Research Methodology
The research is based on the following elements:
- A wide-ranging survey of businesses around the world, encompassing all major industries. In all, 379 respondents took part. Nearly half (45%) represented firms with US$500m or less in revenue and 42% came from firms with at least US$1bn in revenue. The respondents were very senior: all held management positions, with 38% from the C-suite or board level.
- In-depth interviews with senior executives, productivity experts and academics, complemented with extensive background research on the subject.
- Macroeconomic measurements of productivity in select developed and developing economies, with analysis of variations between high- and low-productivity markets.
- The Economist Intelligence Unit bears sole editorial responsibility for this report. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s editorial team executed the survey, conducted the interviews and wrote the report. The findings and views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor.