Is the SNA Still Useful? A Review Article on The Measure of Progress: Counting What Really Matters

Paul Schreyer

International Productivity Monitor, 2025, vol. 49, 116-124

Abstract: Diane Coyle’s The Measure of Progress offers a thought-provoking critique of traditional economic metrics, particularly GDP and the System of National Accounts (SNA). These metrics, she argues, are inadequate for capturing the complexities of modern economies and fail to provide a satisfactory answer to the question, “Are things getting better, and for whom?”. This review article summarizes the key arguments, highlights the book’s main contributions, and offers reflections on how the proposals intersect with recent advances in economic measurement.

Date: 2025
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