The Boskin Commission Report: Introduction to the Symposium and Implications for Productivity

Brief introduction to the symposium highlighting the importance of price measurement for reliable productivity estimates. Accurate price indexes are essential for reliable productivity measurement. the author points out that a one percentage point upward bias in price changes results in a one percentage point downward bias in real output growth and by consequent productivity growth. An upward bias in price indexes implies that productivity growth is being underestimated.