--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-17/the-measurement-of-tfp-in-argentina-1990-2004-a-case-of-the-tyranny-of-numbers-economic-cycles-and-methodology/" title: "The Measurement of TFP in Argentina, 1990-2004: A Case of the Tyranny of Numbers, Economic Cycles and Methodology" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T07:31:35+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T07:31:35+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2008" ipm_keyword: - "Argentina" - "capital accumulation" - "economic cycles" - "factor utilization" - "growth accounting" - "Latin America" - "methodology" - "TFP" ipm_research_theme: - "Productivity trends and comparisons" ipm_country_focus: - "Argentina" - "International" - "Latin America" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # The Measurement of TFP in Argentina, 1990-2004: A Case of the Tyranny of Numbers, Economic Cycles and Methodology Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-17/the-measurement-of-tfp-in-argentina-1990-2004-a-case-of-the-tyranny-of-numbers-economic-cycles-and-methodology/ # The Measurement of TFP in Argentina, 1990-2004: A Case of the Tyranny of Numbers, Economic Cycles and Methodology [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-17-5-Coremberg.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Coremberg, Ariel. 2008. “The Measurement of TFP in Argentina, 1990-2004: A Case of the Tyranny of Numbers, Economic Cycles and Methodology.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 17 (Fall 2008): 52–74. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-17/the-measurement-of-tfp-in-argentina-1990-2004-a-case-of-the-tyranny-of-numbers-economic-cycles-and-methodology/ ## Author: - Ariel Coremberg UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ## IPM Issue 17 Fall 2008 pp. 52–74 ## Related IPM articles [Efficiency Adjustment of Hours Worked: Two Possible Modifications of a Jorgensen Production Model Barbara Fraumeni Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 103–115](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/efficiency-adjustment-of-hours-worked-two-possible-modifications-of-a-jorgensen-production-model/) [The Relationship between Efficiencies Defenses for Mergers and TFP Growth Robin Shaban Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 82–102](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-relationship-between-efficiencies-defenses-for-mergers-and-tfp-growth/) [Labour Productivity as a Measure of Technological Change Ulrich Kohli Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 64–81](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/labour-productivity-as-a-measure-of-technological-change/) [IPM Issue 49 Editors’ Overview Andrew Sharpe, Bart van Ark, Paul Schreyer Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–2](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/) [ONS Response to ‘Are UK Regional Productivity Disparities Really Narrowing?’ Richard Prothero Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 85–89](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/ons-response-to-are-uk-regional-productivity-disparities-really-narrowing/) [The UK Productivity Slowdown: A Review of Timing, Magnitude, and Drivers Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–34](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/the-uk-productivity-slowdown-a-review-of-timing-magnitude-and-drivers/) [Appendix: UK Productivity Growth Rates Across Data Vintages and Studies Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 65–73](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/appendix-uk-productivity-growth-rates-across-data-vintages-and-studies/) [Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence for Productivity Francesco Filippucci, Peter Gal, Katharina Laengle, Matthias Schief, Filiz Unsal Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–26](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/opportunities-and-risks-of-artificial-intelligence-for-productivity/) [Cracking the Productivity Code: An International Comparison of UK Productivity John Van Reenen, Xuyi Yang Spring 2024 | IPM Issue 46 | pp. 60–82](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-46/cracking-the-productivity-code-an-international-comparison-of-uk-productivity/) [Appendix: EUKLEMS & INTANProd Industry Coverage and Intangible Asset Treatment Filippo Bontadini, Carol Corrado, Jonathan Haskel, Massimiliano Iommi, Cecilia Jona-Lasinio, Tsutomu Miyagawa Spring 2024 | IPM Issue 46 | pp. 1–4](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-46/appendix-euklems-intanprod-industry-coverage-and-intangible-asset-treatment/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn The aim of this study is to examine the main sources of growth in Argentina for the period 1990-2004 in order to identify the dominant growth profile: either extensive, which is associated with factor accumulation and utilisation, or intensive, which is based on productivity gains. The study proposes a methodology for identifying gains in total factor productivity (TFP) net of short-run fluctuations in relative prices and cyclical changes in factor utilisation. When applying this methodology to Argentina in the period 1990-2004, we find that economic growth appears to be extensive during the whole period, biased towards capital accumulation and utilisation during the 1990s and biased towards labour input after the 2002 devaluation. These results raise doubts as to whether the Argentine economy is able to generate long-run productivity gains independent of composition and quality effects and cyclical changes in factors utilisation, gains that are needed to achieve sustainable long-run growth. D URING THE 1990 S , LABOUR productivity L’objectif de cette étude est d’examiner les principales sources de croissance en Argentine pour la période 1990-2004 afin de cerner le profil de croissance dominant : soit extensif, associé à l’accumulation et à l’utilisation de facteurs, soit intensif, fondé sur des gains de productivité. L’étude propose une méthodologie pour cerner les gains de productivité multifactorielle (PMF) nets des fluctuations à court terme des prix relatifs et des variations cycliques de l’utilisation des facteurs. Lorsque cette méthodologie est appliquée à l’Argentine sur la période 1990-2004, nous constatons que la croissance économique semble extensive sur toute la période, orientée vers l’accumulation et l’utilisation du capital dans les années 1990 et vers les intrants de main-d’œuvre après la dévaluation de 2002. Ces résultats soulèvent des doutes quant à la capacité de l’économie argentine à générer des gains de productivité à long terme indépendants des effets de composition et de qualité et des variations cycliques de l’utilisation des facteurs. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-17-5-Coremberg.pdf)