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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of US Productivity

​

Nick Bloom (Stanford)

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Good:�US Levels

Bad:

Trends

Ugly:

Inequality

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America is the Most Productive (Large) Country

Productivity (GDP per hour) as a % of the US in 2014

0

20

40

60

80

100

United States

Netherlands

France

Germany

Australia

Canada

Italy

Spain

United Kingdom

Japan

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America is also the Worlds Richest (Large) Country

GDP Per Capita (2014 $)

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

United States

Netherlands

Australia

Germany

Canada

Spain

United Kingdom

France

Japan

Italy

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Good:�US Levels

Bad:

Trends

Ugly:

Inequality

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Is Productivity Growth Slowing Down?

-5

0

5

10

15

US Productivity Growth

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

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Is Productivity Growth Slowing Down?

-5

0

5

10

15

US Productivity Growth

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

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Is Productivity Growth Slowing Down?

-5

0

5

10

15

US Productivity Growth

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

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Is Productivity Growth Slowing Down?

-5

0

5

10

15

US Productivity Growth

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

10 of 17

Is Productivity Growth Slowing Down?

-5

0

5

10

15

US Productivity Growth

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

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Is Productivity Growth Slowing Down?

-5

0

5

10

15

US Productivity Growth

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

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Is Productivity Growth Slowing Down?

-5

0

5

10

15

US Productivity Growth

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

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Is Productivity Growth Slowing Down?

-5

0

5

10

15

US Productivity Growth

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

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What about the future? It’s hard to tell as productivity growth is basically a random walk

-2

0

2

4

6

8

-2

0

2

4

6

8

Productivity Growth - This Year

Productivity Growth - Last Year

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Good:�US Levels

Bad:

Trends

Ugly:

Inequality

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Since 1980 productivity growth has�not benefitted the median family much at all

50

100

150

200

1955

1965

1975

1985

1995

2005

2015

Productivity

(1980=100)

Real Median Family Income

(1980=100)

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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of US Productivity

​

Nick Bloom (Stanford)