A Primer on Productivity [antikvár]

Introduction There is no teliing what the big economic issue of the day will be when this Primer on Productivity appears in print. But whatever the focal point of current public interest in economic matters, it is a sure bet that productivity will be involved either directly or indirectly. Why so sure? Because facts on productivity are among the fundamental facts of economic life. Productivity touches us all as citizens, employees, employers, or consumers. Let me illustrate: Item:-When the President (or if not he, then one of his critics) asks that wages and prices toe the line, it is to somé sort of "productivity guideline" that he is pointing. '''Productivity, which used to lead a quiet life in economic textbooks, is a fighting word in Washington these days," is how Business Week once phrased it. Item:-When automation is welcomed by somé and feared by others, what these people have on their minds is the effects of increased productivity. Automation can ease a worker's burden and help raise his wages-which is welcome. Automation can alsó throw people out of