经济学人81:美国的生产率增长还能持续多久?

 　　Business

　　商业

　　American business

　　美国公司

　　Hard times, lean firms

　　艰难时局磨练高效能企业

　　How much longer can America keep increasing productivity?

　　美国的生产率增长还能持续多久？

　　EVERYONE complains that corporate¹ America is reluctant to hire additional workers.

　　企业不愿再增加雇佣量在美国引起民怨沸腾。

　　Far less attention has been paid to the flip² side of the jobless recovery: the remarkable³ improvement in American productivity.

　　但很少有人关注减少失业率的有效途径：显著提升美国的劳动生产率水平。

　　How long can this continue? "I see no limit," says William Hickey, the boss of Sealed Air, a packaging-maker.

　　这种提升能持续多久？包装材料制造商宝廷的老总William Hickey 说："依我看来可无限期提升。"

　　Is he right to be so optimistic?

　　他的这种乐观估计是对还是错？

　　American firms were slow to react to the downturn at the beginning of the century, and paid the price.

　　新世纪之初，美国企业在应对经济衰退时反应迟钝，并为此付出了代价。

　　They learned their lesson. When the economy slumped⁴ in 2008, they were much quicker to adjust.

　　它们吸取了教训，更快地适应了2008年的经济大萧条，且劳动生产率也没有如往常随经济衰退而下降。

　　There was little of the fall in labour productivity that normally accompanies a recession, and this was not just a one-off "batting average" effect (in which average productivity rises because the worst performers are fired).

　　这不只是一次性实现的"棒球击球率"效应（即平均分因得分最低的选手被淘汰而提升）。专家们认为这是一种依靠压榨产业工人在短时期内维持的经济增长模式。

　　Rather, it was a productivity boost that has continued in defiance⁵ of expert predictions that workers can only be squeezed so hard for a short while.

　　然而恰恰相反，这种增长是靠全力提升劳动生产率实现的。

　　After falling in the first half of the year, American labour productivity (output per hour) was 2.3% higher in the third quarter of 2011 than in the same period a year earlier. This was the fastest quarterly rise in 18 months.

　　经历了上半年的下降后，2011年第三季度美国的劳动生产率（每小时产量）同比增长了2.3%，这是18个月内最快的季度性增长。

　　Manufacturing productivity in that quarter rose by 2.9% compared with a year earlier.

　　该季度制造业生产率同比增长了2.9%。

　　America's productivity growth has been more robust⁶ than most other rich countries'—a feat⁷ many ascribe to its flexible labour market and a culture of enterprise.

　　美国的生产率比绝大多数发达国家增长得更为强劲——许多人将这一成就归功于美国灵活的劳动力市场机制和特有的企业文化。

　　Yet some analysts⁸ expect productivity growth to stall soon.

　　但有些分析师认为生产率不久将停止增长。

　　Hard-pressed workers are feeling grouchy⁹: workforce¹⁰ surveys report record levels of job dissatisfaction.

　　重重压力令产业工人们牢骚不断：劳动力调查显示出对工作表示不满的人数创了纪录。

　　Many firms have been "starving the organisation¹¹ to see how it can do with a lower cost structure," says Carsten Stendevad of Citigroup, a bank.

　　Citigroup银行的Carsten Stendevad说，很多公司正"忍饥挨饿"，以 "测试自身在低成本状态下的生存能力"。

　　Unless the economy picks up, he predicts that productivity growth will slow in 2012. (He admits, however, that he wrongly predicted the same thing would happen in 2011.)

　　他预计，只要经济形势没有好转，2012年生产率增长就会放缓（但他也承认自己曾错误地对2011年的情况做过同样的判断）。

　　Two things could keep productivity rising.

　　有两个因素能使生产率持续增长。

　　First, workers are terrified of losing their jobs.

　　其一，工人们害怕失业，这使得鼓励他们加班或干其它的活变得更加容易。

　　This makes it easier to persuade them to put in extra hours or shoulder new tasks. Even in unionised firms, there have been reports of greater flexibility¹².

　　据媒体报道，即使企业里有工会，维权活动仍更具弹性。

　　Workers have been staying on the job longer rather than "featherbedding" their hours by, for example, queuing up early to clock off as soon as the shift ends.

　　工人们将更多的时间用于工作，而不是一到换班时间便早早排队下班等"浪费行为"。

　　Second, tough times are forcing firms to strain every brain cell to become more efficient.

　　其二，困难的时局正促使企业为提高效率而绷紧每一根神经。

　　Sealed Air, for example, has made numerous incremental¹³ tweaks, such as upgrading a machine that makes absorbent pads for supermarket meat trays so that its output increased from 400 units per hour three years ago to 550—with the same number of workers.

　　以希悦尔包装公司为例，该公司逐步做出了大量技术改进，如通过升级一款生产超市装肉托盘用吸水纸的机器，在工人数量相同的条件下，产量由三年前的每小时500件提升到550件。

　　The willingness of firms to invest in such enhancements has varied¹⁴ enormously. Some would rather hoard¹⁵ cash or buy back their own shares than spend it on more efficient machinery¹⁶ or information technology.

　　企业对这类技术改进的投资意愿各不相同（大相径庭）。有的企业宁愿积蓄资金或购买自己的股票也不愿投资于产能提升和信息技术领域。

　　Yet there are signs that leading industrial firms are starting to increase their capital spending, says Jeff Sprague of Vertical¹⁷ Research Partners, a research outfit¹⁸.

　　而研究组织"纵向研究伙伴"的Jeff Sprague认为，主要工业企业已有增加投资的迹象，并尤其指出，企业正投资于"消除瓶颈"。

　　In particular, he has noticed firms investing in "debottlenecking" which, as its name suggests, means removing hold-ups in production processes, sometimes with an additional production line.

　　这一概念名称意味着清除生产过程中的障碍，有时还要为此增加生产线。

　　There are hefty gains to be made from using more automation, says Mr Hickey, adding that although he worries about diminishing returns, "we haven't hit the wall yet."

　　Hickey说，更广泛地使用自动化技术可获得更大规模的收益，并坦言自己虽然担心收益止升回落，"但我们还没有触及增幅上限。"

　　Service businesses, too, are wringing¹⁹ efficiency improvements from new technology.

　　服务业也正通过运用新技术努力提升效率。

　　Hertz allows customers to rent cars at automated²⁰ kiosks, just as airlines have for some time allowed passengers to check in without talking to anyone.

　　Hertz汽车租赁公司如今可使顾客通过自动化租车亭实现汽车租赁，就像航空公司曾使旅客不用与任何人交谈便可办理登机手续一样。

　　Fast-food firms, such as McDonald's and Starbucks, are continuously innovating²¹ with their products and service.

　　快餐企业如麦当劳、星巴克等正坚持产品和服务创新。

　　In short, the recession has forced American firms to become more muscular.

　　总之，此轮经济衰退迫使美国企业变得更加强健。

　　This should help them thrive when the good times return. It should also give them an edge over foreign rivals.

　　这将有助于它们在经济复苏后蓬勃发展，并提高对外国竞争对手的优势。

　　But all such advantages are temporary.

　　但这所有的优点都是暂时的。

　　As Mr Hickey points out, a factory that Sealed Air opened in Mexico was expected to be far less productive than one in America, but within four years had caught up.

　　Hickey指出，宝廷在墨西哥的一家工厂的产能曾被认为会远远落后于其在美国的一家工厂，但四年之内，前者便追平了后者。

1 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

2 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

4 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

5 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

6 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

7 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 grouchy   

adj.好抱怨的；愠怒的

参考例句：

• Grouchy people are always complaining for no reason.满腹牢骚的人总是毫无理由地抱怨。
• Sometimes she is grouchy, but all in all she is an excellent teacher.有时候她的脾气很坏，但总的来说她还是一位好老师。

10 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

11 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

12 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

13 incremental   

adj.增加的

参考例句：

• For logic devices, the incremental current gain is very important. 对于逻辑器件来说，提高电流增益是非常重要的。 来自辞典例句
• By using an incremental approach, the problems involving material or geometric nonlinearity have been solved. 借应用一种增量方法，已经解决了包括材料的或几何的非线性问题。 来自辞典例句

14 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

15 hoard   

n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积

参考例句：

• They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
• How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？

16 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

17 vertical   

adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。
• Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

18 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

19 wringing   

淋湿的，湿透的

参考例句：

• He was wringing wet after working in the field in the hot sun. 烈日下在田里干活使他汗流满面。
• He is wringing out the water from his swimming trunks. 他正在把游泳裤中的水绞出来。

20 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

21 innovating   

v.改革，创新( innovate的现在分词 )；引入（新事物、思想或方法），

参考例句：

• In this new century, the company keeps innovating and developing new products. 新世纪伊始，公司全面实施形象工程及整合营销，不断改革创新，开发高新产品。 来自互联网
• Beijing is backward most prime cause is innovating at system lack. 北京落后的最根本原因在于制度缺乏创新。 来自互联网