Economic Research Reports

Research Reports

June 2008

Growing Beyond Oil: Productivity, Performance, and Progress in the Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council
This report is part of a major research program on productivity, performance and progress in the Gulf Cooperation Council region which The Conference Board is running in conjunction with Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC).

March 2008

Performance 2008: Productivity, Employment, and Growth in the World's Economies
This report is the first comprehensive overview of new data on productivity, growth, and employment trends through 2007 based on The Conference Board's and the Groningen Growth and Development Centre's Total Economy Database.

December 2007

Can China's Growth Trajectory Be Sustained?
This report explores the factors that appear to be driving China's turbo growth and addresses the question of just how long this extraordinary growth can continue.

December 2007

China’s Productivity Boom: The Contribution of Restructuring to Growth and Competitiveness
While Chinese firms still operate at productivity levels well below their foreign counterparts, this report shows that they are making startling progress.

November 2007

A Marketer's Guide to Discretionary Income

About 73 million households in the United States have some discretionary income at their disposal, up from nearly 57 million in 2002.

July 2007

The Global Luxury Market
This report offers a cross-cultural perspective on consumers' attitudes toward luxury and explores how those attitudes influence consumers in different markets.

May 2005

Performance 2005: Productivity, Employment and Income in the World’s Economies
This is the fifth year The Conference Board has reported estimates of productivity per hour worked for major industrial economies and productivity per employee for a large set of countries.

March 2005

The Retail Revolution - Can Europe Match U.S. Productivity Performance?
This report dissects and identifies the root causes of the European Union-United States productivity growth gap in the retail and wholesale trade sectors.

November 2004

The Hispanic Market in 2010
This report profiles these consumers and predicts how their demographics will change by 2010.

June 2004

China’s Experience with Productivity and Jobs
China has undergone extensive industrial restructuring. While these changes have led to enormous productivity gains, they are also closely linked to the rapid loss of manufacturing jobs.

May 2004

Performance 2004
This year’s report - the fourth annual in the series - covers economic performance through the end of 2003 by comparing productivity levels and growth rates of national economies.

May 2004

Do Exchange Rates Matter?
This survey based report provides deep insights into whether—and how— exchange rate volatility shapes business investment decisions and risk management practices.

March 2003

Performance 2002: Productivity, Employment, and Income in the World’s Economies
This report compares productivity levels and growth rates of national economies and explains why Europe continues to lag behind the U.S. in per capita income, despite very comparable levels of productivity.

May 2002

North American Outlook 2002-2003
The Conference Board’s economic forecasts for Canada, the United States, and Mexico in 2002-2003.

January 2002

Restructuring Chinese Enterprises: Effects of Federalism and Privatization Initiatives on Business
This report examines the progress of China’s transition to a market economy by assessing how its program of increased federalism and more private ownership has affected business productivity.

October 2001

Making the Most of the Information Age: Productivity and Structural Reform in the New Economy
Using new, internationally comparative evidence, this study examines the patterns of information and communication technology diffusion across advanced industrial economies.

June 2001

Why All the Uncertainty, Fear and Doubt? Are Mergers and Acquisitions Bad for Workers?
This study examines the effects of ownership changes on employment, wages, and plant closing for the entire U.S. manufacturing sector for the period 1977-1987.

March 2001

Performance 2000: Productivity, Employment, and Income in the World's Economies
Examines accelerating U.S. productivity and the new challenges it provides to advanced economies.

August 2000

E-Commerce Tax Policy and Planning: Domestic and International
This report details the many issues with which a senior corporate executive involved in electronic business should be familiar

June 2000

Does A Rising Tide Lift All Boats?
America's full-time working poor reap limited gains in the new economy.

January 2000

Are Poor Nations Closing the Gap in Living Standards?: Perspectives on a Global Economy
This report addresses GDP growth as well as alternative measures of living standards in order to take up the question of whether globalization's benefits have spread worldwide.

January 2000

Perspectives on a Global Economy
A look at productivity and living standards around the world, and the impact they have on business.

October 1999

Measuring Prices in a Dynamic Economy: Re-Examining the CPI
Nine recommendations from a blue-ribbon panel of economists on how to improve the way that the Consumer Price Index tracks prices in our ever-evolving economy.

March 1999

Are Bigger Banks Better?
Do large bank holding companies do a better job of controlling costs and boosting profits than small ones? The answers—and the implications from them—might surprise you.

February 1999

The Euro-What Impact Will It Have on European Labor Markets: Perspectives on a Global Economy
Work participation has fallen in Europe - will the Euro put more pressure on European workers? This study discusses the answer.

February 1999

Understanding Productivity Growth: Entry, Survival, and the Competitive Process
Do new plants outperform old plants? This study looks at a variety of factors to answer that question.

July 1998

Asia After the Crisis—Challenges for a Return to Rapid Growth: Perspectives on a Global Economy
What will happen when the current crisis in Asia abates? Is the long-term outlook favorable? Find out in this report.

April 1998

Computers, Productivity, and Growth: Explaining the Computer Productivity Paradox
Studies say that computers don't add to productivity, but that's not what our researchers found. Read their findings in this report.

December 1997

Technology, Productivity and Growth: U.S. and German Issues: Perspectives on a Global Economy
Here's a hard look at "productivity" and the myth of the "computer productivity paradox."

Books

May 2002

Business Cycle Indicators Handbook
The Business Cycle Indicators Handbook, describes in detail the series in the BCI report and database, and includes articles discussing the value and use of the cyclical indicator approach.

June 2008	Growing Beyond Oil: Productivity, Performance, and Progress in the Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council This report is part of a major research program on productivity, performance and progress in the Gulf Cooperation Council region which The Conference Board is running in conjunction with Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC).
March 2008	Performance 2008: Productivity, Employment, and Growth in the World's Economies This report is the first comprehensive overview of new data on productivity, growth, and employment trends through 2007 based on The Conference Board's and the Groningen Growth and Development Centre's Total Economy Database.
December 2007	Can China's Growth Trajectory Be Sustained? This report explores the factors that appear to be driving China's turbo growth and addresses the question of just how long this extraordinary growth can continue.
December 2007	China’s Productivity Boom: The Contribution of Restructuring to Growth and Competitiveness While Chinese firms still operate at productivity levels well below their foreign counterparts, this report shows that they are making startling progress.
November 2007	A Marketer's Guide to Discretionary Income About 73 million households in the United States have some discretionary income at their disposal, up from nearly 57 million in 2002.
July 2007	The Global Luxury Market This report offers a cross-cultural perspective on consumers' attitudes toward luxury and explores how those attitudes influence consumers in different markets.
May 2005	Performance 2005: Productivity, Employment and Income in the World’s Economies This is the fifth year The Conference Board has reported estimates of productivity per hour worked for major industrial economies and productivity per employee for a large set of countries.
March 2005	The Retail Revolution - Can Europe Match U.S. Productivity Performance? This report dissects and identifies the root causes of the European Union-United States productivity growth gap in the retail and wholesale trade sectors.
November 2004	The Hispanic Market in 2010 This report profiles these consumers and predicts how their demographics will change by 2010.
June 2004	China’s Experience with Productivity and Jobs China has undergone extensive industrial restructuring. While these changes have led to enormous productivity gains, they are also closely linked to the rapid loss of manufacturing jobs.
May 2004	Performance 2004 This year’s report - the fourth annual in the series - covers economic performance through the end of 2003 by comparing productivity levels and growth rates of national economies.
May 2004	Do Exchange Rates Matter? This survey based report provides deep insights into whether—and how— exchange rate volatility shapes business investment decisions and risk management practices.
March 2003	Performance 2002: Productivity, Employment, and Income in the World’s Economies This report compares productivity levels and growth rates of national economies and explains why Europe continues to lag behind the U.S. in per capita income, despite very comparable levels of productivity.
May 2002	North American Outlook 2002-2003 The Conference Board’s economic forecasts for Canada, the United States, and Mexico in 2002-2003.
January 2002	Restructuring Chinese Enterprises: Effects of Federalism and Privatization Initiatives on Business This report examines the progress of China’s transition to a market economy by assessing how its program of increased federalism and more private ownership has affected business productivity.
October 2001	Making the Most of the Information Age: Productivity and Structural Reform in the New Economy Using new, internationally comparative evidence, this study examines the patterns of information and communication technology diffusion across advanced industrial economies.
June 2001	Why All the Uncertainty, Fear and Doubt? Are Mergers and Acquisitions Bad for Workers? This study examines the effects of ownership changes on employment, wages, and plant closing for the entire U.S. manufacturing sector for the period 1977-1987.
March 2001	Performance 2000: Productivity, Employment, and Income in the World's Economies Examines accelerating U.S. productivity and the new challenges it provides to advanced economies.
August 2000	E-Commerce Tax Policy and Planning: Domestic and International This report details the many issues with which a senior corporate executive involved in electronic business should be familiar
June 2000	Does A Rising Tide Lift All Boats? America's full-time working poor reap limited gains in the new economy.
January 2000	Are Poor Nations Closing the Gap in Living Standards?: Perspectives on a Global Economy This report addresses GDP growth as well as alternative measures of living standards in order to take up the question of whether globalization's benefits have spread worldwide.
January 2000	Perspectives on a Global Economy A look at productivity and living standards around the world, and the impact they have on business.
October 1999	Measuring Prices in a Dynamic Economy: Re-Examining the CPI Nine recommendations from a blue-ribbon panel of economists on how to improve the way that the Consumer Price Index tracks prices in our ever-evolving economy.
March 1999	Are Bigger Banks Better? Do large bank holding companies do a better job of controlling costs and boosting profits than small ones? The answers—and the implications from them—might surprise you.
February 1999	The Euro-What Impact Will It Have on European Labor Markets: Perspectives on a Global Economy Work participation has fallen in Europe - will the Euro put more pressure on European workers? This study discusses the answer.
February 1999	Understanding Productivity Growth: Entry, Survival, and the Competitive Process Do new plants outperform old plants? This study looks at a variety of factors to answer that question.
July 1998	Asia After the Crisis—Challenges for a Return to Rapid Growth: Perspectives on a Global Economy What will happen when the current crisis in Asia abates? Is the long-term outlook favorable? Find out in this report.
April 1998	Computers, Productivity, and Growth: Explaining the Computer Productivity Paradox Studies say that computers don't add to productivity, but that's not what our researchers found. Read their findings in this report.
December 1997	Technology, Productivity and Growth: U.S. and German Issues: Perspectives on a Global Economy Here's a hard look at "productivity" and the myth of the "computer productivity paradox."