This paper briefly discusses the history of input output tables, the System of National Accounts, the data that is available, and the methodology used to adapt the South African 2014 input output table into a South African cultural and creative industries
All government interventions have got a purpose and a goal. Interventions require resources which are scarce. It is therefore important for government to know which interventions are going to realise the best impact. In many cases, it is easy to estimate what the output is going to be. However, it is more difficult to estimate what the impact is going to be. As the old cliché goes “if you can’t measure it you can’t manage it”.
Although there is a good deal of data in South Africa, it is not always relevant to particular sectors. This is the case for the cultural and creative industries. The arts and culture sector is a particular challenge because it includes both intrinsic and extrinsic value. From a macroeconomic point of view extrinsic value includes economic growth, employment, poverty alleviation and equity as the most important measures to consider. The intrinsic value is very difficult to estimate. Estimating the extrinsic value, on the other hand, is hampered by the availability of data. Therefore, the data has to be estimated. This is best done using reliable available data. Using a model or economic system can facilitate this.
As part of the System of National Accounts, input output tables derived from supply and use tables are essential to ensure that the national estimates are correct. The input output tables are also useful to derive estimates of the expected socio-economic benefits that are to be derived from any government intervention.
This paper briefly discusses the history of input output tables, the System of National Accounts, the data that is available, and the methodology used to adapt the South African 2014 input output table into a South African cultural and creative industries input output table. It also includes the input output table in the appendix. Estimating the anticipated impact of interventions is important to allocate scarce resources.
To estimate the impact, data and appropriate methods are necessary. There is a problem with comprehensive and accurate CCI data in South Africa.
The suitable model that can be used to estimate the anticipated impact is input output analysis. This measures both the forward and backward linkages in a systematic fashion.
There is no CCI input output table for South Africa. The table has therefore been constructed using the South African 2014 input output table and other available data sources. The constructed CCI input output table it is not aligned to the UNESCO classifications of CCIs (or any other CCI classification systems). This table can however be used to estimate the impact of various policies and interventions.
