--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-41/response-to-review-article-by-bert-balk-on-measurement-of-productivity-and-efficiency-theory-and-practice/" title: "Response to Review Article by Bert Balk on Measurement of Productivity and Efficiency: Theory and Practice" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T08:01:57+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T08:01:57+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2021" ipm_keyword: - "Balk" - "DEA" - "efficiency" - "productivity" - "Queensland" - "response" - "Sickles" - "stochastic frontier" - "textbook" - "Zelenyuk" ipm_research_theme: - "Measurement and methodology" ipm_country_focus: - "International" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # Response to Review Article by Bert Balk on Measurement of Productivity and Efficiency: Theory and Practice Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-41/response-to-review-article-by-bert-balk-on-measurement-of-productivity-and-efficiency-theory-and-practice/ # Response to Review Article by Bert Balk on Measurement of Productivity and Efficiency: Theory and Practice [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-41-7-Sickles-Zelenyuk.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Sickles, Robin, and Valentin Zelenyuk. 2021. “Response to Review Article by Bert Balk on Measurement of Productivity and Efficiency: Theory and Practice.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 41 (Fall 2021): 153–156. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-41/response-to-review-article-by-bert-balk-on-measurement-of-productivity-and-efficiency-theory-and-practice/ ## Authors: - Robin Sickles Rice University - Valentin Zelenyuk University of Queensland ## IPM Issue 41 Fall 2021 pp. 153–156 ## 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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn Authors of Measurement of Productivity and Efficiency: Theory and Practice (Cambridge University Press, 2019) respond to Bert Balk’s review article in IPM Issue 40. They clarify editorial constraints that led to condensed coverage in some chapters, explain the distinctive features of their treatment relative to Balk (1998), and note that the 800-page volume necessarily involved difficult tradeoffs across a very broad field. They express appreciation for the review and engage constructively with the substantive differences in approach. Les auteurs de Measurement of Productivity and Efficiency: Theory and Practice (Cambridge University Press, 2019) répondent à l’article de recension de Bert Balk paru dans le numéro 40 de l’IPM. Ils clarifient les contraintes éditoriales qui ont conduit à une couverture condensée dans certains chapitres, expliquent les caractéristiques distinctives de leur traitement par rapport à Balk (1998), et notent que le volume de 800 pages impliquait nécessairement des compromis difficiles dans un domaine très vaste. Ils expriment leur reconnaissance pour la recension et s’engagent de manière constructive avec les différences substantielles d’approche. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-41-7-Sickles-Zelenyuk.pdf)