August 29, 2005 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Productivity growth in information-sector industries

Productivity, as measured by output per hour, rose in 2003 in all of the information industries studied.

Annual percent change in output per hour for selected industries in the information sector, 2002-03
[Chart data—TXT]

Wireless telecommunications carriers and software publishers boosted productivity by 13.1 percent and 13.0 percent, respectively. Gains in the other industries ranged from 1.9 to 5.3 percent.

Two of the eight information industries also reduced unit labor costs. Software publishers reduced unit labor costs 4.0 percent and cable and other program distribution reduced such costs by 1.4 percent.

This information is from the BLS Productivity and Costs Program. Additional information is available from "Productivity and Costs by Industry, 2003" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 05-1599.