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Insights from recent firm-level productivity research

Authors

New Zealand Productivity Commission

Statistics New Zealand

The Treasury New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Date published

5 July 2018

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This note summarises insights from recent research on New Zealand's productivity performance using firm-level data. Coverage is largely limited to research completed since 2013 and that uses the Longitudinal Business Database, although a small number of older studies or studies that use different data are included where they help illustrate important findings. The structure is as follows:

  • Section 1 explains the focus on productivity.
  • Section 2 explains the use of firm-level data and outlines a stylised model of firm-level productivity.
  • Sections 3-7 present evidence on reallocation and catch-up, innovation, international connections, skills and management capability, and geography and sectors. As a cross-cutting issue, research on migration can be found in the sections on innovation and on skills and management capability.
  • Section 8 discusses the Productivity Hub’s forward looking research programme.
JEL Codes  D2; J2; J3; J6

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Research

Understanding New Zealand’s productivity performance

Our research aims to understand New Zealand's productivity performance and the role of policy in lifting productivity. 

Explore our publications below, hear us present at an event or contact us with your productivity questions.

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Productivity growth

The goal of our research is to facilitate a move from an economy that grows by using more “inputs” (such as labour or natural resources), to one where productivity plays a greater role in driving economic growth – essentially, working smarter, with greater financial and knowledge capital employed per worker.

Our research explores a wide range of productivity issues: employment, firm dynamics, technology diffusion, innovation, regional development, spatial and public-sector productivity.


Working together

The commissioning of research and the practice of collaboration with others is important to us. It enables us to access subject/sector specialists and benefit from the cross-promotion of ideas and insights. You will find research from the Commission, as well as research we commissioned, below.


Strengthening learning

Our Economics & Research team is independently evaluated every two years to understand how to improve and enhance our impact. See the latest evaluation report and 2020 survey results here.


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