Manufacturing Productivity and U.S. Economic Growth

Forthcoming, Oxford Handbook of American Economic History, eds. Louis Cain and Paul Rhode, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 213-34.

36 Pages Posted: 3 May 2018

See all articles by Alexander J. Field

Alexander J. Field

Santa Clara University - Leavey School of Business - Economics Department

Date Written: April 16, 2018

Abstract

This chapter examines the historical record of manufacturing productivity growth in the United States in the nineteenth and twentieth century in the context of broader trends in private non-farm economy productivity. TFP growth in manufacturing peaked in the 1920s and has trended generally downwards, with a notable but temporary uptick between 1995 and 2005. In contrast, private nonfarm economy TFP growth peaked in the 1930s. Manufacturing made the largest percentage point contribution to PNE TFP growth in the 1920s (1919-1929), followed by 1929-41 and 1973-95. Manufacturing’s share of PNE TFP growth was highest in 1919-29 and 1973-95. The sector’s labor productivity growth was also highest in the interwar period and between 1995 and 2005.

Keywords: Manufacturing, Total Factor Productivity, Labor Productivity

JEL Classification: D24

Suggested Citation

Field, Alexander J., Manufacturing Productivity and U.S. Economic Growth (April 16, 2018). Forthcoming, Oxford Handbook of American Economic History, eds. Louis Cain and Paul Rhode, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 213-34. , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3163799

Alexander J. Field (Contact Author)

Santa Clara University - Leavey School of Business - Economics Department ( email )

500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA California 95053
United States
408 554 4348 (Phone)
408 554 2331 (Fax)

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
131
Abstract Views
575
Rank
392,634
PlumX Metrics