International Measurement of Culture
John C Gordon
Statistics Directorate
Paris, 4-5 December, 2006

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UNESCO FCS
– 1986: Framework published
– 2006: Framework revisited/reworked
Eurostat 2000 LEG
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Many others
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Are we going to start all over again?
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NO
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Clear Comprehensive Framework is crucial to comparability
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Should co-ordinate not conflict with other international frameworks.
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Comprehensive - integrate a variety of aspects using multiple standards:
– Industry/economic activity
– Occupation
– Product
– Government expenditures
– Consumer expenditures
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Secondary activity (industry/occupation) usually hidden
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Culture industries not necessarily homogeneous, not well measured by sample surveys
Volunteers mostly invisible
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Culture not well served by most standards.
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(draft report, p9)
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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
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Libraries (includes archives)
Museums
Heritage sites
Electronic games
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The Culture Sector's
*
Share
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Culture Contribution to GDP
– Australia 3.1%
– Canada
– France
– USA
– UK
3.5%
2.8%
3.3%
5.8%
(1998)
(2002)
(2003)
(2002)
(2003)
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Culture Portion of Labour Force
– Australia 5.1% (2001)
– Canada
– USA
– UK
3.8%
2.5%
4.3%
(2003)
(2003)
(2004)
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“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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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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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.
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Comparisons at the international level must be meaningful, and of course, the measures must be truly comparable.
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These comparisons should be useful to policy makers at the national level.
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Data gatherer must understand what data are needed.
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Data provider must understand what data are being requested.
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Both gatherer and provider must have the SAME understanding
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National standards
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International standards
Revision to standards – OECD role
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Culture specific standards
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Allocation factors
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Generic methodologies
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Finland
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Chile
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Columbia
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Mexico
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Convenio Andrés Bello offering support
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OECD expert group ?
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OECD Data table construction
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Coffee
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Discussion of frameworks
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