期刊-NBER美国国民经济研究局-spring2002_56页_552kb

NBER Summary: Spring 2002 Issue

Core Content

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) is a private, nonprofit research organization that focuses on objective quantitative analysis of the American economy. The Spring 2002 issue of the NBER Reporter highlights key activities and research themes within the NBER's Productivity Program, which is distinct from other NBER programs due to its interdisciplinary approach to productivity and innovation research.

Main Research Themes

Productivity Program Overview

• The Productivity Program emphasizes topics that span traditional economic fields, such as labor, public finance, and macroeconomics.
• It was established in 1979 by Zvi Griliches, who served as its first Director until his death in 1999.
• The program has fostered collaboration with other NBER initiatives and has integrated field research into its empirical studies.

Field Research Initiative – "Pin Factory"

• The "Pin Factory" initiative is a field research effort that involves visiting firms to observe and understand productivity dynamics.
• This initiative was inspired by Adam Smith’s concept of the division of labor.
• Field visits have included firms in Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Kentucky, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, with Susan Helper (NBER Research Associate) playing a key role in organizing these visits.
• The program has led to several conferences and publications, including a special issue of the Journal of Industrial Economics and the NBER Conference Report titled Mergers and Productivity.

Innovation Policy and the Economy (IPE) Initiative

• The IPE initiative, led by Adam Jaffe, explores intellectual property and innovation policies.
• It includes annual policy conferences in Washington D.C., bringing together academics and policymakers.
• Key topics include patent policy, R&D commercialization, antitrust issues, and the role of information technology in the economy.
• The initiative has produced a series of publications, including Innovation Policy and the Economy, with multiple volumes addressing various aspects of innovation and its economic implications.

Key Publications and Conferences

Productivity Analysis

• New Developments in Productivity Analysis includes contributions from NBER researchers on topics such as total factor productivity, measurement methodologies, and environmental impacts.
• Topics range from the historical context of productivity measurement to dynamic models and international comparisons.

Medical Care Output and Productivity

• A volume on medical care output and productivity includes studies on the unique challenges of measuring health services.
• It covers issues like health care price indexes, hospital and physician service accounts, and the development of specialized price indices for treatments.

Other Notable Activities

• The NBER collaborates closely with the Conference on Research in Income and Wealth (CRIW), particularly in productivity analysis.
• The 2002 Summer Institute will feature a three-day joint program with CRIW, focusing on the National Academy of Science’s (NAS) recommendations on cost-of-living and price indexes.
• The NBER website provides access to over 5000 working papers, books, and databases such as the Macroeconomic History Database.

Key Figures and Contributions

• Ernst R. Berndt is the Director of the Productivity Program and a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management.
• Zvi Griliches was the first Director of the Productivity Program and passed away in 1999.
• Susan Helper organized field visits for the "Pin Factory" initiative and has contributed to several publications.
• Martin Feldstein and Adam Jaffe have been central in organizing conferences and sessions on productivity and innovation.

Funding and Organization

• The NBER relies on funding from individuals, corporations, and private foundations to maintain its independence and flexibility.
• The NBER is governed by a Board of Directors and a group of Directors by University Appointment and other organizations.
• The NBER Reporter is an informational publication not reviewed by the Board of Directors and can be freely reproduced with proper attribution.

Conclusion

The NBER's Productivity Program has made significant strides in integrating field research and interdisciplinary analysis into productivity and innovation studies. Through initiatives like the "Pin Factory" and the IPE project, the program has contributed to a deeper understanding of productivity growth and the impact of innovation policies on economic development. These efforts have resulted in numerous publications and conferences, reinforcing the NBER's role as a leading research institution in economic analysis.