productivity gains

Worker Productivity Growth Revised Upward to 2.9 Percent

U.S. workers were more productive this summer than initially thought, while costing their companies less. The Labor Department says productivity grew at an annual rate of 2.9 percent from July through September. That's the fastest pace in two years.

America's Malady: A Bad Case of 'Baumol's Disease'

No, it's not a new plague. Rather, it's a little-known economics thesis that explains why uneven productivity gains in different sectors can have a huge impact on everything from consumer spending to government deficits. The latter is the nastiest side effect.