Quality issues affecting the compilation of U.S. merchandise trade statistics

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Walter, Bruce C.

Affiliations: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division, Washington, DC 20233, USA

Abstract: Producing useful high quality trade statistics is increasingly important given the current interest in using the United States trade statistics as a key indicator of the nation's economic well being. This objective is complicated by the limited resources available to collect and compile the statistics. Recently the U.S. introduced a number of significant changes in its trade statistics program. The impact of these changes will be discussed particularly as they relate to the quality of the data. In addition, other quality issues which have yet to be addressed will be explored along with some outlook for the chances of addressing them.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1991-8106

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 69-83, 1991