--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-27/intangible-assets-and-their-contribution-to-labour-productivity-growth-in-ontario/" title: "Intangible Assets and Their Contribution to Labour Productivity Growth in Ontario" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T07:37:56+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T07:37:56+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2014" ipm_keyword: - "Corrado-Hulten-Sichel" - "economic competencies" - "growth accounting" - "innovative property" - "intangible capital" - "Ontario" - "productivity" - "R&D" - "software" ipm_research_theme: - "Productivity trends and comparisons" ipm_country_focus: - "Canada" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # Intangible Assets and Their Contribution to Labour Productivity Growth in Ontario Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-27/intangible-assets-and-their-contribution-to-labour-productivity-growth-in-ontario/ # Intangible Assets and Their Contribution to Labour Productivity Growth in Ontario [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-27-6-Muntean.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Muntean, Tatiana. 2014. “Intangible Assets and Their Contribution to Labour Productivity Growth in Ontario.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 27 (Fall 2014): 22–39. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-27/intangible-assets-and-their-contribution-to-labour-productivity-growth-in-ontario/ ## Author: - Tatiana Muntean Ontario Ministry of Finance ## IPM Issue 27 Fall 2014 pp. 22–39 ## Related IPM articles [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/) [Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023 Dan Andrews, Balázs Égert, Christine de La Maisonneuve Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 41–63](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/) [The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 3–40](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [Using Ecosystem Accounting to Integrate the Environment in Measures of Multifactor Productivity Carl Obst Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 87–108](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/using-ecosystem-accounting-to-integrate-the-environment-in-measures-of-multifactor-productivity/) [Eroding Natural Capital: An Alternative Explanation for the Secular Decline in Productivity Growth Christina Caron Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 109–147](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/eroding-natural-capital-an-alternative-explanation-for-the-secular-decline-in-productivity-growth/) [How Does Industrial Policy Impact Output, Hours and Productivity? The Canadian Experience Tim Sargent Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 39–53](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/how-does-industrial-policy-impact-output-hours-and-productivity-the-canadian-experience/) [Climate Change and Productivity — An Exploration Dirk Pilat Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 54–86](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/climate-change-and-productivity-an-exploration/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn Recent empirical studies confirm that the contribution of intangible capital investment to labour productivity growth is comparable to that of tangible capital investment for a wide range of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and France. Following Corrado et al. (2005) and Baldwin et al. (2012), this article assesses business sector investment in intangible assets and analyses the contribution of intangible capital to business sector labour productivity growth at the provincial level in Canada, in particular in Ontario. The results of this growth accounting exercise demonstrate that intangible capital contributes significantly to labour productivity growth in Ontario. In 1998-2008 intangible capital contributed on average 26.2 per cent to labour productivity growth while tangible capital contributed 17.9 per cent and labour composition contributed 8.7 per cent. Innovative property contributed the most among all categories of intangible capital, followed by economic competencies and computerized information. Research has highlighted the important role played by intangible capital, such as the knowledge embodied in the workforce, business plans and practices, and brand names. This research suggests that technological progress and the accumulation of intangible capital together accounted for well over half of the increase in output per hour in the United States during the past several decades. Des études empiriques récentes confirment que la contribution de l’investissement en capital immatériel à la croissance de la productivité du travail est comparable à celle de l’investissement en capital tangible pour un large éventail de pays, notamment les États-Unis, le Royaume-Uni, le Canada, l’Allemagne et la France. En suivant la démarche de Corrado et coll. (2005) et Baldwin et coll. (2012), cet article évalue l’investissement du secteur des entreprises dans les actifs immatériels et analyse la contribution du capital immatériel à la croissance de la productivité du travail du secteur des entreprises au niveau provincial au Canada, en particulier en Ontario. Les résultats de cet exercice de comptabilité de la croissance démontrent que le capital immatériel contribue de manière significative à la croissance de la productivité du travail en Ontario. En 1998-2008, le capital immatériel a contribué en moyenne à 26,2 % de la croissance de la productivité du travail, tandis que le capital tangible a contribué à 17,9 % et la composition de la main-d’œuvre à une part complémentaire. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-27-6-Muntean.pdf)