productivity
proh-duhk-TIV-i-tee
/ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvəti/
The effectiveness of productive effort, measured by the rate of output per unit of input.
Measures efficiency of creation (output per worker/hour/dollar) rather than mere total output volume.
The story behind the word. Formed from Latin 'producere' ('to bring forth'). In classical political economy, Adam Smith highlighted productivity through his famous pin factory example, demonstrating how dividing labor increases output per worker thousands of times over.
Word relationships
- efficiency: Efficiency measures minimal waste of inputs, while productivity measures total yield produced relative to input.
- yield: Focuses on the total output harvest or return rather than the input ratio.
- unproductiveness: Inability to produce effective output.
- inefficiency: Wasting inputs without producing commensurate output.
Commonly confused with
- production: Production is the total amount made; productivity is the amount made divided by the resources used to make it.
Word family
- productive (adjective): Producing or able to produce large amounts of goods or value.
- produce (verb): To make or manufacture from components.
Collocations
- labor productivity
- boost productivity
- productivity growth
- productivity gains
Example sentences
- "High labor productivity allows wages to rise without triggering broad economic inflation." Macroeconomic Growth
- "Investing in modern machinery improved plant productivity by thirty percent per worker hour." Industrial Organization
Memory hook
PRODUCE + ACTIVITY = PRODUCTIVITY, measuring how active your production is per hour. Output generated per unit of input.
When not to use
Do not confuse productivity with production; production is total output, whereas productivity is efficiency per input.
Fun facts
- Economist Paul Krugman famously wrote: 'Productivity isn't everything, but in the long run, it is almost everything.'
Related words
Explore more words
efficiency, efficient, output, throughput, industrious, effective
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