Title: Productivity Growth: Trends and Prospects
Authors: Brian W. Cashell, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: While policymakers have at least some direct or indirect influence over many economic variables, productivity growth may be among those that remain relatively beyond the influence of deliberate economic policy. Although many policy proposals are advocated on the grounds that they will help boost productivity, it may be that productivity growth rates have a greater influence on policy than policy does on the growth of productivity. Variations in the productivity growth rate are so incompletely understood that there is no clear consensus among economists about the best way for policymakers to promote it.
Pages: 16
Date: September 15, 2008