The question of why economies grow has been at the heart of economic inquiry since Adam Smith. The final article is a review of the recent book Why Economies Grow: The Forces That Shape Prosperity and How to Get Them Working Again by Jeff Madrick. He argues that the growth of markets through...

Since 1995, productivity growth has accelerated significantly in the United States. Information technology has always been thought to be the driving force behind this development. In this article by Kevin Stiroh of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York provides strong empirical support for this...

The third issue of the International Productivity Monitor produced by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards contains six articles that deal with a wide range of issues in the productivity area. Topics covered are the contribution of the information and communications technology sector to...

This the inaugural issue of the International Productivity Monitor, a new publication produced by the Ottawa-based Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS). The objective of the Monitor is to focus atttention on the importance of productivity for improving living standards and quality of...

Puzzles intrigue and motivate researchers and focus research effort, and the productivity area is fortunate in having many unresolved issues. In the second article, Andrew Sharpe of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards puts forward and briefly discusses what he sees as the ten most...

Estimates produced by the OECD indicate that labour productivity levels are higher in a number of European countries than in the United States, implying that Europe and not the United States is the world technological leader. The author argues that a structural measure of labour productivity,...

A key lesson from the U.S. literature on the impact of ICT on productivity is that ICT can only be effective if appropriate organizational structures are in place. This article by Surendra Gera of Industry Canada and Wulong Gu of Statistics Canada provides Canadian evidence to support this view....

This paper argues that a focus on the human capital needs of the bottom third of the workforce is the most effective way to boost productivity, while at the same time creating a more equitable labour market. Given the unmet demand for adult learning on the part of the disadvantaged, he proposes...

Le Sahel et l’Afrique de l’Ouest continuent de faire face à d’importants défis sur la voie de l’égalité des sexes et de l’autonomisation des femmes. De nombreux progrès ont certes été réalisés sur le plan de la santé et de l’éducation des femmes et des filles de la...

La situation économique des jeunes n'est pas satisfaisante. Les inégalités scolaires se sont accrues depuis plus d'une décennie, en raison d'une forte baisse des résultats des élèves les plus défavorisés. Le taux de chômage des 20-24 ans n'est pas passé en dessous de 16 % depuis près...