Experimental Indicators of Digital Industries in Select Countries: Definitions, Methods, and Results

By Brent Moulton, James Tebrake, Martha Tovar

September 30, 2022

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Brent Moulton, James Tebrake, and Martha Tovar. Experimental Indicators of Digital Industries in Select Countries: Definitions, Methods, and Results, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2022) accessed December 22, 2024

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

The pervasive impact of digitalization on the economy and the lack of an agreed definition makes it challenging to obtain estimates of the digital economy. Nowadays, some countries have estimated the value of the digital economy by identifying digital products or industries as defined in the international classifications. This study presents the estimates of digital industries for five countries that participated in an experimental exercise, applying a simplified standard approach recommended by the international agencies as part of the national accounts framework and using publicly available and limited secondary information. The results show that the structure and evolution of digital industries vary across countries and over time and that the estimates depend significantly on the underlying data sources. The conclusions of this exercise reveal the need to upgrade the data sources to better identify the impact of digitalization and contribute to policy-making on the economic benefits of digitalization.

Subject: Economic sectors, Financial crises

Keywords: Digital intermediary platforms, Digitally delivered, Digitally ordered, E-commerce, Enabling industries, Supply and use tables

Publication Details

Pages:

21
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2022/197
Stock No:

WPIEA2022197
ISBN:

9798400221903
ISSN:

1018-5941

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