paperpreparedforthe14thinternationalconferenceon.docVIP

Paper prepared for the 14th International Conference on Input-Output Techniques 10-15 October 2002. Montréal, Canada Symmetric Input-Output Tables and Quality Standards for Official Statistics Bent Thage Preliminary version For additional information please contact: Bent Thage (bth@dst.dk) Director, Economic Statistics Statistics Denmark Sejroegade 11 DK-2100 Copenhagen This paper is placed on the following web site: www.io2002conference.uqam.ca Abstract The question of how best to construct symmetric input-output tables from (rectangular) supply and use tables has preoccupied many compilers and users of input-output tables, and since the 1968 SNA introduced the two types of tables, industry-by-industry tables and product-by-product tables, and two alternative technology assumptions, the industry technology and the product technology, respectively, the discussion has very much been limited to the advantages and drawbacks of the four alternative types of symmetric tables that can be derived within this framework. In this paper the discussion of the preferred way to derive symmetric input-output tables is put into a new perspective by looking at it from the viewpoint of producers of official statistics. While it is acknowledged that it is a relevant task for statistical offices to compile symmetric input-output tables, the fundamental principles concerning quality standards for official statistics that have emerged during the last decade, internationally as well as in individual countries, must be observed. From a statistical quality point of view it is essential that the distinction between input-output tables and input-output models is made clear. Official statistics cannot be based on assumptions that represent speculative economic theory, and in the paper a distinction between strong and weak assumptions in data construction is introduced. At the same time it is important that the users are fully informed a