According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, labor productivity in the nonfarm business sector increased 4.3 percent in 2002 and 5.4 percent in 2003. For comparison, productivity advanced at an average rate of 2.5 percent per year from 1996 to 2000, a period that was viewed at the time to be one of exceptionally strong productivity growth.
The Forum should not duplicate work being undertaken elsewhere. The Forum should, rather, work through its members, taking due account of their comparative advantages. Specifically, the Forum should bring together information about activities taking place in diverse groupings and coordinate overlapping activities. In addition, the Forum should identify gaps in existing work, and propose appropriate means of filling such gaps.