On the one hand it is difficult to measure these intangible assets, but on the other hand one disregards a large part of the companies’ investments if one does not take them into account. US and European studies show that investment in intangible assets comprises around 10 per cent of GDP. 11 The most recent productivity growth and forecasts Let me now comment on the development of productivity last year and during the period to come. 7  Bloom, Sadun and Van Reenen (2007). 8  Håkanson (2007). 9  By productivity is meant total factor productivity, TFP. In the study the comparison has been made with the median company. 10  Brynjolfsson and Hitt (2003). 11  See, for instance, Corrado, Hulten and Sichel (2005), (2006), Hao, Manole and van Ark (2007), Haskel and Marrano (2007). 4  BIS Review 12/2008  Productivity growth in the business sector has been 4.4 per cent a year during the period 2002-2006. In the increasingly mature phase of the economic cycle where the economy is now, it is normal for productivity growth to slow down in connection with an increase in employment. This is also something the Riksbank has been expecting. However, the downturn in the rate of increase in productivity last year was stronger than motivated by the prevailing economic situation and the Riksbank, like many other analysts, was surprised by the strength of the downturn.
There are also signs that the strong growth in productivity that has been evident in other countries – for example in the US – is moderating somewhat. And we may see a similar trend in Norway. Second, even without a reversal, profits may fall and unemployment rise. The implications of this will depend on how far businesses, in their search for qualified labour, will go in bidding up wages. It will also depend on how wage-earners react and on their ability to adapt to change. Furthermore, it must be expected that the strong krone will shave profits in some enterprises and industries at the moment, even though many have used currency hedging to safeguard their income. Even though demand for labour is strong, there is a risk that outflows from the labour market to various social security schemes will remain high. Sickness absence is high, and the share of the working-age population on rehabilitation schemes or receiving disability pensions is rising. Many workers choose to take early retirement under the AFP scheme (contractual early retirement) when they reach 62 years of age, and – because this age group is expanding sharply – this number will probably increase in the years ahead. In Norway, close to 600 000 persons of working age receive social security benefits or pensions. This is equivalent to 25 per cent of the labour force. This is the Norwegian economy’s Achilles’ heel. A particularly disturbing aspect is that disability is increasing among young people 1 .