--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/issue-8/endogenous-growth-productivity-and-economic-policy-a-progress-report/" title: "Endogenous Growth, Productivity and Economic Policy: A Progress Report" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T05:43:09+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T06:41:30+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Spring 2004" ipm_keyword: - "competition policy" - "education" - "endogenous growth" - "human capital" - "innovation" - "R&D" - "Schumpeterian growth" - "technological progress" - "TFP" ipm_research_theme: - "Technology and innovation" ipm_country_focus: - "International" - "United States" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # Endogenous Growth, Productivity and Economic Policy: A Progress Report Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/issue-8/endogenous-growth-productivity-and-economic-policy-a-progress-report/ # Endogenous Growth, Productivity and Economic Policy: A Progress Report [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-8-1-Howitt.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Howitt, Peter. 2004. “Endogenous Growth, Productivity and Economic Policy: A Progress Report.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 8 (Spring 2004): 3–15. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/issue-8/endogenous-growth-productivity-and-economic-policy-a-progress-report/ ## Author: - Peter Howitt Department of Economics, Brown University ## IPM Issue 8 Spring 2004 pp. 3–15 ## 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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [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/) [Appendix: EUKLEMS & INTANProd Industry Coverage and Intangible Asset Treatment Filippo Bontadini, Carol Corrado, Jonathan Haskel, Massimiliano Iommi, Cecilia Jona-Lasinio, Tsutomu Miyagawa Spring 2024 | IPM Issue 46 | pp. 1–4](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-46/appendix-euklems-intanprod-industry-coverage-and-intangible-asset-treatment/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn This article surveys the development of endogenous growth theory from its origins in Romer (1986) and Lucas (1988) through Schumpeterian innovation-based models, assessing how the theory has evolved in response to empirical findings. Key policy insights discussed include: technology transfer policies enable convergence to the productivity growth rate of the technological leader; educational attainment, population health, public infrastructure, and tax policy are important productivity drivers; and competition policy can spur innovation by incentivizing firms to escape competition by maintaining technological leadership. The article reviews empirical successes and remaining weaknesses of the theory. Cet article passe en revue le développement de la théorie de la croissance endogène depuis ses origines dans les travaux de Romer (1986) et Lucas (1988) jusqu’aux modèles schumpétériens fondés sur l’innovation, en évaluant comment la théorie a évolué en réponse aux résultats empiriques. Les principaux enseignements politiques examinés comprennent : les politiques de transfert technologique permettent la convergence vers le taux de croissance de la productivité du pays chef de file technologique; le niveau de scolarité, la santé de la population, les infrastructures publiques et la politique fiscale sont des facteurs importants de productivité; et la politique de la concurrence peut stimuler l’innovation en incitant les entreprises à maintenir leur leadership technologique pour échapper à la concurrence. L’article passe en revue les succès empiriques et les faiblesses persistantes de la théorie. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-8-1-Howitt.pdf)