Government Measures of Private-Sector Productivity: Users Recommend Changes

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a wide range of measures of the private sector's productivity. These measures are used primarily for economic analysis and forecasting directed toward improving the economy. GAO studied the measures to determine, from a user's viewpoint, how they might be improved. Additionally, the National Academy of Sciences examined the Government's productivity measures. The Academy convened 14 economists and other experts to study possible technical and conceptual improvements to the measures, whereas GAO concentrated on the general needs of users.