如果美国生产率数据确实如其所表现的那样 — — 一个长期萎靡的趋势被一个为期16年的涨势打破，而如今这一涨势已经消失 — — 那么有可能美国所取得的所有成就只是信息技术所驱动的、发生在从一个技术平台转移到另一个技术平台期间的过渡性的效率改进。
If US productivity figures are to be taken at anything close to face value – a persistently sluggish trend interrupted by a 16-year spurt that now appears to have faded – it is possible that all America has accomplished are transitional efficiency improvements associated with the IT-enabled shift from one technology platform to another.