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Information-Processing Equipment and Software in the National Accounts

In: Measuring Capital in the New Economy

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  • Bruce T. Grimm
  • Brent R. Moulton
  • David B. Wasshausen

Abstract

In the U.S. national income and product accounts (NIPA's), most of the types of goods in the investment category "information processing (IP) equipment and software" have experienced rapidly changing technology and are thus candidates for inclusion in the new economy. The NIPA price indexes for computers and peripheral equipment, computer software, and communication equipment all, at least in part, include quality adjustments based on hedonic studies. In addition, anecdotal evidence strongly indicates that instruments have also have undergone substantial quality improvements, although no hedonic quality adjustments are currently being made to their prices. Together, these goods make up more than nine-tenths of the category. There is also some evidence that there have been substantial quality improvements for the remaining two types of goods in the category, photocopy and related equipment and office and accounting equipment. In order to facilitate research leading to improved measurement of information technology, this paper discusses the relationship between private fixed investment in IP equipment and software and GDP, explains how the current- and constant-dollar estimates are prepared, and finally assess recent progress in measurement and plans for improvement.
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Suggested Citation

  • Bruce T. Grimm & Brent R. Moulton & David B. Wasshausen, 2005. "Information-Processing Equipment and Software in the National Accounts," NBER Chapters, in: Measuring Capital in the New Economy, pages 363-402, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberch:10626
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    Cited by:

    1. Carol Corrado & Charles Hulten & Daniel Sichel, 2009. "Intangible Capital And U.S. Economic Growth," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 55(3), pages 661-685, September.
    2. repec:dgr:rugggd:200256 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Jorgenson, Dale W. & Nomura, Koji, 2005. "The industry origins of Japanese economic growth," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 482-542, December.
    4. Jorgenson Dale W. & Vu Khuong, 2007. "Information Technology and the World Growth Resurgence," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 8(2), pages 125-145, May.
    5. Barth, Erling & Davis, James C. & Freeman, Richard B. & McElheran, Kristina, 2023. "Twisting the demand curve: Digitalization and the older workforce," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 443-467.
    6. Ark, Bart van, 2002. "ICT investments and growth accounts for the European Union," GGDC Research Memorandum 200256, Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen.
    7. Susanto Basu & John G. Fernald & Nicholas Oulton & Sylaja Srinivasan, 2004. "The Case of the Missing Productivity Growth, or Does Information Technology Explain Why Productivity Accelerated in the United States but Not in the United Kingdom?," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2003, Volume 18, pages 9-82, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, 2005. "Outsourcing and Offshoring: Pushing the European Model Over the Hill, Rather Than Off the Cliff!," Working Paper Series WP05-1, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    9. Gilbert Cette & Christian Pfister, 2004. "Challenges of the “New Economy” for Monetary Policy," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 8, pages 27-36, Spring.
    10. Harchaoui, Tarek Tarkhani, Faouzi, 2004. "Whatever Happened to Canada-United States Economic Growth and Productivity Performance in the Information Age?," Economic Analysis (EA) Research Paper Series 2004025e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    11. Johanna Melka & Nanno Mulder & Laurence Nayman & Soledad Zignago, 2003. "Skills, Technology and Growth is ICT the Key to Success ? An Analysis of ICT Impact on French Growth," Working Papers 2003-04, CEPII research center.
    12. Andrew Sharpe, 2005. "What Explains the Canada-US ICT Investment Gap?," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 11, pages 21-38, Fall.
    13. Supriyo De & Dilip Dutta, 2007. "Impact of Intangible Capital on Productivity and Growth: Lessons from the Indian Information Technology Software Industry," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 83(s1), pages 73-86, September.
    14. Susanto Basu & John G. Fernald & Nicholas Oulton & Sylaja Srinivasan, 2003. "The Case of the Missing Productivity Growth: Or, Does Information Technology Explain why Productivity Accelerated in the US but not the UK?," NBER Working Papers 10010, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Melka, Johanna & Nayman, Laurence, 2005. "L’impact des nouvelles technologies de l’information sur la croissance française, 1980-2001," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 81(1), pages 75-110, Mars-Juin.
    16. Centre for the Study of Living Standards, 2005. "What Explains the Canada-US ICT Investment Intensity Gap?," CSLS Research Reports 2005-06, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    17. Harchaoui, Tarek Tarkhani, Faouzi, 2004. "Qu'est-il advenu de la croissance économique et de la productivité au Canada et aux États-Unis à l'ère de l'information?," Série de documents de recherche sur l'analyse économique (AE) 2004025f, Statistics Canada, Direction des études analytiques.

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    • E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General

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