---
canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-38/the-role-of-the-ict-sector-in-the-transatlantic-productivity-slowdown/"
title: "The Role of the ICT Sector in the Transatlantic Productivity Slowdown"
author:
  name: "CSLS"
  url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/"
date_published: "2026-07-13T07:53:11+00:00"
date_modified: "2026-07-13T07:53:11+00:00"
post_type: "ipm"
summary: ""
ipm_issue_period:
  - "Spring 2020"
ipm_keyword:
  - "capital deepening"
  - "EU KLEMS"
  - "EU-10"
  - "Gordon"
  - "ICT"
  - "Northwestern"
  - "productivity slowdown"
  - "Sayed"
  - "transatlantic"
  - "United States"
ipm_research_theme:
  - "Productivity trends and comparisons"
  - "Technology and innovation"
ipm_country_focus:
  - "Europe"
  - "International"
  - "United States"
featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp"
status: "publish"
---

# The Role of the ICT Sector in the Transatlantic Productivity Slowdown

Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-38/the-role-of-the-ict-sector-in-the-transatlantic-productivity-slowdown/

# The Role of the ICT Sector in the Transatlantic Productivity Slowdown

[Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-38-3-Gordon-Sayed.pdf)

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Cite this article as:

Gordon, Robert, and Hassan Sayed. 2020. “The Role of the ICT Sector in the Transatlantic Productivity Slowdown.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 38 (Spring 2020): 50–80. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-38/the-role-of-the-ict-sector-in-the-transatlantic-productivity-slowdown/

## Authors:

-
Robert Gordon
Department of Economics, Northwestern University; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

-
Hassan Sayed
Princeton University

## IPM Issue 38

Spring 2020 pp. 50–80

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## Abstract

## Résumé

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This article extends the authors’ earlier transatlantic comparison (IPM Issue 37) by examining specifically the role of ICT capital deepening and the ICT-producing sector in the productivity slowdown. Comparing industry-level ICT shares and contributions between the U.S. and EU-10, the article finds that the transatlantic parallel in the magnitude and timing of the slowdown extends to the ICT dimension: the waning of ICT’s productivity contribution was roughly simultaneous and similar in magnitude on both sides of the Atlantic, further supporting the view that the slowdown reflects a common slowing pace of technological advance.

Cet article prolonge la comparaison transatlantique antérieure des auteurs (numéro 37 de l’IPM) en examinant spécifiquement le rôle de l’approfondissement du capital en TIC et du secteur producteur de TIC dans le ralentissement de la productivité. En comparant les parts et contributions des TIC au niveau industriel entre les États-Unis et les EU-10, l’article constate que le parallèle transatlantique dans l’ampleur et le calendrier du ralentissement s’étend à la dimension TIC : l’estompement de la contribution des TIC à la productivité a été approximativement simultané et d’ampleur similaire des deux côtés de l’Atlantique, confirmant davantage la thèse selon laquelle le ralentissement reflète un rythme commun de ralentissement du progrès technologique.

[Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-38-3-Gordon-Sayed.pdf)
