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🔍 Productivity is no longer merely about numbers. Strategic shifts at the corporate level can reshape wages, redefine customer value, and even influence society as a whole. This article highlights McKinsey’s latest insights on productivity and its six key strategies, and explores how Heesung Catalysts is advancing productivity growth in line with Vision 2030.

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Why Productivity Matters More Than Ever

The world today faces urgent challenges: mounting financial debt, the shift to carbon neutrality, and demographic pressures such as an aging population and labor shortages. Addressing these issues requires stronger productivity growth than ever before. The starting point is with companies—when businesses improve productivity, it fuels national economic growth. And the impact goes beyond economics: higher productivity drives profits, raises wages, creates new customer value, and ultimately delivers positive change across society.

Productivity Growth Is Driven by Bold Leaps, Not Incremental Gains

McKinsey’s recent analysis of 8,300 large companies in the U.S. and Europe found that nearly two-thirds of overall productivity growth came from fewer than 100 “standout firms.” For years, productivity was seen as the result of incremental improvements spread across many companies. But the study reveals a different picture: bold strategic shifts by a small group of firms can propel national productivity forward in leaps.

In the U.S., for instance, just 44 standout firms accounted for 78% of productivity growth. Though they represented only about 5% of the sample, they employed 23% of the total workforce. Global leaders such as Apple, Amazon, Home Depot, and United Airlines were among them.

Six Strategies for Boosting Productivity

According to McKinsey, companies must move beyond efficiency-focused thinking and adopt six strategic shifts:

First, focus on the few

Productivity growth is largely driven by a small group of standout firms whose bold strategies elevate national performance.

Second, stay agile and innovative

As large firms mature, they often shift their focus from innovation to efficiency. McKinsey emphasizes that incumbents must preserve startup-like agility. Nissan expanded into EVs, GM exited unprofitable markets, and Apple and Broadcom moved beyond core products to capture high-margin service opportunities.

Third, act boldly

To respond to new technologies and shifting markets, companies need bold, decisive moves. Amazon evolved from an online bookstore into a global cloud computing leader through AWS. EasyJet disrupted air travel accessibility with an innovative model. Such bold strategies create competitive advantages that rivals find difficult to replicate.

Fourth, create new value

Productivity accelerates when customers experience genuine new value. Home Depot strengthened its omnichannel retailing, Tesco expanded its premium product range, Nvidia revolutionized GPUs for AI, while Zeiss and Danaher carved out unique positions in semiconductors and life sciences.

Fifth, scale innovation rapidly

Innovation must scale quickly to drive growth across entire industries. Apple led the mobile internet revolution, Zalando expanded the online apparel market, and consolidation moves by Hapag-Lloyd and global airlines boosted efficiency and extended market reach.

Sixth, shift resources to high-value areas

Productivity improves when resources are redeployed to higher-value activities. Tesco reduced its exposure to low-value operations to sharpen competitiveness, while EasyJet modernized its fleet to cut operating costs and enhance the customer experience.

Heesung Catalysts: Opening New Pathways to Growth

1. Productivity through new growth areas

Heesung Catalysts is broadening its portfolio beyond automotive emission-reduction catalysts to include hydrogen fuel cell catalysts, SAF catalysts, and energy–environmental materials. By focusing resources on high-value sectors, the company is enhancing both labor and capital productivity.

2. Expanding value through service-based models

Subscription-based catalyst services and precious metal recovery programs provide customers with cost savings and stability, while creating recurring revenue streams for the company. This model raises value-added output per employee.

3. Driving industry-wide productivity through innovation and networks

Global partnerships and circular-resource ecosystems boost efficiency and ESG competitiveness across the supply chain, contributing to productivity growth at the industry level.

4. Strengthening internal productivity with operational efficiency and ESG

Through RE100 initiatives and smart factory implementation, the company is lowering energy costs and streamlining processes. These efforts not only improve eco-competitiveness but also build a solid foundation for sustainable long-term growth.

Heesung Catalysts is driving productivity growth by advancing new growth areas, expanding service-based models, strengthening global networks, and promoting ESG-driven innovation. These initiatives are closely aligned with Vision 2030, which underscores leadership in green technologies and the pursuit of future growth engines. Guided by this vision, the company remains dedicated to responsible innovation and management, working toward a future where both industry and society can thrive together.

✅ Vision 2030 for Sustainability, our commitment to a carbon-neutral society