Comment by mitthrowaway2

Yes. Here's an example: https://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&htt...

Excerpt:

> "The computer industry, in turn, is an outlier and statistical anomaly. Its extraordinary output and productivity growth reflect the way statistical agencies account for improvements in selected products produced in this industry, particularly computers and semiconductors. Rapid productivity growth in this industry—and by extension the above-average productivity growth in the manufacturing sector—has little to do with automation of the production process. Nor is extraordinary real output and productivity growth an indicator of the competitiveness of domestic manufacturing in the computer industry; rather, the locus of production of the industry’s core products has shifted to Asia"

The whole document is well worth a read.

Here's another article: https://qz.com/1269172/the-epic-mistake-about-manufacturing-...