For release 10:00 am (EDT) Thursday, May 5, 2016 USDL-16-0881

Technical information: (202) 691-5606 • mfpweb@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/mfp

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

PRELIMINARY MULTIFACTOR PRODUCTIVITY TRENDS – 2015

Private nonfarm business sector multifactor productivity increased at a 0.2-percent annual rate in 2015, the 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See chart 1, table A.) This 2015 gain reflected a 2.8-percent 

increase in output and a 2.6-percent increase in the combined inputs of capital and labor. Capital services grew by 

2.6 percent and labor input–which is the combined effect of hours worked and labor composition–also grew by 

2.6 percent. Capital intensity, defined as capital services per hour, increased at a 0.4-percent annual rate in 2015, 

which is the first increase in this measure since 2010. (See table 1.)

Multifactor productivity is calculated by dividing an index of real output by an index of combined units of labor 

input and capital services. It is designed to measure the joint influences of technological change, efficiency 

improvements, returns to scale, reallocation of resources, and other factors of economic growth, accounting for 

the effects of capital and labor. Multifactor productivity annual measures differ from BLS quarterly labor 

productivity (output per hour worked) measures because the former also includes the influences of capital services 

and shifts in the composition of the workforce. Additionally, much of the source data needed to construct 

multifactor productivity measures are not available on a quarterly basis.

Private business sector multifactor productivity increased at a 0.2-percent annual rate in 2015. A 2.9-percent 

increase in output and a 2.7-percent increase in the combined inputs of capital and labor contributed to the 

multifactor productivity gain in 2015. (See table 2, table A.)

Chart 1. Multifactor productivity, labor productivity, and output per unit of capital services in the private

nonfarm business sector, 2008-2015

 Annual percent change

-6.0

-5.0

-4.0

-3.0

-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Multifactor productivity Labor productivity Output per unit of capital services
- 2 -

Historical trends in the private nonfarm business sector

Multifactor productivity in the private nonfarm business sector grew 0.9 percent annually from 1987 to 2015. For

the 2007-2015 period, multifactor productivity grew 0.4 percent on average as combined inputs increased 0.9

percent and output increased 1.3 percent. The increase in combined inputs reflected an increase in labor input of 

0.6 percent along with a 1.6-percent increase in capital services. (See table A.)

In the recent 2007-2015 period, annual labor productivity has slowed significantly to 1.2 percent, as compared to 

the 1995-2000 and 2000-2007 periods. Annual labor productivity growth can be viewed as the sum of three 

components: multifactor productivity growth, the contribution of capital intensity, and the contribution of shifts in 

labor composition. For the 2007-2015 period, labor productivity growth slowed due to multifactor productivity 

and the contribution of capital intensity falling below pre-1995 levels. (See chart 2.)

For the 2007-2015 period, the contribution of capital intensity and the contribution of labor composition

amounted to 0.5 percent and 0.3 percent of private nonfarm business sector labor productivity growth, 

respectively. Additionally, the growth in multifactor productivity of 0.4 percent contributed to an overall growth 

in output per hour of 1.2 percent. The contributions to labor composition slightly increased to 0.3 percent, while 

multifactor productivity and the contribution of capital intensity greatly decelerated. (See chart 2, table B.)

The methodology for measuring preliminary multifactor productivity for 2015 is a simplified version of the

methodology that BLS uses when more detailed data are available. Measures will be revised early in the next 

calendar year.

Chart 2. Contributions to labor productivity growth in the private nonfarm business sector, 

1987-2015

 

 Percentage point

 Note: Multifactor productivity plus the contributions of capital intensity and labor composition may not sum to output per hour due to 

 independent rounding. 

0.8 0.7 0.6

1.2 1.0

0.5

0.3

0.2 0.5

0.2

0.2

0.3

0.9

0.7 0.5

1.5

1.4

0.4

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

1987-2015 1987-1990 1990-1995 1995-2000 2000-2007 2007-2015

Contribution of capital intensity Contribution of labor composition Multifactor productivity
- 3 -

Table A. Productivity, output, and inputs in the private nonfarm business and private business sectors 

for selected periods, 1987-2015

Compound annual growth rates

1987-

2015

1987-

1990

1990-

1995

1995-

2000

2000-

2007

2007-

2015

2014-

2015

Private nonfarm business1

Productivity

 Multifactor Productivity2 0.9 0.7 0.5 1.5 1.4 0.4 0.2

 Labor productivity3 2.0 1.6 1.6 2.9 2.6 1.2 0.6

 Output per unit of capital services -0.4 -0.5 -0.3 -0.8 -0.4 -0.2 0.2

Output 2.9 3.3 3.0 5.0 2.8 1.3 2.8

Inputs

 

 Combined inputs4 2.0 2.6 2.4 3.5 1.4 0.9 2.6

 Labor Input5 1.3 2.0 2.0 2.4 0.6 0.6 2.6

 Hours 0.9 1.7 1.3 2.1 0.2 0.2 2.2

 Labor composition6 0.4 0.3 0.7 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5

 Capital services 3.3 3.8 3.3 5.9 3.2 1.6 2.6

Analytic ratio

 Capital intensity7 2.4 2.0 2.0 3.7 3.0 1.4 0.4

Private business1

Productivity

 Multifactor Productivity2 0.9 0.8 0.5 1.6 1.4 0.4 0.2

 Labor productivity3 2.0 1.7 1.6 3.0 2.7 1.2 0.5

 Output per unit of capital services -0.3 -0.4 -0.2 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0.3

Output 2.9 3.3 2.9 5.1 2.8 1.4 2.9

Inputs

 

 Combined inputs4 1.9 2.5 2.4 3.4 1.4 1.0 2.7

 Labor Input5 1.3 1.9 2.1 2.3 0.5 0.6 2.8

 Hours 0.8 1.5 1.4 2.0 0.1 0.2 2.3

 Labor composition6 0.4 0.3 0.7 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5

 Capital services 3.2 3.7 3.2 5.7 3.2 1.6 2.6

Analytic ratio

 Capital intensity7 2.3 2.1 1.8 3.7 3.0 1.4 0.2

 

 1 Excludes government enterprises. 

 2 Output per combined units of labor input and capital services.

 3 Output per hour worked.

 4 The growth rate of each input is weighted by its share of current dollar costs.

 5 Hours at work by age, education, and gender group are weighted by each group’s share of the total wage.

 6 Ratio of labor input to hours.

 7 Capital services per hour.
- 4 -

Table B. Labor productivity and the contributions of capital intensity, labor composition, and multifactor 

productivity to labor productivity in the private nonfarm business and private business sectors for 

selected periods, 1987-2015

Compound annual growth rates

1987-

2015

1987-

1990

1990-

1995

1995-

2000

2000-

2007

2007-

2015

2014-

2015

Private nonfarm business1

Labor productivity2 2.0 1.6 1.6 2.9 2.6 1.2 0.6

 Contribution of capital 

 Intensity3 0.8 0.7 0.6 1.2 1.0 0.5 0.1

 Contribution of labor 

 composition4 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3

 Multifactor productivity5 0.9 0.7 0.5 1.5 1.4 0.4 0.2

Private business1

Labor productivity2 2.0 1.7 1.6 3.0 2.7 1.2 0.5

 Contribution of capital 

 intensity3 0.8 0.7 0.6 1.2 1.0 0.5 0.1

 Contribution of labor 

 composition4 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3

 Multifactor productivity5 0.9 0.8 0.5 1.6 1.4 0.4 0.2

 

 1 Excludes government enterprises.

 2 Output per hour worked.

 3 Capital services per hour multiplied by capital's share of current dollar costs.

 4 Labor composition multiplied by labor's share of current dollar costs.

 5 Output per combined units of labor input and capital services.

 Note: Multifactor productivity plus the contributions of capital intensity and labor composition may not sum to output per hour due to 

 independent rounding. 
- 5 -

Technical Notes

The simplified methodology for preparing preliminary estimates of MFP is outlined in the June 2005 

Monthly Labor Review article, “Preliminary estimates of multifactor productivity growth” located at 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2005/06/art3full.pdf. This methodology is applied to both the private 

nonfarm business and private business sectors and measures are calculated only for the most recent year.

Data for all previous years are identical to the March 26, 2015 “Multifactor Productivity Trends” news 

release (USDL-15-0480).

Capital Services

Capital services are the services derived from the stock of physical assets and intellectual property 

assets. Capital services measures constructed for the preliminary MFP measures are based on less detail 

only for the most recent year. The preliminary measures consist of six asset types as opposed to the 90

asset types for fixed business equipment, structures, inventories, land, and intellectual property products

included in estimates for all previous years. The assets included in the preliminary estimates are 

structures, fixed business equipment, intellectual property products, inventories, rental residences, and 

land. Investments, depreciation, and capital income are estimated for each of these six aggregates.

Capital services are calculated by a chained superlative Tornqvist index combining stocks of the six

asset categories, weighted by capital income shares.

Labor Input

Labor input in private business and private nonfarm business is obtained by chained superlative 

Tornqvist aggregation of the hours at work by all persons, classified by age, education, and gender with 

weights determined by each group’s share of the total wage. The labor composition index estimates the 

effect of shifts in the age, education, and gender composition of the work force on the efficiency of 

hours worked. The preliminary estimates of 2015 hours worked for the private nonfarm business and 

private business sectors are extrapolated from the hours worked reported in the nonfarm business and 

business sectors, respectively, in the February 4, 2016 “Productivity and Costs” news release (USDL16-0209). 

Additional information concerning data sources and methods of measuring labor composition can be 

found in Cindy Zoghi, 2007, “Measuring Labor Composition: A Comparison of Alternate 

Methodologies” http://www.bls.gov/bls/fesacp1121407.pdf and in “Changes in the Composition of 

Labor for BLS Multifactor Productivity Measures” http://www.bls.gov/mfp/mprlabor.pdf.

Combined Inputs

Labor input and capital services are combined using chained superlative Tornqvist aggregation, applying

weights that represent each component's share of total costs. The chained superlative Tornqvist index 

uses changing weights; the share in each year is averaged with the preceding year's share. Total costs are 

defined as the value of output less a portion of taxes on production and imports. Most taxes on 

production and imports, such as excise taxes, are excluded from costs; however, property and motor 

vehicle taxes remain in total costs.
- 6 -

Capital Intensity

Capital intensity is the ratio of capital services to hours worked in the production process. The higher the 

capital to hours ratio, the more capital intensive the production process is. 

In a production process, profit maximizing/cost-minimizing firms adjust the factor proportions of capital 

and labor when the price of one factor is less than the other factor; there is a tendency for the firms to 

substitute the less expensive factor for the more expensive one. In the short run, changes in hours 

worked are more variable than changes in capital services. Changes in hours worked in business cycles 

can result in volatility of the capital intensity ratio over short periods of time. In the long run an increase 

in wages relative to the price of capital will induce the firm to substitute capital for labor, resulting in an 

increase in capital intensity.

Rising labor costs are, in fact, an incentive for firms to introduce automated production processes. 

Industry estimates of capital to hours ratios can be obtained at http://www.bls.gov/mfp/mprdload.htm.

Value-Added Output

Private business sector output is a chain-type, current-weighted index constructed after excluding from 

gross domestic product (GDP) the following outputs: general government, nonprofit institutions, private 

households (including owner-occupied housing), and government enterprises. This release presents data 

for the private business and private nonfarm business sectors. The private business sector accounted for 

approximately 74 percent of gross domestic product in 2014. Additionally, the private nonfarm business 

sector excludes farms from the private business sector, but includes agricultural services. Multifactor

productivity measures exclude government enterprises, while the BLS Quarterly Productivity and Cost 

series include them.

The output measures are based on the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA) data released by 

the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) on January 29, 2016 but do not reflect the revised data released 

by BEA on February 26, 2016. The preliminary estimates of 2015 output for the private nonfarm 

business and private business sectors are extrapolated from the output reported in the nonfarm business 

and business sectors, respectively, in the February 4, 2016 “Productivity and Costs” news release 

(USDL-16-0209).

Multifactor Productivity

Multifactor productivity measures describe the relationship between output in real terms and the inputs 

involved in its production. They do not measure the specific contributions of labor or capital, or any 

other factor of production. Rather, multifactor productivity is designed to measure the joint influences of 

technological change, efficiency improvements, returns to scale, reallocation of resources, and other 

factors on economic growth, allowing for the effects of capital and labor.

The multifactor productivity indexes for private business and private nonfarm business are derived by 

dividing an output index by an index of capital services and labor input. The output indexes are 

computed as chained superlative indexes (Fisher Ideal indexes) of components of real output.
- 7 -

Table 1. Private nonfarm business sector: productivity and related measures for the 1987-2015

1 period

Annual percent change from previous year

Productivity Inputs

Year

Labor

productivity2

Output 

per unit 

of 

capital

services

Multifactor 

Productivity3

Valueadded

ouput4 Labor5

Capital

Services6

Combined 

units of 

labor and 

capital

services7

Capital 

Intensity8

1988 1.7 0.8 1.2 4.6 3.2 3.8 3.4 0.9

1989 0.9 -0.3 0.2 3.7 3.2 4.0 3.5 1.2

1990 2.1 -1.8 0.6 1.5 -0.3 3.4 0.9 4.0

1991 2.0 -3.4 -0.4 -0.5 -1.5 3.0 -0.1 5.6

1992 4.3 1.6 3.2 4.1 0.2 2.5 0.9 2.7

1993 0.2 0.0 -0.3 3.2 3.7 3.2 3.5 0.2

1994 1.0 1.0 0.6 4.7 4.3 3.6 4.1 0.0

1995 0.8 -0.8 -0.2 3.6 3.5 4.4 3.8 1.6

1996 2.7 -0.2 1.6 4.6 2.0 4.8 2.9 3.0

1997 1.6 -0.2 0.9 5.3 3.7 5.5 4.3 1.9

1998 3.1 -0.8 1.2 5.3 3.0 6.2 4.0 4.0

1999 3.4 -0.9 1.9 5.6 2.2 6.5 3.6 4.3

2000 3.4 -1.9 1.6 4.4 1.1 6.4 2.7 5.4

2001 3.0 -3.7 0.5 0.9 -1.5 4.7 0.4 7.0

2002 4.3 -1.4 2.1 1.8 -1.9 3.2 -0.3 5.8

2003 3.5 0.5 2.2 3.2 0.1 2.6 0.9 3.0

2004 3.0 2.0 2.5 4.5 1.7 2.5 2.0 1.0

2005 1.9 0.7 1.5 3.8 1.8 3.1 2.3 1.2

2006 0.9 -0.2 0.3 3.3 2.7 3.5 3.0 1.1

2007 1.7 -0.6 0.6 2.4 1.1 3.0 1.8 2.3

2008 0.8 -3.8 -1.3 -1.3 -1.4 2.6 0.0 4.7

2009 3.4 -4.9 -0.3 -4.1 -6.3 0.8 -3.8 8.7

2010 3.2 2.8 2.9 3.2 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.4

2011 0.1 1.2 0.2 2.2 2.6 1.0 2.0 -1.1

2012 0.8 1.8 0.8 3.1 2.9 1.3 2.3 -1.0

2013 -0.1 -0.1 -0.1 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.9 0.0

2014 0.7 1.0 0.7 3.1 2.5 2.1 2.4 -0.3

2015 0.6 0.2 0.2 2.8 2.6 2.6 2.6 0.4

 See footnotes following table 4. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 8 -

Table 2. Private business sector: productivity and related measures for the 1987-2015

1 period

Annual percent change from previous year

Productivity Inputs

Year

Labor

productivity2

Output 

per unit 

of 

capital

services

Multifactor 

Productivity3

Valueadded 

output4 Labor5

Capital

Services6

Combined 

units of 

labor and 

capital

services7

Capital 

Intensity8

1988 1.5 0.4 1.0 4.3 3.0 3.9 3.3 1.1

1989 1.1 -0.1 0.4 3.9 3.1 3.9 3.4 1.2

1990 2.4 -1.6 0.9 1.6 -0.5 3.3 0.8 4.0

1991 1.9 -3.2 -0.5 -0.5 -1.5 2.8 -0.1 5.3

1992 4.5 1.9 3.3 4.3 0.2 2.3 0.9 2.5

1993 0.2 -0.1 -0.4 3.0 3.5 3.0 3.3 0.3

1994 0.9 1.3 0.6 4.9 4.6 3.5 4.3 -0.5

1995 0.4 -0.9 -0.5 3.2 3.5 4.2 3.7 1.4

1996 3.1 0.1 1.9 4.7 1.8 4.6 2.7 3.0

1997 1.9 0.0 1.2 5.3 3.5 5.3 4.1 1.9

1998 3.2 -0.8 1.3 5.2 2.9 6.0 3.9 4.0

1999 3.6 -0.7 2.1 5.6 2.0 6.3 3.4 4.3

2000 3.6 -1.6 1.7 4.5 1.1 6.2 2.7 5.2

2001 3.1 -3.6 0.5 0.8 -1.7 4.6 0.3 7.0

2002 4.2 -1.2 2.1 1.8 -1.8 3.0 -0.3 5.5

2003 3.7 0.7 2.4 3.2 0.0 2.5 0.8 3.0

2004 3.1 2.0 2.5 4.5 1.7 2.5 1.9 1.1

2005 2.0 0.7 1.5 3.8 1.8 3.2 2.3 1.3

2006 1.0 -0.3 0.3 3.2 2.6 3.5 2.9 1.2

2007 1.5 -0.7 0.5 2.2 1.0 2.9 1.7 2.3

2008 0.8 -3.4 -1.2 -1.2 -1.3 2.3 0.0 4.4

2009 3.6 -4.5 -0.2 -3.9 -6.2 0.7 -3.7 8.5

2010 3.2 2.8 2.9 3.2 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.4

2011 0.0 1.0 0.1 2.1 2.6 1.1 2.0 -1.0

2012 0.6 1.4 0.6 2.9 2.9 1.5 2.3 -0.9

2013 0.4 0.2 0.2 2.0 1.8 1.9 1.8 0.2

2014 0.6 1.0 0.7 3.1 2.6 2.0 2.4 -0.5

2015 0.5 0.3 0.2 2.9 2.8 2.6 2.7 0.2

 See footnotes following table 4. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 9 -

Table 3. Private nonfarm business sector: indexes of productivity and related measures, 1987-2015

1

Indexes 2009=100

Productivity Inputs

Year

Labor

productivity2

Output 

per unit 

of 

capital

services

Multifactor 

Productivity3

Valueadded

ouput4 Labor5

Capital

Services6

Combined 

units of 

labor and 

capital

services7

Capital 

Intensity8

1987 61.2 120.6 82.0 53.4 78.8 44.2 65.1 50.7

1988 62.2 121.5 83.0 55.8 81.3 45.9 67.3 51.2

1989 62.7 121.2 83.1 57.9 83.9 47.8 69.6 51.8

1990 64.1 118.9 83.6 58.8 83.7 49.4 70.3 53.9

1991 65.3 114.9 83.3 58.4 82.4 50.9 70.2 56.9

1992 68.1 116.7 85.9 60.8 82.5 52.1 70.8 58.4

1993 68.3 116.7 85.6 62.8 85.6 53.8 73.3 58.5

1994 69.0 117.9 86.1 65.7 89.2 55.7 76.3 58.5

1995 69.5 117.0 85.9 68.1 92.4 58.2 79.2 59.4

1996 71.4 116.7 87.3 71.2 94.2 61.0 81.5 61.2

1997 72.6 116.4 88.1 74.9 97.7 64.3 85.0 62.3

1998 74.9 115.5 89.2 78.9 100.6 68.3 88.4 64.8

1999 77.4 114.5 90.9 83.3 102.9 72.8 91.6 67.6

2000 80.0 112.3 92.4 87.0 104.0 77.4 94.1 71.2

2001 82.5 108.2 92.9 87.7 102.4 81.1 94.5 76.2

2002 86.0 106.7 94.8 89.3 100.4 83.7 94.1 80.6

2003 89.1 107.2 96.9 92.1 100.6 85.9 95.0 83.0

2004 91.7 109.4 99.3 96.2 102.3 88.0 96.9 83.9

2005 93.5 110.1 100.8 99.9 104.2 90.7 99.1 84.9

2006 94.3 109.9 101.1 103.2 107.0 93.9 102.1 85.8

2007 95.9 109.2 101.7 105.6 108.2 96.7 103.9 87.8

2008 96.7 105.1 100.3 104.3 106.7 99.2 103.9 92.0

2009 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

2010 103.2 102.8 102.9 103.2 100.2 100.4 100.3 100.4

2011 103.2 104.1 103.2 105.5 102.8 101.4 102.3 99.2

2012 104.0 105.9 104.0 108.8 105.8 102.8 104.6 98.2

2013 103.9 105.8 103.9 110.8 107.8 104.7 106.6 98.2

2014 104.6 106.9 104.7 114.2 110.5 106.8 109.1 97.9

2015 105.2 107.1 104.9 117.4 113.4 109.6 111.9 98.2

See footnotes following table 4. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 10 -

Table 4. Private business sector: indexes of productivity and related measures, 1987-2015

1

Indexes 2009=100

Productivity Inputs

Year

Labor

productivity2

Output 

per unit 

of 

capital

services

Multifactor 

Productivity3

Valueadded

output4 Labor5

Capital

Services6

Combined 

units of 

labor and 

capital

services7

Capital 

Intensity8

1987 60.3 117.3 80.8 53.3 79.6 45.4 65.9 51.4

1988 61.3 117.8 81.6 55.6 82.0 47.2 68.1 52.0

1989 62.0 117.7 82.0 57.7 84.6 49.0 70.4 52.6

1990 63.5 115.9 82.7 58.7 84.2 50.6 70.9 54.8

1991 64.7 112.1 82.3 58.3 83.0 52.0 70.9 57.7

1992 67.6 114.2 85.0 60.8 83.2 53.3 71.6 59.1

1993 67.7 114.2 84.7 62.6 86.1 54.9 73.9 59.3

1994 68.3 115.7 85.2 65.7 90.0 56.8 77.1 59.0

1995 68.6 114.6 84.8 67.8 93.2 59.2 80.0 59.9

1996 70.7 114.7 86.4 71.0 94.9 61.9 82.2 61.6

1997 72.0 114.7 87.4 74.8 98.2 65.2 85.6 62.8

1998 74.3 113.9 88.5 78.7 101.1 69.1 88.9 65.3

1999 77.0 113.0 90.4 83.1 103.1 73.5 91.9 68.1

2000 79.7 111.2 92.0 86.8 104.2 78.0 94.4 71.6

2001 82.2 107.2 92.4 87.5 102.5 81.6 94.6 76.6

2002 85.7 105.9 94.4 89.1 100.6 84.1 94.4 80.9

2003 88.8 106.7 96.6 91.9 100.7 86.2 95.1 83.3

2004 91.6 108.8 99.1 96.1 102.3 88.3 97.0 84.2

2005 93.4 109.5 100.6 99.8 104.2 91.1 99.2 85.3

2006 94.3 109.2 100.9 103.1 106.9 94.3 102.1 86.4

2007 95.8 108.5 101.4 105.3 108.0 97.1 103.9 88.3

2008 96.6 104.7 100.2 104.1 106.6 99.3 103.9 92.2

2009 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

2010 103.2 102.8 102.9 103.2 100.3 100.4 100.3 100.4

2011 103.1 103.8 103.0 105.4 102.9 101.5 102.3 99.3

2012 103.7 105.3 103.6 108.5 105.8 103.0 104.7 98.5

2013 104.1 105.5 103.8 110.7 107.7 104.9 106.6 98.7

2014 104.7 106.6 104.6 114.1 110.4 107.1 109.1 98.2

2015 105.2 107.0 104.8 117.4 113.5 109.8 112.0 98.4

See footnotes following table 4. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 11 -

Footnotes, Tables 1-4

Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) develops productivity measures using output and 

compensation data published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), hours data published by other 

BLS programs, and capital data supplied by BEA and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Also see 

Technical Notes in this release.

(1) The private business sector covers gross domestic product with the exception of the output of

general government, government enterprises, non-profit institutions, the rental value of owneroccupied real estate, and the output of paid employees of private households. The private nonfarm 

business sector further excludes farms but includes agricultural services.

(2) Output per hour worked.

(3) Output per combined units of labor input and capital services.

(4) Gross domestic product originating in the sector, chained superlative index.

(5) Index of hours at work of all persons including employees, proprietors, and unpaid family workers, 

classified by age, education, and gender. This chained superlative index is computed by combining 

changes in the hours of each age, education, and gender group weighted by each group’s share of 

total wages. 

(6) A measure of the flow of capital services used in the sector. Capital services measure the services

derived from the stock of physical assets and intellectual property products.

(7) The growth rates of labor input and capital services are combined by weighting with their respective

shares of current dollar costs as weights, and aggregating into a chained superlative index.

(8) Capital services per hour.