The OECD Input-Output Database: 2006 Edition

Abstract

The development of the OECD's input-output database started over a decade ago and is currently undergoing its second update.Over the years, the database has been used in a number of analytical applications both within and outside the OECD.Two major applications within the OECD concerned the analysis of the diffusion of embodied technology and, more recently, the measurement of carbon dioxide emissions embodied in the international trade of goods.The latest update is being conducted as part of an OECD project looking at global value chains.This paper describes how the database has developed over the last decade, both from a collection and a compilation perspective, and some of the thinking behind the various assumptions used during compilation and the various pre-requisite data needed to compile the tables.The paper also outlines the rationale for producing these harmonised tables on an industry-by-industry basis rather than product-by-product; partly reflecting the importance of linking the tables to many other OECD databases.The purpose of the paper is therefore twofold.The first is to describe the database and its uses.The second is to describe the OECD's experience in the compilation of these tables in the hope that this may benefit input-output compilers in national statistical offices and provide them with a better understanding of the information needed by the OECD to compile these tables in order to meet the demands of users.*The authors would like to thank the multitude of test users for their comments as well as national statistics institutes and Norihisa Sakurai for their valuable assistance in providing data.DSTI/DOC(2006)8 * Les auteurs remercient tous ceux et celles qui se sont portés volontaires pour tester la base de données pour leurs commentaires, ainsi que les offices nationaux de statistiques et Norihisa Sakurai pour les données qu'ils ont bien voulu leur fournir.