Effects of Terms of Trade Gains and Tariff Changes on the Measurement of US Productivity Growth
- (pp. 59-93)
Abstract
The acceleration in US productivity growth since 1995 is often attributed to declining prices for information technology (IT ) goods, and therefore enhanced productivity growth in that sector. We investigate an alternative explanation for these IT price movements: gains in the US terms of trade and tariff reductions, especially for IT products, which led to greater gains than shown by official indexes. We do not, however, investigate the indexes used to deflate the domestic absorption components of GDP, and if upward biases are present in those indexes that could offset some of the effects of mismeasured export and import indexes. (JEL C43, E23, F13, F14, J24)Citation
Feenstra, Robert C., Benjamin R. Mandel, Marshall B. Reinsdorf, and Matthew J. Slaughter. 2013. "Effects of Terms of Trade Gains and Tariff Changes on the Measurement of US Productivity Growth." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 5 (1): 59-93. DOI: 10.1257/pol.5.1.59Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- C43 Index Numbers and Aggregation; Leading indicators
- E23 Macroeconomics: Production
- F13 Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
- F14 Empirical Studies of Trade
- J24 Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
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