Measuring Globalization: Better Trade Statistics for Better Policy

Among the most pressing policy questions in the United States and other advanced economies are those concerning the impact of globalization: Has globalization fostered productivity growth and well-being in advanced economies? Or have the forces of globalization weakened key national industries, resulted in widespread worker dislocation and wage stagnation, and worsened inequality? Understanding the impacts of globalization is critical to fashioning appropriate policies in a rapidly changing world. But understanding its impacts rquires good data, and national statistical systems were not designed to measure many of the transactions occurring in today's global economy. The chapters in this two-volume set identify biases and gaps in national statistics, examine the magnitude of the problems they pose, and propose solutions to address signficant biases and fill key data gaps.