Source Data & Considerations

Primary Data Sources

Considerations & Assumptions

1. Not all countries follow common recommendations for categorizing packaged software, software development, and technology hardware (goods) exports- such as the Handbook on Measuring Digital Trade. (OECD, WTO, & IMF, 2020) ICT Service Exports (indicator code BXSOTCM_BP6_USD) will be the primary indicator for all technology service exports.
2. Not all economies report using the IMF BoP BPM6 standard. Economies not in compliance with BPM6 are excluded from analysis.
3. As of the date of writing this report, not all countries have reported all data for 2021. For countries that have not reported a value for a specific indicator in 2021 used in a model, their 2020 value will be used.
4. If there is an omission for a country’s indicator in a specific year, the value will be calculated by averaging the preceding and following year’s indicator value.
5. Statistical outliers that report significantly high BoP or COMTRADE data due to various tax schemes (such as Luxembourg) are omitted from models.
6. Given the uncertainty in migration due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, forward-looking calculations will use Ukraine’s 2021 population.

Acronyms & Definitions