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A consistent accounting of U.S. productivity growth

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  • Eric J. Bartelsman
  • J. Joseph Beaulieu

Abstract

This paper is an exploration in the relative performance and sources of productivity growth of U.S. private businesses across industries and legal structure. In order to assemble the disparate data from various sources to develop a coherent productivity database, we developed a general system to manage data. The paper describes this system and then applies it by building such a database. The paper presents updated estimates of gross output, intermediate input use, and value added using the BEA's GPO data set. It supplements these data with estimates of missing data on intermediate input use and prices for the 1977-1986 period, and it concords these data, which are organized on a 1972 SIC basis, to the 1987 SIC in order to have consistent time series covering the last twenty-four years. It further refines these data by disaggregating them by legal form of organization. The paper also presents estimates of labor hours, labor quality, investment, capital services and, consequently, multifactor productivity disaggregated by industry and legal form of organization, and it analyzes the contribution of various industries and business organizations to aggregate productivity. The paper also reconsiders these estimates in light of the surge in spending in advance of the century-date change.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric J. Bartelsman & J. Joseph Beaulieu, 2004. "A consistent accounting of U.S. productivity growth," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2004-55, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2004-55
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    1. Desmet, Klaus & Rossi-Hansberg, Esteban, 2009. "Spatial growth and industry age," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 144(6), pages 2477-2502, November.
    2. J. Joseph Beaulieu & Eric J. Bartelsman, 2006. "Integrating Expenditure and Income Data: What to Do with the Statistical Discrepancy?," NBER Chapters, in: A New Architecture for the US National Accounts, pages 309-354, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Hugh Rockoff, 2008. "Great Fortunes of the Gilded Age," NBER Working Papers 14555, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Carol Corrado & Paul Lengermann & Larry Slifman, 2009. "The Contribution of Multinational Corporations to US Productivity Growth, 1977–2000," NBER Chapters, in: International Trade in Services and Intangibles in the Era of Globalization, pages 331-360, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Strobel, Thomas, 2016. "ICT intermediates and productivity spillovers—Evidence from German and US manufacturing sectors," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 147-163.

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