--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-44/lessons-from-a-career-in-productivity-research-some-answers-a-glimpse-of-the-future-and-much-left-to-learn/" title: "Lessons from a Career in Productivity Research: Some Answers, A Glimpse of the Future, and Much Left to Learn" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T08:14:57+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T08:14:57+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Spring 2023" ipm_keyword: - "career lessons" - "competition" - "generative AI" - "high-tech" - "Japan" - "manufacturing" - "productivity research" - "TFP" - "United States" ipm_research_theme: - "Measurement and methodology" ipm_country_focus: - "International" - "Japan" - "United States" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # Lessons from a Career in Productivity Research: Some Answers, A Glimpse of the Future, and Much Left to Learn Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-44/lessons-from-a-career-in-productivity-research-some-answers-a-glimpse-of-the-future-and-much-left-to-learn/ # Lessons from a Career in Productivity Research: Some Answers, A Glimpse of the Future, and Much Left to Learn [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-44-5-Baily.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Baily, Martin. 2023. “Lessons from a Career in Productivity Research: Some Answers, A Glimpse of the Future, and Much Left to Learn.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 44 (Spring 2023): 120–149. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-44/lessons-from-a-career-in-productivity-research-some-answers-a-glimpse-of-the-future-and-much-left-to-learn/ ## Author: - Martin Baily Institute for International Economics ## IPM Issue 44 Spring 2023 pp. 120–149 ## 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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [De-industrialization and the Great Productivity Slowdown: What Comes Next? 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Bart van Ark, Klaas de Vries, Abdul Erumban Spring 2024 | IPM Issue 46 | pp. 38–59](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-46/are-intangibles-running-out-of-steam/) [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/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn This study presents lessons learned from a career in productivity research. It examines the extent to which the key empirical questions about productivity have been answered. Aggregate and industry growth data are reviewed and show how a few industries contribute a lot to overall growth; notable is the large contribution of high-tech manufacturing to U.S. TFP growth (also the case for Japan). There is an extended summary of the lessons learned from cross-country comparisons of the levels of productivity in different industries using business economics information. Strong competitive intensity is positive for productivity, while regulations and trade restrictions are negative. The article concludes with an optimistic note on the productivity impact of generative AI. Cette étude présente les enseignements tirés d’une carrière dans la recherche sur la productivité. Elle examine dans quelle mesure les principales questions empiriques sur la productivité ont trouvé des réponses. Les données de croissance agrégées et sectorielles sont passées en revue et montrent comment quelques industries contribuent beaucoup à la croissance globale; notable est la forte contribution de la fabrication de haute technologie à la croissance de la PMF américaine (également le cas pour le Japon). L’article inclut un résumé des enseignements tirés des comparaisons transnationales des niveaux de productivité dans différentes industries à l’aide de données de l’économie d’entreprise. Une forte intensité concurrentielle est positive pour la productivité, tandis que les réglementations et les restrictions commerciales sont négatives. L’article se conclut par une note optimiste sur l’impact de l’IA générative sur la productivité. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-44-5-Baily.pdf)