What IS the answer … and does it matter?

Article Type: News From: International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Volume 61, Issue 2

Canada searches endlessly for an answer to the question about why its productivity levels are so much lower than those of the US.

No one seems to have an agreed answer. Now a new debate has suggested an answer but also suggested that it does not matter. On one side the view is that Canadians simply lack the productivity gene – they are just too complacent to create world-beating companies. But, say the other side, it actually does not matter since unproductive companies employ more people, and more jobs means economic stability.

Now, if only all things were that simple!