International Measurement of Culture

John C GordonStatistics Directorate

Paris, 4-5 December, 2006

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Framework

UNESCO FCS– 1986: Framework published– 2006: Framework revisited/reworked

Eurostat 2000 LEG Many others Are we going to start all over again? NO

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Framework Principles

Clear Comprehensive Framework is crucial to comparability

Should co-ordinate not conflict with other international frameworks.

Comprehensive - integrate a variety of aspects using multiple standards:– Industry/economic activity– Occupation– Product– Government expenditures– Consumer expenditures

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Some Concerns

Secondary activity (industry/occupation) usually hidden

Culture industries not necessarily homogeneous, not well measured by sample surveys

Volunteers mostly invisible Culture not well served by most

standards.

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OECD Scope (interim)(draft report, p9)

Advertising Architecture Video, film and photography Music and the visual and performing arts incl. festivals Publishing / Written media incl. printing Radio and TV (Broadcasting) Art and antiques trade Design (including Designer fashion) Crafts

Libraries (includes archives) Museums Heritage sites Electronic games

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The Culture Sector's ** Share

Culture Contribution to GDP – Australia 3.1% (1998)– Canada 3.5%

(2002)– France 2.8%

(2003)– USA 3.3% (2002)– UK 5.8% (2003)

Culture Portion of Labour Force– Australia 5.1% (2001)– Canada 3.8%

(2003)– USA 2.5% (2003)– UK 4.3% (2004)

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The Economy of Culture in Europe (EC 2006)

“A strategic approach to the culture Sector needs to be informed by the development of appropriate statistical tools and indicators at both national and European levels. . . In Europe, in the framework of statistical systems currently implemented, the statistical categorisations are not adapted to cultural activities and occupations. In addition, data generally provided by national statistical institutes either do not offer the level of details required, or are not available at all.

Establish a strong quantitative evidence base for policy makers.

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Importance of Measures Social Impact

Economic outcomes are not why most people become involved in culture and, therefore, economic indicators alone cannot be expected to provide exhaustive measures of the benefits cultural involvement brings to individuals and to the societies formed by these individuals.

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Criteria for Measures

They must be measurable. That is to say that the underlying data required to produce the measure must be available or, if not presently available, there must be a practical methodology available to obtain the required data.

Comparisons at the international level must be meaningful, and of course, the measures must be truly comparable.

These comparisons should be useful to policy makers at the national level.

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Clarity

Data gatherer must understand what data are needed.

Data provider must understand what data are being requested.

Both gatherer and provider must have the SAME understanding

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Classification Standards

National standards International standards Revision to standards – OECD role

Culture specific standards

Allocation factors Generic methodologies

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Satellite Accounts

Finland Chile

Columbia Mexico

Convenio Andrés Bello offering support

OECD expert group ?

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What's next this morning?

OECD Data table construction Coffee Discussion of frameworks