Productivity is an economics term which refers to the ratio of product to what is required to produce the product. There are many factors which can influence productivity. Though there are both positive and negative influencing factors, it is more common to hear about and know those factors which adversely affect production.One of the primary factors which influences productivity are both
. intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to the employees in charge of the production process. Attitude has been identified as one of the major contributing factors to employee productivity. Positive attitudes are correlated with increased productivity while negative attitudes are associated with declines in productive behaviors. Likewise, appropriate and engaging supervision by superiors can have a markedly positive effect on productivity while adverse supervisory practices can have the opposite effect. Other employee related factors including health "" which may be influenced by lifestyle, stress in and out of the workplace and primarily by ease of access to health care providers "" applicability of work-related devices and tools to the present market conditions as well as outsourcing practices can all have either positive or negative influences on rate and quality of productivity.One of the bigger extrinsic factors to productivity is related to the supply and demand curve. Markets which rely on parts or components from other markets can suffer when adverse conditions inhibit supply. A prime example of this is the 2011 flooding that occurred in Thailand. Because of the widespread flood damage throughout the country many computer companies have been forced to increase their prices on hard drives. Hard drives are a chief technology export from Thailand and American productivity in computer supply markets has suffered due to weather conditions occurring in a foreign country.Similarly, crop productivity suffered in the United States in 2011 in response to weather patterns. Heavy Midwest flooding followed by a period of drought caused many cash crops to suffer and produce lower than expected yields. This has had reverberations in other arenas of the economy because of the increased prices related to these crops.There are many factors which can affect productivity. These can be intrinsically related to employees at an individual and interpersonal level and can be extrinsically affected by nature, acts of God and other similar uncontrollable circumstances More reference links: http://ericbrown.com/factors-affecting-productivity-it-management-and-process.htm http://www.nbrii.com/blog/5-factors-that-affect-your-employees-productivity/
