Skip to main content

Search the site by keyword

Productivity by the numbers 2023

PBTN COVER v2
Date published

3 July 2023

Accessible version
Downloads

Productivity by the Numbers informs the public about trends in New Zealand’s productivity, looking at both the latest statistics and longer-run productivity performance measures.  

The publication is a key resource aimed to inform and generate discussion about lifting New Zealand’s productivity. It provides an assessment of the performance of the New Zealand economy and a simple framework to help people understand productivity.  

Related document:

Tables and figures 2023 (xlsx)

Tags Wellbeing Productivity by the numbers

Publications

Filter publications by topic.

Please select (multi select)
Please select (multi select)
Please select (multi select)
Business building with NZX stock market billboard Business by the numbers 2024

Business by the numbers

28 February 2024

Business by the numbers, is a companion report to the Commission’s Productivity by the numbers.
A family walking down on a New Zealand beach Impact Assessment Report cover
How inquiries support change

23 February 2024

Resilience Cabbage Tree
Improving Economic Resilience inquiry report

20 February 2024

Haemata report cover resilience
Māori perspectives on resilience in response to supply chain disruptions

20 February 2024

Containers piled up at a port - economic resilience main image
Governance of focused innovation policy to build resilience

20 February 2024

A cabbage tree in a storm resilience report cover
Trade data analysis 2.0

20 February 2024

Containers piled up at a port - economic resilience main image
Distributional impacts of shocks modelling

20 February 2024

Future Pathways image
Looking to the future

13 February 2024

cover photo for scarring paper
Born in bad times: Economic conditions, selection and employment

31 January 2024

ChCh container shops
Annual report FY 2022/23

14 November 2023

Breaking the cycle of persistent disadvantage girls dashing through the door of their new home
Evaluation report for a fair chance for all inquiry

31 October 2023

Multidimensional disadvantage and wellbeing Cover
Multidimensional disadvantage and wellbeing

17 October 2023

AFCFA quantitative report final 30July 2023 Page 001
A quantitative analysis of disadvantage

31 July 2023

PBTN COVER v2
Productivity by the numbers 2023

3 July 2023

iStock 1324606501
Statement of intent FY 2023/27

30 June 2023

NZPC Statement of performance expectations 2023 24
Statement of performance expectations FY 2023/24

30 June 2023

iStock 1292863259
Final report - A fair chance for all

20 June 2023

Deliberate logo with the title of the report
Causal diagrams to support ‘a fair chance for all’

3 May 2023

An illustration of people traversing two mountain ranges viewed close-up under a magnifying glass
Frontier Firms follow-on review

1 May 2023

Front cover of the report
Frontier Firms follow-on review: detailed observations

1 May 2023

Three kids jumping into the water from a pier
Annual report FY 2021/22

30 March 2023

Four people transcending a steep mountain ridge helping each other
Working together: Re-focussing public accountability to achieve better lives

17 March 2023

Three large cranes at an industrial port pictured in a sunset
A New Zealand history of shocks

28 February 2023

Containers piled up at a port - economic resilience main image
Issues paper - Improving Economic Resilience

28 February 2023

Cover image of the report
A learning system for addressing persistent disadvantage

27 February 2023

A boy looking into binoculars publications cover
Summary of submissions on interim report

27 February 2023

Seven kids sprinting on a green field - fair chance for all inquiry main image
Summary of talanoa session on interim report

20 February 2023

Containers piled up at a port - economic resilience main image
Supply chains to the last bus stop on the planet

23 December 2022

Paper cover image high speed internet
Does high-speed internet boost exporting?

21 December 2022

Haemata Wananga Feedback Report A Fair Chance for All 1 Page 01
Haemata wānanga feedback on interim report

15 November 2022

21 nzmap whats new 500 x 376 green
The benefits of reducing persistent disadvantage

29 September 2022

Three men on a construction site pointing to the horizon immigration inquiry main image
Evaluation of immigration settings inquiry

1 September 2022

Te puna korero cover image children lined up
Te puna kōrero: Understanding persistent disadvantage in Aotearoa New Zealand

29 August 2022

productivity image
Review of the Productivity Commission's Research function FY 2020/22

29 August 2022

Cover Migration firm level productivity Page 01 v2
Migration and firm-level productivity

18 July 2022

SPE
Statement of performance expectations FY 2022/23

30 June 2022

NZPC Colonisation Racism Wellbeing Final
Colonisation, Racism and Wellbeing

9 June 2022

IBTN 800 v2
Immigration by the numbers

31 May 2022

Taylor Fry
Data-led approaches to identifying skills shortages

29 May 2022

Cover v23
Case study: Construction industry and migration

28 May 2022

CS v2
Case study: Aged residential care

28 May 2022

Imm300
Immigration - Fit for the future

1 April 2022

Cover v22
Planning for prosperity: Transparent and public immigration targets

30 March 2022

AR 2020 21
Annual report FY 2020/21

15 December 2021

Cover public feedback
A fair chance for all: Where should we focus?

1 December 2021

Cover v20
Together alone: A review of joined-up social services

14 November 2021

Civer Primer to New Zealands immigration system
Primer to New Zealand's immigration system

8 November 2021

Cover International migration to NZ historical themes and trends
International migration to New Zealand: Historical themes & trends

8 November 2021

Cover Impacts of immigration on the labour market and productivity
Impacts of immigration on the labour market and productivity

8 November 2021

Cover The wider wellbeing effects of immigration
The wider wellbeing effects of immigration

8 November 2021

Cover Immigration policy international perspectives
Immigration policy: International perspectives

8 November 2021

Cover International migration to NZ future opportunities and challenges
International migration to New Zealand: Future opportunities and challenges

8 November 2021

Haemata report on wananga with Maori cover
Wānanga feedback on the terms of reference

27 September 2021

Text Ferret report on public feedback Page 01
Consultation on the Terms of Reference

1 September 2021

A boy looking into binoculars publications cover
Scoping the terms of reference for an inquiry

19 July 2021

28 frontier firms green transp v2
Evaluation of frontier firms inquiry

1 July 2021

Cover for immigration inquiry issues paper
Issues paper - Immigration, productivity and wellbeing

1 June 2021

PBTN cover
Productivity by the numbers: 2021

27 May 2021

NZTE Exporting challenges
Exporting challenges and responses of New Zealand firms

21 April 2021

Cover v19
Frontier firms: Four industry case studies

21 April 2021

NZIER Picking cherries 800
Picking cherries

20 April 2021

He Manukura 750 v3
He Manukura - Insights from Māori frontier firms

20 April 2021

NZPC Focused innovation policy 750
Focused innovation policy: Lessons from international experience

20 April 2021

An illustration of people traversing two mountain ranges
New Zealand firms: reaching for the frontier

1 April 2021

Front cover v2
Living on the edge: an anatomy of New Zealand's frontier firms

2 March 2021

Front cover
Benchmarking New Zealand's frontier firms

25 February 2021

28 frontier firms blue transp
Draft report - NZ firms: reaching for the frontier

14 December 2020

Pages from The performance of Maori firms New Zealand Work Research Institute
The performance of Māori frontier firms: a strategic management approach

4 December 2020

Pages from The dairy sector in NZ TDB Advisory
The dairy sector in New Zealand: extending the boundaries

4 December 2020

Cover v18
Migration and New Zealand's frontier firms

30 November 2020

Cover 350
New Zealand boards and frontier firms

4 September 2020

Cover v17
Firm dynamics and productivity growth

31 August 2020

Cover v16
A cost benefit analysis of 5 extra days at COVID-19 alert level 4

7 August 2020

28 frontier firms blue transp
NZ Frontier Firms: A Capabilities-Based Perspective

1 August 2020

Technological change and the future of work main illustration
Evaluation of technological change and the future of work inquiry

1 July 2020

How does monetary policy affect welfare
How does monetary policy affect welfare?

30 June 2020

SOI 202024
Statement of intent FY 2020/24

30 June 2020

Pages from Frontier firms David Skilling
Frontier firms: an international small advanced economy perspective

28 May 2020

28 frontier firms orange
Issues paper - NZ firms: reaching for the frontier

29 April 2020

TFP2
Trust and total factor productivity

28 April 2020

Technological change and the future of work main illustration
Final report - Technological change and the future of work

31 March 2020

Cover v15
Job-to-job transitions and the regional job ladder

18 March 2020

Cover 1001
New Zealanders' attitudes towards robots and AI

9 March 2020

Local government funding and financing main illustration
Evaluation of local government funding and financing inquiry

1 March 2020

Cover 600
Local government insights

19 February 2020

Future of work blue
Draft report 5 - Technology adoption by firms

31 January 2020

Future of work blue
Draft report 4 - Educating New Zealand’s future workforce

22 January 2020

Future of work blue
Draft report 3 - Training New Zealand's workforce

20 December 2019

Local government funding and financing main illustration
Final report - Local government funding and financing

16 December 2019

Local government funding and financing main illustration
Vacant land taxes and housing supply

1 December 2019

Local government funding and financing main illustration
Recovering costs from tourists to pay for mixed-use local services

1 December 2019

Future of work blue
Subject choice for the future of work

1 December 2019

Cover v12
Scope and funding of local government

30 November 2019

Future of work blue
Draft report 2 - Employment, labour markets and income

1 November 2019

Motu working paper gig economy
Measuring the “gig” economy: Challenges and options

1 November 2019

Cover New jobs old jobs
New jobs, old jobs

16 October 2019

Future of work blue
Draft report 1 - NZ, technology and productivity

1 September 2019

Cover Page
Competition and productivity

16 August 2019

Insight Economics Review of changes to council development contributions policies cover v2
Review of changes to council development contributions policies in four high-growth areas

6 August 2019

Motu working paper job displacement
The Impacts of Job displacement on workers by education level

1 August 2019

LGFF logo transparent
Draft report - Local government funding and financing

4 July 2019

Future of work blue
Unemployment insurance: what can it offer NZ?

1 July 2019

PBN Cover
Productivity by the numbers: 2019

7 June 2019

Local government funding and financing main illustration
How funding and financing affects productivity

1 June 2019

How funding and financing affects productivity three waters reform case study
Implications for three-waters reform

1 June 2019

Sapere Analysis of Local Government Cost Drivers Page 01
Analysis of local government cost drivers

16 May 2019

Local government funding and financing main illustration
Report on land based local tax systems

15 May 2019

Insight Economics Analysis of Council Rating Policies cover
Analysis of the current and past use of council rating tools in New Zealand

7 May 2019

Local government funding and financing main illustration
Local government funding and finance – Accounting and financial management issues

1 May 2019

Future of work orange
Issues paper - Technological change and the future of work

18 April 2019

Improving state sector productivity main image
Final report - State sector productivity

1 March 2019

Cover firm dynamics 2
Firm dynamics and job creation: revisiting the perpetual motion machine

14 February 2019

Growing digital Infographic summary
Growing the digital economy in Australia and New Zealand

14 February 2019

Cover Innovation in Primary Health v3
Innovation in primary healthcare

1 February 2019

Cover
The tax-benefit interface

1 February 2019

Productivity in developed Cover
Productivity in developed Asia-Pacific: A firm-level perspective

24 December 2018

Cover A Note on Construction Worker
A Note on Construction Worker Migration to New Zealand 1962-2018

14 November 2018

Local government funding and financing inquiry v2
Issues paper - Local government funding and financing

6 November 2018

A globe with NZ at the front surrounded by some symbols of NZ
Evaluation of low-emissions economy inquiry

1 November 2018

health care homes report cover
Health care homes: Early evidence in Wellington

1 October 2018

State sector productivity inquiry illustration
Evaluation of state sector productivity inquiry

1 September 2018

Low-emissions economy main image
Final report - Low-emissions economy

31 August 2018

Cover v2
Assessing and enhancing New Zealand's productivity

1 August 2018

Cover Getting under the hood
Insights from recent firm-level productivity research

5 July 2018

Promoting the utilisation of productivity measures
Promoting the utilisation of productivity measures

1 July 2018

Low-emissions economy main image
Modelling the transition to a lower net emissions New Zealand - Uncertainty analysis

1 July 2018

Cover Can the kiwi fly
Can the kiwi fly? Achieving productivity lift off in New Zealand

28 June 2018

Cover Taking Stock Primary Care Innovation Victoria University Wellington
Taking stock: Primary care innovation

14 June 2018

Cover Effective Marginal Tax Rates v2
Effective Marginal Tax Rates: The New Zealand case

1 May 2018

Sapere research group
Transitioning to zero net emissions by 2050

27 April 2018

Logo blue
Modelling the transition to a lower net emissions New Zealand: Interim results

1 April 2018

Cover The Labour Income Share v2
The Labour Income Share in New Zealand: An Update

20 March 2018

Cover Absorptive capacity
Absorptive Capacity in NZ Firms: measurement and importance

22 February 2018

Cover v3
Residential construction and population growth in New Zealand: 1996-2016

1 January 2018

Health sector research note cover
Understanding Health Sector Productivity

15 December 2017

24 state sector productivity whats new green
Productivity measurement case study: Courts

1 December 2017

24 state sector productivity whats new green
Productivity measurement case study: Ministry of Social Development

1 December 2017

24 state sector productivity whats new green
Productivity measurement case study: Police

1 December 2017

The impact of RD grants on the performance of NZ firms
The impact of R&D grants on the performance of New Zealand firms

23 November 2017

Cover Innovation and the performance of New Zealand firms
Innovation and the performance of New Zealand firms

23 November 2017

Cover Tertiary Education v2
Estimating quality-adjusted productivity in tertiary education

1 November 2017

24 state sector productivity whats new green
Productivity measurement case study: Early childhood education

1 November 2017

State sector productivity inquiry illustration
Efficiency and Performance in the New Zealand State Sector

1 November 2017

State sector productivity inquiry illustration
Staff perceptions of performance and effectiveness in the New Zealand State Sector

15 October 2017

24 state sector productivity whats new green
History of efficiency measurement by the New Zealand health sector - Post 2000

1 October 2017

Cover Examining the UK Climate Change Act 2008 0
Examining the UK Climate Change Act 2008

29 September 2017

Logo blue
Examining the UK Climate Change Act 2008

1 September 2017

Logo orange
Issues paper - Low-emissions economy

1 August 2017

State sector inquiry orange
Issues paper - State sector productivity

1 July 2017

Urban landscape with cityscape in background
Evaluation of better urban planning inquiry

1 July 2017

Cover Public Sector Productivity School Quality Adjustment v3
Quality adjusting sector-level data on New Zealand schools

1 June 2017

Social Sector
Social sector productivity: a task perspective

1 June 2017

4 tertiary students underneath some symbols of academia
Evaluation of new models of tertiary education inquiry

1 May 2017

4 tertiary students underneath some symbols of academia
Final report - New models of tertiary education

21 March 2017

Urban landscape with cityscape in background
Final report - Better urban planning

28 February 2017

Cover Explaining ethnic disparities
Explaining ethnic disparities in bachelor's qualifications

20 February 2017

Urban landscape with cityscape in background
Legal issues in the New Zealand planning system: Reports 4-6

20 January 2017

Cover Geographic proximity and productivity convergence.jpg
Geographic proximity and productivity convergence across New Zealand firms

16 December 2016

Servification
The servicification of trade

16 December 2016

Cover NZ productivity potential v3
Achieving New Zealand's productivity potential

28 November 2016

Cover Sapere research group
Proposed modifications to urban plan-making

25 November 2016

Urban landscape with cityscape in background
Inquiry Into Better Urban Planning – Revenue Funding Options

17 November 2016

4 tertiary students underneath some symbols of academia
Commentary on draft report - New models of tertiary education

27 September 2016

McDermott Consultants draft report cover
Culture and Capability in the New Zealand Planning System

1 July 2016

Cover for financial incentives for local development
Financial incentives for local development

1 July 2016

22 urban planning illustration blue
Better urban planning: Report from Māori Built Environment Practitioners Wānanga

17 June 2016

22 urban planning illustration blue
Legal issues in the New Zealand planning system: Reports 1-3

14 June 2016

Urban landscape with cityscape in background
ProductivCommission Urban Planning Council Survey Report

1 June 2016

Cover Subjective wellbeing
Subjective wellbeing in New Zealand: Some recent evidence

9 May 2016

Cover What can complexity theory tell us about urban planning v2
What can complexity theory tell us about urban planning?

27 April 2016

Tertiary students illustration in orange
Issues paper - New models of tertiary education

1 February 2016

Cover History of tertiary education reforms
History of tertiary education reforms in New Zealand

12 January 2016

Cover productivity hub symposium
Productivity Symposium transcript

1 December 2015

Better urban planning urban landscape in orange
Issues paper - Better urban planning

1 December 2015

A townscape with hills and sea in the background
Evaluation of using land for housing inquiry

1 December 2015

A townscape with hills and sea in the background
Evaluation of more effective social services inquiry

1 December 2015

Using land for housing inquiry image
Final report - Using land for housing

21 October 2015

18 social services illustration green
Final report - More effective social services

15 September 2015

More effective social services inquiry illustration
Case study: Employment services

15 September 2015

More effective social services inquiry illustration
Case study: Whānau Ora

15 September 2015

More effective social services inquiry illustration
Case study: Services for people with disabilities

15 September 2015

More effective social services inquiry illustration
Case study: Home-based support for older people

15 September 2015

More effective social services inquiry illustration
The economics of social services

15 September 2015

More effective social services inquiry illustration
Machinery of government and cross-agency coordination groups

15 September 2015

Cover v13
Do New Zealand firms catch up to the domestic productivity frontier?

30 June 2015

Cover MOtu
The impact of R&D subsidy on innovation

29 June 2015

Cover innovatiove
Measuring the innovative activity of New Zealand firms

29 June 2015

Cover NZ prod
New Zealand’s productivity growth

29 May 2015

Firm cover
Firm dynamics and job creation in New Zealand

29 May 2015

Land use regulaton in NZ cover
Land use regulation in New Zealand

1 May 2015

Cover for handing back the social commons
Handing back the social commons

1 April 2015

Cover v11
The labour income share in New Zealand

5 February 2015

Cover v9
Reform of the UK’s decumulation market

21 January 2015

A townscape with hills in orange
Issues paper - Using land for housing

1 November 2014

A townscape with communal space in orange
Issues paper - More effective social services

1 October 2014

17 regulatory illustration green
Evaluation of regulatory institutions and practices inquiry

1 October 2014

17 regulatory illustration green
Final report - Regulatory institutions and practices

16 July 2014

17 regulatory illustration green
Case study: Aged care regulation

1 July 2014

Cover v6
New Zealand's international trade in services

5 June 2014

Cover v7
Trade over distance for New Zealand firms

5 June 2014

Cover v8
Structural change and New Zealand’s productivity performance

5 June 2014

16 services illustration green
Final report - Boosting services sector productivity

1 June 2014

Cityscape
Evaluation of boosting services sector productivity inquiry

1 June 2014

17 regulatory illustration green
Accountability and performance monitoring of regulatory Crown entities

28 May 2014

Infographic How high are New Zealand prices v2
Explaining international differences in the prices of tradables and non-tradables

21 May 2014

Infographic v2
An international perspective on the New Zealand productivity paradox

16 April 2014

Cover v5
The prices of goods and services in New Zealand

1 March 2014

17 regulatory illustration green
Analysis of regulatory workers

1 March 2014

17 regulatory illustration green
Regulator chief executives’ perceptions of regulatory regimes

1 March 2014

17 regulatory illustration green
Case study: Environmental Protection Authority

1 February 2014

Cover NZ Aus industry level
Investigating New Zealand-Australia productivity differences

19 December 2013

Colmar Brunton research report cover
Findings from a national survey of New Zealand businesses

10 December 2013

Pages from NZPC Conway Meehan Productivity by the Numbers
Productivity by the numbers: the New Zealand experience

20 September 2013

Opened book townscape in orange
Issues paper - Regulatory institutions and practices

1 August 2013

Townscape with a park in the foreground
Evaluation of towards better local regulation inquiry

1 August 2013

Cover v4
Housing affordability in New Zealand

16 July 2013

Better local regulation inquiry illustration
Final report - Towards better local regulation

13 May 2013

Better local regulation inquiry illustration
Online appendix: Primer on local government coordination

13 May 2013

Cover AUK
The effect of Auckland's Metropolitan Urban Limit on land prices

28 March 2013

Cover aus nz v2
How integrated are the Australian and New Zealand economies?

28 March 2013

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
Evaluation of strengthening trans-Tasman economic relations inquiry

8 March 2013

Townscape with a park in the foreground
Data compendium: Business and council survey results

1 December 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
Final report - Strengthening trans-Tasman economic relations

30 November 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
A: Trade in goods

30 November 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
B: Transport services

30 November 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
C: Foreign direct investment

30 November 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
D: People movement

30 November 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
E: Economy-wide modelling of economic integration

30 November 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
F: Mutual recognition of imputation credits

30 November 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
G: Modelling the effects of mutual recognition of imputation credits

30 November 2012

Better local regulation inquiry illustration in orange
Issues paper - Local government regulatory performance

1 July 2012

Freight services inquiry illustration
Evaluation of international freight transport services inquiry

1 May 2012

Housing affordability inquiry illustration
Evaluation of housing affordability inquiry

1 May 2012

13 Freight illustration green
Final report - International freight transport services

24 April 2012

New Zealand and Australia's Productivity Commission logos
Issues paper - Strengthening economic relations between Australia and NZ

1 April 2012

14 Housing illustration green
Final report - Housing affordability

30 March 2012

International freight services illustration in orange
Issues paper - International freight transport services

1 July 2011

Load more publications