The labor productivity puzzle

Ellen McGrattan and Edward Prescott

No 694, Working Papers from Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Abstract: Prior to the mid-1980s, labor productivity growth was a useful barometer of the U.S. economy?s performance: it was low during economic recessions and high during expansions. Since then, labor productivity has become significantly less procyclical. In the recent recession of 2008?2009, labor productivity actually rose as GDP plummeted. These facts have motivated the development of new business cycle theories because the conventional view is that they are inconsistent with existing business cycle theory. In this paper, we analyze recent events with existing theory and find that the labor productivity puzzle is much less of a puzzle than previously thought. In light of these findings, we argue that policy agendas arising from new untested theories should be disregarded.

Date: 2012
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-bec, nep-dge, nep-eff and nep-hpe
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Related works:
Chapter: The Labor Productivity Puzzle (2012)
Working Paper: The Labor Productivity Puzzle (2012)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:fip:fedmwp:694

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