Productivity is a key driver of growth in the global economy. Raising productivity is therefore a primary focus of economic policy for countries going forward. Over the coming decades, global growth will depend on governments’ capacities to face longstanding and emerging challenges and to identify the key policy levers for addressing them. In this context, productivity will be more important than ever to sustain growth and improve living standards.
This volume celebrates the 10th anniversary of the OECD Global Forum on Productivity (GFP), a platform dedicated to advancing the understanding of productivity growth and supporting effective policy responses across countries worldwide. Since its launch in 2015, the GFP has brought together researchers, policymakers, and international institutions to explore the causes of the productivity slowdown and identify levers to reverse it.
This volume is both a reflection on what has been achieved and a reaffirmation of the Forum’s mission for the decade to come. It offers a synthesis of past work and ongoing developments, both as a stocktaking exercise and as a forward-looking agenda. The book draws together insights from multiple strands of GFP research and outlines how the GFP activities could evolve in the future to address new questions and policy demands, including the challenges and opportunities created by population ageing, the diffusion of artificial intelligence, the transition to net zero emissions, or the role of competition for investment and business dynamism.
Over the past decade, the GFP has played a pivotal role in reshaping our analysis of productivity, moving beyond headline aggregates to uncover the distributional and structural forces at play. Through the development of new data sources, the expanded use of microdata and frontier analytical tools, and rigorous empirical research, the GFP has helped highlighting the role for productivity growth of firm heterogeneity, global linkages, human capital and technology adoption, among other themes. This approach is more relevant than ever to inform policies in support of productivity growth. The GFP's collaborative approach and analytical expertise will continue to prove relevant going forward, as countries navigate new transformations whilst maintaining the productivity growth that is essential to improve living standards.
Looking ahead, the GFP remains committed to supporting countries worldwide in their efforts to design evidence-based reforms, enhance institutional capacity, and foster productivity growth that is both resilient and inclusive.
Alvaro Pereira
Chief Economist and G20 Finance Deputy, OECD
Jerry Sheehan
Director, OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation
Luiz De Mello
Director, OECD Economics Department, Country Studies Branch
Alain de Serres
Acting Director, OECD Economics Department, Policy and Research Branch