Table 2. Examples of productivity growth. GDP stands for gross domestic product. Sector/Technology Region Productivity indicator Period Annual productivity change (%) Whole economy † 12 European countries GDP/capita 1870–1992 1.7 Whole economy † 12 European countries GDP/hour worked 1870–1992 2.2 Whole economy † USA GDP/hour worked 1870–1973 2.3 Whole economy † USA GDP/hour worked 1973–1992 1.1 Whole economy † Japan GDP/hour worked 1950–1973 7.7 Whole economy † South Korea GDP/hour worked 1950–1992 4.6 Whole economy ‡ World GDP/primary energy 1971–1995 1.0 Whole economy ‡ OECD GDP/primary energy 1971–1995 1.3 Whole economy ‡ USA GDP/primary energy 1800–1995 0.9 Whole economy ‡ UK GDP/primary energy 1890–1995 0.9 Whole economy ‡ China GDP/primary energy 1977–1995 4.9 Whole economy § Japan GDP/material use 1975–1994 2.0 Whole economy § USA GDP/material use 1975–1994 2.5 Agriculture | ¶ Ireland Wheat (t/ha) 1950–1990 5.3 Agriculture | Japan Rice (t/ha) 1950–1996 2.2 Agriculture | India Rice (t/ha) 1950–1996 2.0 Industry † OECD (6 countries) Value added/hour worked 1950–1984 5.3 Industry † Japan Value added/hour worked 1950–1973 7.3 Industry ‡ OECD Industrial production/energy 1971–1995 2.5 Industry ‡ OECD Industrial production/energy 1974–1986 8.0 New cars # USA Vehicle fuel economy 1972–1982 7.0 New cars # USA Vehicle fuel economy 1982–1992 0.0 Commercial aviation †† World Ton-km/energy 1974–1988 3.8 Commercial aviation †† World Ton-km/energy 1988–1995 0.3 Commercial aviation †† World Ton-km/labor 1974–1995 5.6 Telephone call costs ¶ Transatlantic London/NY, cost for 3 min 1925–1995 8.5 Telephone cables ¶ Transatlantic Telephone calls/unit cable mass 1914–1994 25.0 †Data Source: Maddison (1995). ‡Data Source: OECD and IEA statistics. §Data Source: World Resources Institute (1997) |Data Source: FAO (1963–1996) Production Statistics. ¶Data Source: OECD (1998), Waggoner (1996), Hayami and Ruttan (1985) #Data Source: Including light trucks, Schipper (1996) ††Data Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (1995)