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A compact file detailing sources and notes by country and account are given in the Economic Outlook Statistical Sources file. 

For further details of specific variables and coverage issues see:

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If you are looking specifically for explanations of words, abbreviations or concepts, please consult the OECD Statistical Glossary.

Table 20 Employment rates, participation rates and labour force
Table 21 Potential GDP, employment and capital stock
Table 22 Structural unemployment, wage shares and unit labour costs

See notes to Annex Tables 13, 14 and 15.

Last updated:  15 March 2007

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Definition and Notes: Potential GDP is estimated using a production function method with the exact specification varying across countries depending on data availability. For most countries potential output is estimated using data on the capital stock, total factor productivity and potential employment, which in part depends on estimates of the structural rate of unemployment (NAIRU). For countries where relevant component data are not available, potential output estimates are based on filtered trend values of actual GDP.  It should be noted that potential output estimates are subject to significant margins of error.
For further details see Giorno et al. (1995), Richardson et al (2000), Turner et al (2001), Beffy et al. (2006) and Gianella et al. (2008) and Guichard and Rusticelli (forthcoming).
The definition of employment can be found in the notes to Annex Tables 13, 14 and 15. Capital stocks of the total economy (less housing services) are developed by the OECD Statistics Directorate using data from national sources.
Related links:  National Accounts , The 1993 System of National Accounts, Glossary 

Last updated:  December 2011

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Definition: OECD estimates of structural rates of unemployment are defined as the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment (NAIRU) and derived for each Member country using the methods as described in Richardson et al (2000), Turner et al (2001), Beffy et al. (2006) and Gianella et al. (2008) and Guichard and Rusticelli (forthcoming). It should be noted that estimated NAIRUs are subject to significant margins of error.
NAIRU estimates relate to unemployment rates as defined in table 13. Unit labour costs refer to the total economy and are calculated as employee compensation per unit of real output.
Related links:  National Accounts , The 1993 System of National Accounts, Glossary 

Last updated:  December 2011

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Back to the Notes

Related Documents

OECD Economic Outlook No. 78, December 2005

OECD Economic Outlook No. 75 Annex Tables - Table of Contents

Economic Outlook Database Inventory