ALBERT

Notes: A panel of speakers, knowledgeable in the problems of photogrammetry in the Third World, led a discussion which considered the place of sophisticated photogrammetric equipment in the Third World, problems of technician and management training, the desire for self reliance, and the needs of map revision.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméUne confrontation entre photogrammètres sur le sujet photogrammétrie et tiers-monde; équipement, instruction des techniciens, problèmes d'organisation, désir d'autonomie, révision des cartes.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungEin Forum von Kennern der Probleme der Dritten Welt führte eine Diskussion über den Platz moderner Geräteausrüstungen in diesen Ländern, über Probleme der Ausbildung von Technikern und Führungskadern und erörterte den Wunsch nach Selbstbestätigung und die Notwendigkeit zur Laufendhaltung von Karten.

Notes: The problems associated with the depiction of a particular irrigation area by both line map and orthophotomap are described and the results compared.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméDes problèmes soulevés par la description d'une aire d'irrigation à l'aide d'une carte ou d'une ortho-photocarte: comparaison des résultats.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungBeschreibung der Probleme, die bei Auswahl sines Bewässerungsgebietes an Hand von Strich- und Orthophotokarten auftraten und Vergleich der Ergebnisse.

Notes: In 1981, a metric camera will be launched into space on a European Space Agency Spacelab mission. This paper examines the specification for this mission and the expected results. Other developments are also considered. These include the American large format camera and long focal length imaging systems.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméEn 1981, une chambre métrique sera lancée dans l'espace (mission Spacelab de l'organisation européenne spatiale). On examine ici les buts et les résultats attendus, ainsi que de futurs développements; chambre américaine à grand format, systèmes à longues focales.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungIm Jahre 1981 soll sich an Bord des Europäischen Spacelab-Satelliten eine Messkammer befinden. Im Artikel werden die Anforderungen an dieses Projekt und die zu erwartenden Ergebnisse diskutiert. Desgleichen werden auch andere Entwicklungen, worunter sich die amerikanische Grossformat-Kammer und langbrennweitige Systeme befinden, erörtert.

Notes: Many attempts have been made to use various types of photography for traffic studies. The problems most frequently encountered are the expense involved in obtaining the photography and the time consuming and, hence, expensive operation of collecting the required data from the photography. This paper discusses the problems associated with various types of photography and describes a study which has been carried out to evaluate the potential of 16 mm and 35 mm time lapse photography taken from a helicopter. The accuracy of two dimensional co-ordinate transformation systems for collecting the required data from the photography is also described. Finally, recommendations are made regarding the most suitable type of photography and the most convenient and accurate transformation system to use when it is required to analyse the traffic flow data at complex urban and suburban intersections.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméBeaucoup de tentatives ont déjàété faites pour étudier les problèmes de circulation par photographie: les difficultés sont le coût de la photographie, les délais d'obtention et le coût du dépouillement. On examine ici les possibilités offertes par divers types de photographies et on donne les résultats d'une étude entreprise pour évaluer l'intérêt de la solution; camera 16 mm ou 35 mm plus hélicoptère. On précise ici l'exactitude requise pour les transformations de coordonnées. On conclut par toute une série de recommandations.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungEs gibt sehr viele Versuche zur Verwendung verschiedener Arten der Photographie für Verkehrsstudien. Die am häufigsten auftretenden Probleme sind die Kosten und der Zeitaufwand der Photographie, wodurch die Datenerfassung aus Photos teuer wird. Im Artikel werden die Probleme beschrieben, die bei Anwendung verschiedener photographischer Aufnahmen auftraten. Ferner wird ein Versuch mit 16 mm und 35 mm Zeitrafferaufnahmen aus dem Hubschrauber erörtert. Beschreibung der Genauigkeit zweidimensionaler Koordinatentransformationen zur Ermittlung der gewünschten Daten aus Photos. Abschliessend werden Empfehlungen bezüglich der am besten geeigneten photographischen Methode und zur Transformation der Daten gegeben, wenn Verkehrsströme an komplexen Kreuzungen in Städten und Vororten analysiert werden sollen.

Notes: On 17th January, 1978, the Secretary of State for the Environment announced the establishment of a Committee, chaired by Sir David Serpell, with the following terms of reference: “Taking account of the views of users and other interested parties, in the context of national surveying and mapping needs, to consider and make recommendations about the longer term policies and activities of the Ordnance Survey and ways of financing them.” Interested organisations, among them The Photogrammetric Society, were invited to submit evidence to the Committee. The Society's submission is reproduced in full. The Secretary of State has asked the Committee to report, if possible, early in 1979.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉SummaryAs has been stated the national survey, comprising as it does the horizontal and vertical control frameworks and the basic scales mapping based upon it, represents (assuming completion of the last named) a priceless national asset, but it is not “money in the bank”. It is an ephemeral and fragile asset which will have been frittered away unless it is constantly maintained, repaired and refurbished; even so it will not last forever. At one time or another the various components will all require replacement eventually. What must be avoided at all costs is a repetition of such culpable neglect that it all needs replacement at the same time. This summarises what is now, and must remain, the prime objective of the Ordnance Survey. Superimposed upon this are the needs to make the survey available, in various forms, to users; to produce small scale mapping; and to collect and disseminate various other forms of topographic data.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉Résumé Le 17 Janvier 1978, le secrétaire d'Etat à l'environnement anonçait la création d'une commission, présidée par Sir David Serpell: les objectifs étant précisés de la manière suivante; “Tenant compte des besoins des utilisateurs et des autres parties intéressées aux activités cartographiques, proposer une orientation à long terme de la politique de l'établissement et revoir les modes de financement de l'Ordnance Survey.”Les organisations concernées, et parmi elles la Photogrammetric Society, étaient invitées à entrer en relation avec la commission: on reproduit ici in extenso la déposition de la Photogrammetric Society. Le secrétaire d'Etat a demandéà la commission de remettre son rapport début 1979 si possible.〈section xml:id="abs1-4"〉〈title type="main"〉Zusammenfassung Am 17.1.1978 kündigte der Staatssekretär für Umweltfragen die Gründung eines Komitees unter Vorsitz von Sir David Serpell an, dasfolgende Aufgabe erfüllen soll: “Analyse der Ansichten von Nutzern und anderen interessierten Gruppen bezüglich der nationalen Anforderungen an Vermessungswesen und Kartographie, um daraus Empfehlungen für die längerfristigen Aktivitäten des Ordnance Survey und die Möglichkeiten zur Finanzitrung abzuleiten.” Interessierte Organisationen, darunter die Photogrammetric Society, wurden eingeladen, die Tätigkeit des Komitees zu unterstützen. Für Anfang 1979 soll ein Bericht vorgelegt werden.

Notes: Book review in this ArticleTHE UNITED KINGDOM FROM SPACE (2). By D. J. Carter and H. J. P. Arnold. Space Frontiers Ltd. Havant, Hampshire, 1977.SURVEYS FOR DEVELOPMENT. Edited by J. J. Nossin. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co. Amsterdam, Oxford, New York, 1977.REMOTE SENSING OF THE TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT. Edited by R. F. Peel, L. F. Curtis and E. C. Barrett. Butterworths, London, 1977.MAPPING FOR FIELD SCIENTISTS. By W. Ritchie, D. A. Tait, M. Wood and R. Wright. David and Charles, Newton Abbot, Devon, 1977.SURVEYING AND PHOTOGRAMMETRY. COMPUTATION FOR CIVIL ENGINEERS. By D. E. Murchison. Newnes–Butterworths, London, 1977.RESOURCE SENSING FROM SPACE: PROSPECTS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Remote Sensing for Development. US National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., 1977.MISSION TO EARTH: LANDSAT VIEWS THE WORLD. By N. M. Short, P. D. Lowman, S. C. Freden and W. A. Finch. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C., 1976.REMOTE SENSING IN GEOMORPHOLOGY. By H. Th. Verstappen. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, Oxford, New York, 1977.

Notes: The availability of data in digital formats, the rapid evolution of computer systems and the increased demands for cartographic databases are causing photogrammetrists to consider ways of integrating photogrammetric, remote sensing and database technologies. Examples are presented involving the use of aerial photographs and satellite images in combination with geographical information systems and image processing techniques to assess soil erosion, growth of aquatic vegetation and to enhance satellite images for the compilation or revision of map products.

Notes: A new lightweight vertical camera rig which can be clamped to the front legs of the front seat of a light aircraft is described. In one version, a fixed transparent fairing is attached to the door, whereas in the second version the fairing is attached to the camera rig itself which can then be extended and retracted in flight. This rig has received C.A.A. (Civil Aviation Authority) Approval.

Notes: SPOT-1, launched on 22nd February, 1986, has provided the first opportunity to produce topographic maps from space on an operational basis. The use of SPOT imagery can be justified because of reduced costs and reduced lead times for map production. However SPOT imagery cannot be handled in the same way as conventional photography and it requires new procedures to be adopted, The two main reasons for this are the large area covered by each image and the dynamic form of sensing. The procedures discussed in this paper have been implemented in a working system for map compilation.

Notes: Stimulated by promising overseas results with colour aerial photography and encouraged by its potential for solving local problems, the Forests Commission, Victoria, embarked on a series of trials with colour photography in 1965. Early results showed great promise and resulted in further work. This paper describes the methods and results of 70 mm and 35 mm trials concerned with the evaluation of various photographic films. An important aim of the study was to build up a working knowledge of the techniques of using aerial films other than conventional panchromatic black and white and to assess their value under Australian conditions.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉Résumé Stimulés par les résultats obtenus outre-mer en matière de photo aérienne en couleur, et disposant d'un potentiel adéquat, le Forests Commission, Victoria a entrepris en 1965 une série d'essais, dès le départ très encourageants. On décrit ici les essais d'évaluation de différents types de film (70 mm et 35 mm); le but était de se familiariser avec la couleur et d'en étudier les conditions d'emploi sous les latitudes australiennes.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungAngeregt durch erfolgversprechende Ergebnisse mit Farbluftbildern in Übersee und ermutigt durch die Möglichkeiten zur Lösung lokaler Probleme unternahm die Forstkommission in Viktoria (Australien) eine Reihe von Versuchen mit Farbaufnahmen im Jahre 1965. Diese Versuche erwiesen sich vielversprechend und wurden fortgesetzt. Im Artikel werden die Verfahren und Ergebnisse von Versuchen mit 70 mm und 35 mm Aufnahmen zur Bewertung verschiedener photographischer Materialien beschrieben. Ein wichtiges Ziel der Untersuchung war das Erlangen von Kenntnissen über die Verfahren zur Verwendung nichtkonventioneller panchromatischer Schwarz-Weiss-Filme und deren Bewertung unter australischen Bedingungen.

Notes: A short review is given of photogrammetric methods in use for the test recording of petroglyphs and archaeological sites. Two simple field methods employed by archaeologists to record petroglyphs are also described in order to highlight the complexity of photogrammetric techniques and to query their validity.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméBrève revue de méthodes photogrammétriques en usage pour enregistrer pétroglyphes et sites archéologiques. On décrit en sus deux méthodes employees par les archéologues dont la simplicité contraste avec la complexité des méthodes photogrammétriques.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungKurzer Bericht über die photogrammetrischen Verfahren zur versuchs-weisen Aufzeichnung von Petroglyphen und archäologischen Fundstätten. Zwei von Archäologen zur Aufzeichnung von Petroglyphen verwendete einfache Feldverfahren werden ebenfalls beschrieben, um die Komplexität der photogrammetrischen Methoden zu beleuchten und ihre Richtigkeit zu überprüfen.

Notes: The CP1 plotter has been employed to produce, from low altitude aerial photography, a detailed map at a scale of 1: 1000 of a major landslide which occurred in an urban area of Hong Kong with extreme relief differences. Geomorphological features of the landslide could be interpreted easily from the aerial photographs and shown on the map which provided an accurate record of the disaster. Experiments with computer mapping of the landslide using a limited number of height points obtained by the CP1 plotter have also been carried out and the results indicated that useful data could be obtained rapidly to meet urgent needs for the preliminary stage of investigation and the planning of reconstruction works after the disaster.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméA partir d'une couverture aérienne à faible altitude, on a restitué au CP1 et à l'échelle du 1: 1000 une carte détaillée d'un important glissement de terrain survenu à Hong Kong et présentant d'extrêmes variations de relief. Les caractéristiques géomorphologiques du glissement aisément perçues sur les photos aériennes ont été reportées sur la carte. On a mené d'autre part des essais de cartographie numérique à partir de semis produits par le CP1, qui prouvent qu'on peut ainsi obtenir rapidement des données utiles aux enquêtes et mise sur pied des travaux de reconstruction.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungDer CP1 Plotter wurde zur Herstellung einer detaillierten Karte im Massstab 1: 1000 nach Luftbildern aus geringer Flughöhe verwendet, um einen grösseren Erdrutsch mit extremen Höhenunterschieden im Stadtgebiet von Honkong zu kartieren. Die geomorphologischen Erscheinungen des Erdrutsches konnten leicht an Hand der Luftbilder interpretiert und auf der Karte dargestellt werden, die eine genaue Aufzeichnung der Katastrophe vermittelte. Es wurden auch Versuche mit einer rechnergesteuerten Kartierung des Erdrutsches mit Hilfe einer begrenzten Menge von Höhenpunkten, die mit dem CP1 Plotter gemessen wurden, durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse besagten, dass dadurch wichtige Daten schnell ermittelt werden können, um dringende Anforderungen für eine vorläufige Einschätzung sowie die Planung des Wiederauf baus nach dem Unglück zu befriedigen.

Notes: A close range photogrammetric system, developed around a 35 mm Pentax camera fitted with a wide angle lens (f = 21 mm) and an early Zeiss wide angle multiplex, has proved useful for both instruction and research. Student exercises involve all phases of photogrammetry, from establishing ground control to plotting, and permit the integration of useful statistical routines for data analysis. Research applications have centred on the topographic mapping of microscale landforms at scales of 1: 1 to 1: 10 with accuracies of ± 1 mm to ± 5 mm.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméUn système mis au point pour la photogrammétrie à courte distance, et dont les éléments essentiels sont une chambre Pentax (f = 21 mm) et un Zeiss grand angle multiplex, a fait la preuve de son utilité tant pour l'instruction que pour la recherche. Les exercices proposés aux étudiants comportent toutes les phases réelles, depuis l'établissement d'un canevas d'appui jusqu'à la restitution. Les applications à la recherche sont centrées sur la cartographie des microreliefs à des échelles variant de 1: 1 à 1: 10 avec des exactitudes variant de ± 1 mm à± 5 mm.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungEin Aufnahme- und Auswertesystem zur Nahphotogrammetrie, bestehend aus einer 35 mm Pentax Kamera, die mit einem Weitwinkelobjektiv (f= 21 mm) ausgerüstet war, und ein alter Weitwinkel-Multiplex von Zeiss haben sich bei der Ausbildung und Forschung als nützlich erwiesen. Bei den studentischen Übungen werden alle Phasen der Auswertung von der Passpunktbestimmung im Gelände bis zur Stereokartierung erfasst, wobei es auch möglich ist, statistische Tests zur Datenanalyse einzubeziehen. Die Forschungsarbeiten konzentrierten sich auf die Herstellung topographischer Karten von kleinmassstäbigen Geländeformen in den Massstäben 1: 1 bis 1: 10 mit Genauigkeiten von ± 1 mm bis ± 5 mm.

Notes: A model of a multiple box girder bridge, constructed at a scale of 1: 12, was subjected to an ultimate load test. Deformations were measured photogrammetrically using the method of false parallax. Modifications to the method are described which were necessary to accommodate the three dimensional object and to allow for the fact that the camera stations were not constant from one load stage photograph to the next. An accuracy of ± 0·2 mm in the measured deformations was achieved.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméUn modèle de boîte de vitesse à l'échelle 1: 12 est soumis à des essais de rupture; on mesure les déformations par photogrammétrie, en utilisant la méthode de la “pseudo-parallaxe”; des modifications ont dûêtre apportées à la méthode pour tenir compte du volume de l'objet et de la variation des points de vue entre les différents états de charge. On a obtenu une exactitude de ± 0·2 mm.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungEin Modell einer Hohlkasten-Balkenbrücke im Masstab 1: 12 wurde einem maximalen Belastungstest unterworfen. Die Deformationen wurden dabei photogrammetrisch mit Hilfe von Pseudoparallaxen gemessen. Beschreibung der Veränderungen der Methode, die wagen der Anpassung an das dreidimensionale Objekt notwendig waren und der Tatsache Rechnung trugen, dass die Kammerstandpunkte bei den Belastungen nicht konstant blieben. Die Deformationen konnten mit einer Genauigkeit von ± 0·2 mm bestimmt werden.

Notes: This paper describes the modification, calibration and testing of a non-metric Linhof Technika View camera for use in the stereophotogrammetric mapping and analysis of dental features. The importance of correcting for errors of convergence in very short range stereophotogrammetry is stressed.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉RésuméOn décrit les modification, étalonnage et test d'une chambre non métrique Linhof-Technika en vue de photogrammétrie dentaire; on insiste sur la nécessité qu'il y a de corriger l'erreur de convergence pour de telles études.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉ZusammenfassungBeschreibung des Umbaus, der Kalibrierung und der Testung einer nichtmetrischen Linhof-Technika-Kamera für die stereophotogrammetrische Kartierung und Analyse von Zahnstrukturen. Betonung der Bedeutung der Korrektur von Konvergenzfehlern bei der Nahphotogrammetrie mit sehr geringen Aufnahmeentfernungen.

Notes: In 1904, Dr. H. G. Fourcade compiled the first recorded topographic map made using analytical stereophotogrammetric methods. This paper describes how, in 1985, the stereophotography was repeated in very close proximity to Fourcade's original camera base using a modern metric camera. A new topographic map was compiled by computer graphics from stereoscopic observations made on a modern stereocomparator. A direct comparison of the two sets of interpolated contour lines demonstrates that Fourcade produced a highly accurate map covering part of Devil's Peak which is adjacent to Table Mountain near the city of Cape Town.

Notes: The effect on accuracy resulting from some changes to the conventional least squares matching method is investigated. Parallaxes computed automatically with matching methods have been compared with manual measurements made in a stereocomparator. Examples have been taken from both large and small scale aerial photographs and from close range images. Different linear geometric and radiometric parameters have been used as additional unknowns. The use of data snooping in digital matching with the least squares matching method has also been investigated. The results show that the introduction of additional affine parameters has a positive effect on the accuracy when the window size is larger than 30 × 30 pixels. The use of the data snooping technique is promising. The best precision obtained was between 10 pm and 15 μm, expressed as radial root mean square deviation, corresponding to approximately half a pixel. Gross error detection is possible to a large extent with photographs of good image quality.

Notes: The author continues the discussion of a Norwegian project to develop a stereoscopic instrument which will reduce the cost of analytical photogrammetry. Parts I and II of the project were presented at the 1984 Thompson Symposium; the objective at that stage was to build an image space plotter. This paper covers Part III of the project and the extended objective to develop an inexpensive analytical plotter which links with a modern microcomputer.

Notes: Previous assessments of the accuracy of parallax bar heighting were handicapped by small sample sizes. Numerical simulation was avoided due to the difficulty of obtaining co-ordinates for the conjugate principal points. This problem has been overcome, however, and all required photograph coordinates have been rigorously computed following the generation of fictitious data for ground points and exposure stations. The parallax bar heighting process has additionally been simulated in order to investigate both external factors, such as image errors, tilts and ground relief, and also influences intrinsic in the heighting process, for example estimation of flying height, baselining, control configuration and error surface model.

Notes: Book reviewed in this aticle:AERIAL PHOTO-INTERPRETATION IN TERRAIN ANALYSIS AND GEOMORPHOLOGIC MAPPING. By R. A. van Zuidam.REMOTE SENSING: METHODS AND APPLICATIONS. By R. M. Hord.FRENCH-ENGLISH GLOSSARY ON SPOT, REMOTE SENSING AND THEIR APPLICATIONS. By S. T. Dyson.REMOTE SENSING. PRINCIPLES AND INTERPRETATION. Second Edition. By F. F. Sabins.APPLIED REMOTE SENSING. By C. P. Lo.HISTORY OF CARTOGRAPHY. By L. Bagrow.REMOTE SENSING YEARBOOK 1987. Edited b A. P. Cracknell and L. W. B. Hayes.WINGS OVER ICE. By P. G. Mott.MANUAL OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY. By R. W. Graham and R. E. Read.

Notes: The study has two major objectives. The first is to determine time trends in household wealth inequality in the U.S. over the 1962–83 period. Four concepts of wealth are analyzed: (i) total household wealth, defined as total household assets less liabilities; (ii) fungible wealth, defined as total household wealth less consumer durables and household inventories; (iii) financial wealth, defined as fungible wealth less equity in owner-occupied housing; and (iv) capital wealth, defined as financial wealth less currency, checking accounts, and time deposits. Relying on a variety of data sources, I find that wealth inequality remained relatively constant from about 1962 to 1973, fell sharply from about 1973 to about 1979, and then rose sharply between 1979 and 1983. Concentration in 1983 was greater than that in 1962 for financial and capital wealth but of similar magnitude for total and fungible wealth. The second, methodological in nature, is to analyze the effect on measured inequality of the alignment of raw survey data to national balance sheet totals. I find that the alignment process can significantly affect point estimates of household wealth distribution but does not generally affect the direction of inequality trends.

Notes: Social fields are areas of analysis in which one finds both market and non-market production and situations where indirect means of financing are used, in that expenditure is made by a third party rather than by the consumer.The borderline between these two spheres changes with time and from one country to another, but often when a system of third party paying is in practice, the difference is hardly noticeable for the beneficiary. On the other hand, the central framework of national accounts introduces a complete dichotomy of these two situations.In order to obviate this drawback, the national accounts have proposed two solutions. The first leads to having appear on the accounts of households only the expenditure made by them and not the figure of their consumption. Contrary to this is a second solution whereby the consumption account of households is extended to include the non-market services received directly, and a corresponding imputed income appears.This second solution makes possible a richer analysis. However, it calls for the use of fictitious circuits and this often creates problems in the choice of a recording time. Furthermore, the number of circuits chosen has to be limited if they are to he the object of international agreement.The French system of satellite accounts seems particularly well suited to a truly thorough description of these phenomena. In fact, the analysis is carried out from a tripartite point of view of the producer, the beneficiary and the financer (i.e. the third party who takes on the expenditure). In this system, the functional perspective based on the study of the beneficiary of the expenditure can be analysed in greater depth than in the central framework of national accounts.Thus satellite accounts represent a complementary solution for the processing of problems inherent to these fields.

Notes: Income redistribution studies on the macro–economic level have been undertaken in Denmark for the years 1938–39, 1949, 1955, and 1963. By use of national accounts figures and all other available statistics, it was on certain assumptions possible to distribute public sector income and expenditure by income groups.A quite different approach is used in a Danish redistribution study on the micro-economic level for 1971, which relies solely on the comprehensive data from the family budget survey for that year. Unfortunately this study only relates to employee households.This paper deals with the 1963 and 1971 studies. First it describes and discusses the differences in methodology between the two studies and indicates some ideas for future studies in this field in Denmark. In the following sections some main results of the two studies are given, briefly for the 1963 study and more comprehensively for the 1971 study. The studies show the great and growing strength of the policy of redistribution through public sector income and expenditure in Denmark.It is the opinion of the authors that the appearance of redistribution studies based on comprehensive family budget surveys makes for a substantial improvement of redistribution figures, and that the purely micro-level frame of reference makes it possible to interpret the results in a more satisfactory way than before. Furthermore, the appearance of detailed input-output based national accounts data should bring about further improvements in redistribution figures through better data on indirect taxes and subsidies as well as supporting data which are necessary to link the micro and macro levels in a consistent way.

Notes: It is often discussed that inflation introduces a substantial, arbitrary and regressive redistribution of income and wealth under even mild inflation. But after a quarter century of experience with inflation in postwar Japan, very little is known about these costs of inflation on an empirical basis. Due to the complexity of the evaluation of the redistributional impact on Japan, the present paper analyzes the effects of inflation on individuals or groups as wage earners, debtors and creditors, taxpayers, and holders of real estate.The main results of the present investigation suggest that the Japanese inflation for 1955–75 did not seem to introduce much inequality in the income (flow) account in the economy, but that the inequality between households has appeared more in the wealth (stock) account, especially between the house-owner groups and non-house-owner groups. These observations are mainly derived from the following investigations; (i) the wage lag hypothesis about inflation, even if not wrong, does not seem acceptable when applied to the entire period (1955–75) as well as to each of the five sub-periods; (ii) there has been a substantial transfer of real purchasing power from households to non-financial corporations, and, to a lesser extent, to government entities in the debtor-creditor redistribution; (iii) among households, the most substantial redistribution takes place from the non-houseowners to houseowners with land, because of the huge amount of capital gains from the rapid increase in the price of real estate relative to the prices of other assets or the consumer price index, except for the last three years of rampaging inflation.

Notes: Preliminary estimates of the total incomes system of accounts (TISA) are provided for 1959 and 1969. They extend conventional accounts to include all consumption services produced by government and households as well as by enterprises, but define household purchases of durable and semi-durable goods as investment. Acquisitions of capital throughout the economy, intangible as well as tangible, and not only in the business sector, are included in capital accumulation along with, for tangible capital, net revaluations, that is capital gains net of increases in the general price level. Imputations are offered for non market consumption and capital accumulation, most prominently in unpaid household work and education. Much of government output, particularly police services and defense, is recalculated as intermediate, along with expenses related to work, while media services, treated by the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) as business purchases of intermediate product, enter into TISA consumption. Subsidies are included in the value of product, as are services of volunteers and imputations for the underpayment of military conscripts and of jurors. Separate accounts are offered for the national income and product, business, nonprofit institutions, government enterprises, government and households.The ratios of BEA to TISA Net National Product were 81.4 percent and 76.5 percent in 1959 and 1969, respectively. BEA national income was 74.1 percent of the corresponding TISA net national income in 1959 and 69.6 percent in 1969, reflecting a greater per annum rate of growth of TISA net national income, 7.49 percent, as against 6.82 percent for the corresponding BEA national income.BEA gross private domestic investment, restricted to business acquisitions of tangible capital at original cost, was estimated as only approximately 22 percent of comprehensive TISA gross domestic capital formation in 1959 and some 20 percent in 1969. The BEA net private domestic investment growth rate of 7.32 percent per annum from 1959 to 1969 may be compared with a TISA net domestic capital formation growth rate of 9.42 percent.

Notes: As is widely recognized both in the literature and by the practitioners, the treatment of financial intermediaries has been one of the most controversial issues in national accounting. This has been so largely because no one up to now has been able to define the output of banks and other financial intermediaries. In the present paper, a theory of services in general and of financial services in particular is used to demonstrate that financial intermediaries produce at least six commodity type services. Furthermore, it is argued that in order to solve the banking imputation problem it is necessary to separate the theory of interest rates from the theory of financial services and examine the interdependence between them. The gross interest rate must be unbundled because it contains three distinct components. These are, first, the pure interest rate, which reflects payment for a factor-type service; second, payments for six commodity-type services, which reflect the output of financial intermediaries; and, third, payments for unilateral transfers. The new unbundled approach is contrasted to the old bundle approach used and/or advocated by standard economic theory, the SNA, Sunga and the Ruggleses. Furthermore, it is recommended that payments for the pure interest rate be considered as part of income of the paying enterprise or sector while payments for financial services by enterprises to other enterprises should be considered as intermediate purchases.

Notes: This paper is in 7 sections. Section 1 gives as background a chronological account of the steps taken in the United Kingdom, from 1974 to late 1977, towards the development of a new system of accounting in company reports which would allow for the effect of changing costs and prices on the measurement of profit and of capital employed in the business. Section 2 discusses the main features of the system, known as current cost accounting, as it is seen in the United Kingdom. Section 3 surveys the relationship between current cost accounting and the national income and expenditure statistics, and the likely implications of the introduction of current cost accounting upon the quality of macro-economic statistics, including estimates of national and sector balance sheets. Section 4 describes some of the problems of implementing current cost accounting, particularly in special situations, and outlines the solutions which were proposed in the “Exposure Draft” published in 1976 by the accountancy profession in the United Kingdom. Section 5 considers the definition of distributable profit in relation to the need to maintain capital, considering the concept of gain, the system of valuing assets and liabilities, and the enterprise's capacity to take on additional debt as a means of financing its assets. Section 6 briefly surveys the implications for taxation, price control and price setting. Section 7 concludes by surveying the scene at the end of 1977 and by looking at likely future developments.

Notes: This article explores the assumptions underlying present definitions of national income in its principal uses, and considers the alterations that would be needed to allow for the inclusion of environmental quality. A numerical example illustrates the impact of alternative measures. The discussion concludes that if we want national income to conform more closely to theoretical concepts of welfare indices, then we need to include a proxy for those environmental services that would not be completely free goods if it were possible to overcome their inherent non-marketability. The least unsatisfactory proxy would be the spending on environmental protection.

Notes: This paper examines the causes and consequences of the inflationary process in terms of its impact upon the national accounting flows, illustrated by the case of France during the period 1966–76. The first section of the paper discusses the apparent causes of inflation, and lays out the circuits through which inflation is propagated. The second section looks behind the apparent causes to examine more closely the reasons for the observed behavior. The final section considers the consequences of inflation in terms of factor allocation, and in turn its impact upon unemployment, the balance of payments, and the rate of growth.

Notes: In the June 1977 issue of the American Economic Review extraordinary attention was given to the statistical problem of measuring the effect on inequality in current income arising from differences associated with age. The method adopted by Paglin was severely criticized although everyone recognized the value of Paglin's unusual, if not original, emphasis on the importance of the underlying issue.This paper is not primarily concerned with the statistical problem of correcting data on current income distributions for income-age differences. It is concerned mainly with the lifetime income perspective itself-with ways of viewing the long-term path of persons and of ways of viewing inequalities in that path as they develop within and among different generations.The paper discusses issues of measurement on a birth-cohort or longitudinal basis, recent trends for selected cohorts, intra-and inter-cohort variances in lifetime income, and various policy issues, for example, the equity of the U.S. Social Security System viewed on a lifetime dimension.

Notes: New social concerns and priorities–beyond the economic growth paradigm–pose a challenge to the established statistical systems. The initial response of developing overall welfare measures and social indicators of the human quality of life had little impact on official statistics. Environment statistics, on the other hand, has become accepted as a new branch of applied statistics, maturing from exclusive pollution monitoring to cover various aspects of natural resources and the man-made environment. Still, a rather artificial separation between ecological monitoring and modeling and anthropocentric environmental statistics and accounting persists. The assessment of complex and interrelated socioeconomic and environmental concerns requires comparable inter-disciplinary information. The provision of such information should be facilitated by a flexible framework approach to statistical coordination and integration.

Notes: The evidence on economic inequality in nearly all developing countries is both seriously incomplete and of moderate to poor quality. In addition, information often corresponds to distributions which appear to be less revealing and useful than other ones; thus it can be argued that the frequently available distribution of income among households ranked by household income is less helpful than the seldom found distribution of consumption among persons ranked by per capita household consumption. Whether one's objective is to assess inequality in some absolute sense or (especially) to make comparisons across countries or evaluate trends over time, it is useful to know whether systematic relationships exist among various measures of inequality, in particular between those most commonly available and those conceptually most interesting. Illustrative comparisons of a variety of inequality indicators are presented. They suggest that in developing countries the concentration of income among persons (assuming equal distribution within the family) does not differ much from the concentration among households. They also suggest that the concentration of consumption is somewhat less unequal than that of income, the ratio of the respective Gini coefficients tending to cluster around 0.85 to 0.90.

Notes: In the future revision of the SNA the dual classification of flows in the national accounts will gain some importance with respect to consumption expenditures. It is likely that outlays of different institutions for consumption are added to form a new aggregate “individual consumption.” The question is whether this development requires an adjustment on the income side of the household accounts.In order to find an answer it is first necessary to scrutinize the concept of disposable income in its standard form, and in its different variations. The result is a distinction between “disposable income in the strict sense” and “income after distribution,” where the standard definition actually realizes the latter concept. It is then shown that the dual structure of the accounts does not permit the adding of individual consumption to saving of households so that the concept of enlarged income defeats its purpose.

Notes: The value-added model underlies current measures of aggregate productivity growth. Unbiased estimates result only if the economy is closed to trade in foreign-produced material inputs and all domestic intersectoral transactions are characterized by marginal cost pricing. Neither condition typically holds.This paper identifies these biases and proposes a delivery-to-final-demand framework, a modified form of that first introduced by Domar. The rate of aggregate productivity growth is decomposed into terms identifying the contributions of total factor productivity growth within individual sectors, the reallocation of the economy's primary inputs among sectors, and changes in the allocative efficiency of markets for intermediate goods. The adjustments necessary to remove biases from existing value-added estimates are derived.

Notes: Current discussion contains widely contradictory statements about the economic status of the elderly in the United States. One can read that poverty among the elderly has been eliminated, and that it remains one of the most serious problems facing the country today. This paper discusses different ways of measuring economic status, and attempts to show how authors can reach such divergent conclusions, and support them with readily available data.The U.S. Census data on personal income generally exclude in-kind benefits, and treat family size in a straightforward though unsophisticated manner. This paper shows that alternative treatments of these issues can have significant effects on indices of the economic status of the elderly. Whether or not in-kind benefits are included in the definition of income, which in-kind benefits are included and how they are valued change the conclusions dramatically. Even more important is whether the income data are presented by household or per capita (or with some intermediate divisor, using equivalency scales), since elderly households are the smallest of any age category.This paper makes 3 points. One is that there has been significant progress in the economic status of the elderly over the past several decades, although the extent of the improvement is subject to debate. But the second is that summary statistics about the elderly, such as the above, may conceal more than they reveal. The diversity of the elderly is key. Beware of the mean. Finally, there is no one correct way to measure well-being. Different methodological approaches can be chosen and justified, and the choices made alter the conclusions significantly.

Notes: This article reports on the plans of the member countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) in the area of the purchasing power parity comparisons of national product and similar aggregates. A series of comparisons of the U.S.S.R. with other individual member countries was made for 1959,1966, and 1973. A new series will be undertaken for the year 1978. The scope of the program will be expanded to cover several new aggregates, including productivity concepts and total consumption of the population. The article discusses the conceptual and methodological problems and plans. Among other matters, attention is being given to the possibility of reducing the number of specifications priced, without sacrificing accuracy.

Notes: The problem of identification and classification of off-shore financial flows and extra-territorial funds is discussed with special reference to the case of the “captive” insurance market in Bermuda. The problem is examined in the context of the UN SNA definitions relating to the evaluation of insurance activities and the difficulty of gaining access to relevant and complete data. The conclusion is reached that the conduct of off-shore financial operations by local institutions and the resulting surpluses generated remain essentially extranational and thus contribute very little to the domestic value added of the tax haven concerned. Furthermore, by its very nature, information relating to the transactors involved, as well as the value of their transactions, is difficult to obtain. This raises a much wider issue, however, as to whether such surpluses are ever identified in any country's national income estimates.

Notes: This paper has two main points. First, the usefulness of the industry detail called for in the SNA would be increased if it were altered to facilitate the construction of price and quantity aggregates classified by stage-of-process sectors. Second, the price and quantity data so arranged should be augmented by data on behaviorally related variables classified the same way. The feasibility of the stage-of-process approach is demonstrated by a table showing the high degree to which the U.S. input-output table for 1967 can be triangularized. The analytical usefulness of the approach is demonstrated through analysis of changes in prices, output, unfilled orders and finished goods inventories for primary and for finished goods manufacturers.

Notes: This article proposes a method of characterizing the growth process using two parameters, a production index measuring growth, and a structural change index measuring the changes in the composition of output. It discusses the properties of the structural change index that is developed, including its relation to the bias in growth rates measured by conventional index numbers. It then applies the measure to an examination of Yugoslav industry for the period 1952–71.

Notes: Expanding a conventional national accounting framework in order to include activities that are not produced or consumed via ordinary markets requires the accountant to adopt some procedure for assigning unit values to these activities. Often, as is the case with governmental services, unit values are equated with unit costs of production.This paper argues that the appropriate valuation generally differs depending on whether the activity is viewed from the perspective of the producer, the consumer, or society. The theoretical justification for this position is developed first for the case of nonmarketed environmental services and then for in-kind governmental transfers.Rather than choosing a single unit value, the paper argues for and outlines an accounting system that will permit the simultaneous adoption of more than one valuation. Techniques for implementing the system for the environment and for in-kind transfers are discussed.Finally, drawing on the experience of the authors, the paper argues for the importance of developing data sets with more than one valuation. The authors claim that the effort to implement the system has generated valuable ancillary data sets even though data limitations and unresolved methodological questions have precluded complete implementation.

Notes: This paper deals with regional accounting problems in Finland. Regional policy planning problems and special regional characteristics of the country are discussed as a background to the development of regional accounts. Accounting problems such as regional division, regionalization methods, general and special solutions to problems affecting specific sectors of the accounts, and problems in allocating production across regions are dealt with in the paper. In addition, supplementary data such as state income and expenditure data by region and regional input-output calculations, both of which may be needed in regional policy-making, are discussed. In Finland, both types of data have been included in a regional data bank compiled by the Central Statistical Office. For the future, monitoring regional standards of living and observing differences in welfare and in production by region remain important challenges for the development of regional data systems.

Notes: This paper deals with the construction of statistics on real income changes of households in the Netherlands. Two different figures are computed, called the dynamic and the static figure. The dynamic figure reflects the change in real income as experienced by individuals. It is based on longitudinal data: two panels resulting from an exact match between three files from the Netherlands' IRS. The static figure reflects the change in real income of positions (e.g. of a 60-year old civil servant) instead of individuals. It is based on micro-simulation: changes in wages, taxes, etc. are simulated on a sample of individuals for whom socio-economic and demographic positions are assumed constant.In the paper we discuss both figures and some other problems, e.g. the concept of real income and the price index. Furthermore we give results for the years 1977–1983 and discuss some differences between the dynamic and the static figure. The most notable result is the large variation in the dynamic figure, exhibiting a very substantial income mobility.

Notes: This paper describes the sources and methods used in assembling a microconsistent regional data set for Canada for 1981 for use in counterfactual general equilibrium policy analyses focussing on regional impacts of government policies.A microconsistent data set at the regional level requires assembling detailed consistent accounts of production and demand by region, of interregional and international trade flows, and of transactions involving multiple levels of government. For many or most countries, the data requirements associated with regional general equilibrium analysis preclude this form of work. But because of the substantial progress made in recent years in developing provincial data sources in Canada, such as the provincial input-output tables and the provincial economic accounts, the situation in Canada is different. Using these data, it is possible to construct an interregional microconsistent benchmark data set at a suitable level of commodity detail for subsequent model use. This data set has already been used in an initial evaluation of a number of Canadian regional issues (see Trela and Whalley (1985)). The methodology used follows that presented in an earlier paper of ours (St-Hilaire and Whalley (1983)) which described the construction of a 1972 national data set for Canada developed for tax policy analysis.

Notes: The way in which cyclical fluctuations in activity in the U.K. economy affect factor income shares and the channels through which these effects work through to the size distribution of income are traced. Using National Accounts data, the impact of an upturn in activity in increasing the shares of profits and self-employment income in factor incomes, and of self-employment and rent, interest and dividends in personal incomes, is quantified. Using Family Expenditure Survey micro-data, the resulting shift in decile shares in personal income, which is towards the top of the size distribution, is estimated.

Notes: This paper is an abridged version of a report with the same title originally written for the United Nations Statistical Office, as a part of the ongoing review of the System of National Accounts. Its purpose is to identify the issues in the financial statistics area that need to be considered in the course of the review. Particular attention is paid to problems of harmonization of SNA with related standards of the International Monetary Fund. The 1968 SNA provided a place in the framework for financial accounts and balance sheets, but did not develop them in any detail. In the 19 years since the revised SNA was published, policy and analytic interest in financial questions has greatly increased, and much work has been done on conceptual development and statistical compilation of financial statistics, both within and outside of the SNA framework. It is now apparent that some of the early decisions taken when financial considerations were not the focus of attention need reconsideration, some of the makeshift solutions that have grown up over time are no longer adequate, and some issues that have not been dealt with at all need to be addressed. This paper is not intended to propose solutions, but rather to reflect questions that have been raised, and to present alternatives that have been proposed.

Notes: This paper develops a rationale for a comprehensive measure of income and provides illustrative calculations within the Canadian System of National Accounts for making adjustments to net worth for price changes.The paper notes that the System of National Accounts is designed to provide a number of individual aggregates measuring total production, income, savings and net worth. There is no single overall comprehensive measure which reflects the combined effect of changes in income and wealth. Such a measure is of particular importance in periods of rapid or extensive price changes which affect not only purchasing power of income but also the value of assets held and liabilities outstanding with consequences on net worth positions. This paper explores these issues and develops techniques for measuring the effects of specific and overall price changes with respect to net worth of the various sectors in the economy, illustrated with data from the integrated Canadian System of National Accounts.

Notes: The recognition of differences among the major sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, commerce, or manufacturing, has a considerable tradition in economic thinking. Also, there is evidence that important national and international predicaments of our time are closely related to sectoral-structural developments. Yet economists in the developed countries are often disinclined to study the shifts among the megasectors.This paper suggests that an intensified study of the topic may be profitable. In order to support this proposition it first reflects on the traditions of sectoral emphasis in literature. Second, it considers the evidence for the ascendancy of the quaternary activities. Third, it deals with the input-output relations among the four megasectors of the economy. Thereafter it points to the emergence of potential inefficiencies among quaternary activities and raises the possibility of a megasector misequilibrium. Finally it outlines certain connections to the thoughts of Leontief and Sraffa; considers services in the neoclassical framework; explores the relationships to institutional thought; and ponders the extension of its basic hypothesis to the developing nations, the socialist countries, and to historical analysis.

Notes: The French national accounts applied the insurance production assessment method recommended by the European system of accounts (ESA), for the years 1970 to 1985, in a particularly turbulent economic and financial environment. A better understanding of the sector was thereby obtained, but the problems set by the very “technical” production assessment method were thus brought to light. These problems are still not solved by the present accounting system, since, to summarize matters, it hides the importance of the sector's “financial” activity, whereas in fact the income drawn from this activity contributes to a high extent to the global balance of insurance operations. This is of course related to the reasons why in certain countries insurance companies are considered more as savings collecting and investment institutions rather than risk transformers.This report sheds light on the significance of the present premiums, indemnities and reserves recording method and then presents the new method chosen by the french accounts to assess production; finally it analyses the remaining difficulties relating mainly to capital gains.

Notes: National and Sector Balance Sheets are playing an increasingly important role in economic analysis. This article reviews the actual and potential applications and considers whether there is a case for modifying SNA practice and recommendations to increase the value of the contribution that balance sheets can make to analytical work.The major sections of the article relate respectively to financial and non-financial items in national and sector balance sheets. In the context of financial items, there is discussion of the perception of what constitutes an individual's total financial portfolio and therefore which items should be included or excluded when assessing the financial assets of the household sector (e.g. various forms of pension entitlement and life assurance). The relevance of marketability is considered as is the possibility of attempting to identify a separate domestic households sub-sector. The other main topic considered in relation to financial balance sheets is the relevance of adopting a single approach to valuation; alternatives are considered in relation to the stock of public sector debt.So far as non-financial assets are concerned, difficulties arise with the national accounting practice of treating the acquisition of consumer durables and military assets as current expenditure. While it is considered, on balance, best to continue to treat the purchase of consumer durables as current expenditure, though recording the value of the stock of durables outside the main body of balance sheets, it is recommended that “non-fighting” assets such as transport ships and aircraft and hospitals should be treated as capital assets. The treatment of sub-soil assets and the valuation of fixed assets is also discussed.Reconciling balance sheets with flows data is an essential step if balance sheets are to be fully exploited; some comments are offered on the UN guidelines on this topic.

Notes: Problems raised in the article relate to the treatment of services in a planned economy. While the theoretical discussion argues for change in the conceptual framework for qualifying and measuring the output of the service sector, the practice of statistical reporting is still based on the classical concept of the material product system (MPS) of national accounts. The first part of the article gives an outline of the MPS background and presents major theoretical and practical dilemmas of measurement of services in the non-material sphere of production. The second part is an empirical investigation of interrelatedness between production in the material sphere and services created in the non-material sphere in Poland during the period 1970–81. Correlation and elasticity of growth analysis as well as structural forecasting methods were used in order to demonstrate the strong relation between the development of the material and non-material spheres of production, and the favorable position of services in terms of factor productivities with their low potential for dynamic structural changes in the future. For the purpose of empirical analysis, the service sector output was estimated by using an extended version of MPS. There are two major conclusions to be drawn from the analysis. The first is that the classical concept of MPS not only inadequately copes with changes resulting from economic reforms in Poland but produces more and more dilemmas and practical problems. The second conclusion calls for a more active approach to services in development programming and planning.

Notes: This paper is addressed to the question of how far income distribution statistics currently available in Latin America can be relied upon, either to assess the degree of inequality in the national distribution of income or to undertake comparisons between countries or over time. It gives a summary account of research carried out on Latin American data.The sources available in Latin America for estimating income distributions are discussed. Concentrating the attention on household surveys conducted in various Latin American countries, an inventory of such surveys and their characteristics is offered, along with a detailed exposition of survey methods and income concepts used for estimating household income. Methods used for assessing the representativeness of samples are summarily reviewed. The case for comparing income data from household surveys and population censuses with national accounts estimates is put forward, along with the procedures and assumptions used for carrying out such comparisons. The relative discrepancy between the two sources is taken as indicative of the degree of underestimation of each type of income in each survey. An analysis of such discrepancies across the set of surveys considered gives clues on possible underestimation biases in measuring each type of income and total household income in different types of survey and in population censuses.Differential effects on comparability of survey results call for appropriate methods of adjusting income distribution estimates to account for the missing incomes. A method for carrying out such an adjustment is applied to income distributions from a selected number of Latin American surveys. The results obtained provide an indication of how much difference it makes to use unadjusted or adjusted data to assess income concentration or to carry out comparisons over time or space.

Notes: The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has recently published a set of experimental estimates of gross State product at factor cost and its income components for the States of Australia (1): The regular compilation and publication of the estimates is also commencing. In compiling the estimates, certain conceptual issues were confronted. Others were recognized but have not required final resolution as yet because they are beyond the scope of the estimates presently compiled.This paper considers the development of a framework for regional accounts for countries with regional characteristics broadly similar to those of the Australian States by starting with the SNA framework that applies at the national Ievel. The difficulties that arise are highlighted and alternative approaches for dealing with specific issues discussed. These alternative approaches can have a significant impact on measured State relativities and performance over time. In some instances the choice between approaches may be narrowed because of practical considerations in the same way that the SNA is a conceptual framework that nevertheless has to take account of practicalities. The issues largely involve consideration as to whether or not to regard certain activities as extra-territorial in nature. If an extra-territorial concept is not adopted choices must be made on how to allocate data items related to such activities by State.

Notes: This paper reviews the underlying concepts and definitions of SNA and MPS in order to identify those areas where the differences in the content or classifications of the corresponding aggregates of these systems of national accounting can be eliminated or reduced in the course of the present or the future work on the revision of both SNA and MPS. This will bring the systems nearer to each other and improve international comparability of national income data. In cases where such a reconciliation is not feasible, the introduction of certain modifications or clarifications in the selected sections of SNA and/or MPS will be a useful step.Pursuing this objective, the paper introduces the following classification of the intersystem differences:—differences in the fundamental concepts and definitions;—differences caused by the peculiarities in the—institutional set up;—so called “incidental” differences.On examining the above classification the paper comes to the conclusion that each group requires its own approach. The second conclusion is that possibilities for reducing intersystem differences are more promising in the case of the third group.The paper uses the simplified MPS matrix in order to demonstrate the usefulness of certain modifications in the MPS classifications. These modifications do not imply any deviations from the fundamental concepts and yet they could facilitate international comparability.The paper also discusses certain modifications (or clarifications) concerning some aggregates which could be useful in the context of international comparisons.

Notes: The paper presents some estimates of the imputed dollar value of household work (HW)for Canada in 1961 and 1971, finding this to be about $16 and $38 billion respectively, equal to 40 percent of GNP. From the results we derive some implications about five questions raised in the relevant literature. First, no clear evidence of a downward trend for the ratio HW/GNP is found, contrary to U.S. results. Second, addition of HW to GNP as a welfare measure does not affect the general pattern of past growth estimates. Third, a cost–by-function method of estimating HW is found superior in its theoretical support and the detail it provides, but the opportunity-cost method, despite doubts on its theoretical validity, gives a good approximation in the aggregate, and, being simpler, is likely to remain popular. Fourth, disaggregation does matter if detail by region or family type is required, in which case data by number and ages of children and market-employment status of females are needed; for the total, a reasonable estimate (6–7 percent error)is given by further aggregated data. Fifth, sensitivity of HW to accuracy in the data used is large only for female wages chosen, in particular for the function “cooking”. Finally, though available data must be manipulated to fit the needs of HW, especially for earlier years, the extent of this is not all that much more than is commonly found for GNP estimations.

Notes: This paper discusses the problem of valuing the time spent on household production and presents estimates of that production for the United States in 1960 and 1970. The estimates are derived by using both opportunity cost and market cost valuations of household time. A comparative analysis of these estimates concludes first that opportunity cost estimates exceeded market cost estimates by 1.0 to 3.0 percent of the GNP. Second, the ratio of household production to the GNP, although declining slightly between 1960 and 1970, may in the long run tend to be relatively stable. These conclusions do not support the popular views that over time household production will decline in relative magnitude, or that the opportunity cost method of valuing household time, relative to the market cost method, is significantly upward biased.

Notes: Construction has traditionally constituted one of the problem areas in the preparation of industry price and quantity statistm with in the system of national accounts of most countries. The difficulty stems from what is considered to be the unique character of construction projects. This has unnecessarily impeded the calculation of output price indexes and has resulted in the use of various input-based prices as proxies for output prices.One of the objectives of the development of the system of construction price statistics described in this paper is to permit deflation of the outputs of construction industries in order to produce industry output data in constant prices in a manner consistent with measures for the rest of the economy. This is a more promising approach to improving constant price industry and expenditure measures within the SNA framework than attempting such improvements through the collection of a vast array of quantity data.Construction industries sell specified configurations of materials-in-place which are, to borrow the jargon of other fields, sub-assemblies of some total system. As in other areas of industrial pricing, some of these products are simple and some are complex. Trade contractors sell these sub-assemblies or commodities mainly to an owner-builder or to a general contractor who, in turn, resells the trade contractors’ commodities along with whatever sub-assemblies the general contractor has produced. These sub-assemblies, when combined with, for example, the relevant outputs (or sub-assemblies) of manufacturers, the design services of service industries and the purchasers’ own contributions, yield the wide variety of plant and structures which constitute the various classes of gross fixed capital formation, which are not typically solely the outputs of the construction industries.The resulting contractors’ selling price indexes will provide deflators for the whole range of outputs of the various construction industries. These will become part of the system of industry selling price indexes from which relevant indexes for the various goods and services can be selected and combined with appropriate weights to yield arrays of deflators for the highly complex capital expenditures of business, institutions and government.Ultimately this integrated system of construction industry statistics will permit the preparation of gross output and value added measures, in both current and constant prices, to be calculated for the construction industries as an integral part of the Canadian System of National Accounts, as well as provide a key element for improving the deflation of fixed capital formation.

Notes: The constant price method is used here to evaluate transfers related to inflation either between households and other economic agents (essentially enterprises) or among groups of households defined by occupation, age class and so on. The results obtained are only fragmentary due to a lack of many pieces of information. The method requires in fact the splitting up of every value variation into a price component and a size component.Nevertheless, some interesting results are shown. In recent years, if the total productivity surplus has always been positive, the wealth surplus of households is sometimes positive, sometimes negative. Concerning the distribution of the productivity surplus among household groups, it has not been possible to find significant distortions, other than those which are related to differences in the propensity to save. On the contrary, marked distortions appear in the distribution of the wealth surplus due to wide differences in estate composition and indebtedness level.