---
canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/issue-2/whats-new-about-the-new-economy-it-economic-growth-and-productivity/"
title: "What&#8217;s New About the New Economy? IT, Economic Growth and Productivity"
author:
  name: "CSLS"
  url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/"
date_published: "2026-07-10T09:13:03+00:00"
date_modified: "2026-07-13T06:38:08+00:00"
post_type: "ipm"
summary: ""
ipm_issue_period:
  - "Spring 2001"
ipm_keyword:
  - "business cycle"
  - "economic growth"
  - "information technology"
  - "IT investment"
  - "new economy"
  - "productivity"
  - "TFP"
  - "United States"
ipm_research_theme:
  - "Productivity trends and comparisons"
  - "Technology and innovation"
ipm_country_focus:
  - "United States"
featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp"
status: "publish"
---

# What’s New About the New Economy? IT, Economic Growth and Productivity

Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/issue-2/whats-new-about-the-new-economy-it-economic-growth-and-productivity/

# What’s New About the New Economy? IT, Economic Growth and Productivity

[Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-2-3-Bosworth-Triplett.pdf)

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Cite this article as:

Bosworth, Barry, and Jack Triplett. 2001. “What’s New About the New Economy? IT, Economic Growth and Productivity.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 2 (Spring 2001): 19–30. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/issue-2/whats-new-about-the-new-economy-it-economic-growth-and-productivity/

## Authors:

-
Barry Bosworth
Brookings Institution

-
Jack Triplett
Brookings Institution

## IPM Issue 2

Spring 2001 pp. 19–30

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## Abstract

## Résumé

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This article examines the role of information technology (IT) in the extraordinary U.S. economic performance of the 1990s, arguing that the economic effects of IT are better captured by conventional economic analysis than commonly supposed—the impact of IT is larger than before, not fundamentally different in kind. The article reviews IT’s contribution through both aggregate demand (a surge in business investment and consumption) and supply-side channels (TFP acceleration in IT-producing and IT-using industries). The authors conclude that the productivity acceleration is real but that sustainability depends on continued IT-driven efficiency gains across the broader economy.

Cet article examine le rôle des technologies de l’information (TI) dans les performances économiques exceptionnelles des États-Unis dans les années 1990, soutenant que les effets économiques des TI sont mieux saisis par l’analyse économique conventionnelle qu’on ne le suppose généralement — l’impact des TI est plus important qu’auparavant, sans être fondamentalement différent dans sa nature. L’article passe en revue la contribution des TI par le biais de la demande globale (une forte hausse de l’investissement des entreprises et de la consommation) et des canaux du côté de l’offre (accélération de la PMF dans les industries productrices et utilisatrices de TI). Les auteurs concluent que l’accélération de la productivité est réelle, mais que sa durabilité dépend de la poursuite des gains d’efficience tirés par les TI dans l’ensemble de l’économie.

[Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-2-3-Bosworth-Triplett.pdf)
