--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-16/what-is-to-be-done-for-better-productivity-measurement/" title: "What Is To Be Done for Better Productivity Measurement" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T06:54:03+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T06:54:03+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Spring 2008" ipm_keyword: - "balance sheets" - "capital services" - "exports" - "imports" - "indirect taxes" - "national accounts" - "productivity measurement" - "SNA" - "Statistics Canada" - "TFP" ipm_research_theme: - "Measurement and methodology" ipm_country_focus: - "Canada" - "International" - "OECD" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # What Is To Be Done for Better Productivity Measurement Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-16/what-is-to-be-done-for-better-productivity-measurement/ # What Is To Be Done for Better Productivity Measurement [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-16-3-Diewert.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Diewert, Erwin. 2008. “What Is To Be Done for Better Productivity Measurement.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 16 (Spring 2008): 40–52. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-16/what-is-to-be-done-for-better-productivity-measurement/ ## Author: - Erwin Diewert Department of Economics, University of British Columbia ## IPM Issue 16 Spring 2008 pp. 40–52 ## Related IPM articles [Is the SNA Still Useful? 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Secondly, the article argues that the production accounts in the present System of National Accounts (SNA) need to be extended somewhat in order to be suitable as a data base for measuring sectoral productivity growth rates. In particular, the treatment of exports, imports and indirect taxes is not completely adequate for productivity measurement purposes in the present SNA. Finally, the article makes some specific suggestions to statistical agencies that would lead to better productivity measurement. In particular, balance sheet information needs to be improved and made available to the public. Moreover, the balance sheet information needs to be integrated with sectoral measures of capital service inputs. PRODUCTIVITY HAS LONG BEEN recognized as La première section de l’article passe en revue les problèmes généraux de mesure associés à la mesure de la productivité multifactorielle sectorielle. Deuxièmement, l’article soutient que les comptes de production dans le Système de comptabilité nationale (SCN) actuel doivent être quelque peu étendus pour être adaptés comme base de données pour la mesure des taux de croissance de la productivité sectorielle. En particulier, le traitement des exportations, des importations et des impôts indirects n’est pas tout à fait adéquat aux fins de la mesure de la productivité dans le SCN actuel. Enfin, l’article formule des suggestions spécifiques à l’intention des organismes statistiques qui permettraient d’améliorer la mesure de la productivité, notamment l’amélioration et la mise à disposition du public de l’information sur les bilans, et l’intégration de cette information avec les mesures sectorielles des services du capital. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-16-3-Diewert.pdf)