The concept of Gross National Income (GNI) is widely used by international organizations and NGOs when measuring the economic performance of a nation. GNI is a measure of the total economic activity within a country and takes into account both the production of goods and services and the income of its citizens. GNI is often used to compare the economic performance of different countries, and to measure changes in social progress over time.
The measurement of GNI is based on the United Nations System of National Accounts (UNSCA). This system is the internationally accepted framework for monitoring and analyzing economic activities in a country and provides a mechanism for producing reliable, comparable and up-to-date information about a nation’s economic performance. UNSCA defines GNI as the sum of household consumption expenditure, gross investment, government expenditure on goods and services, plus net factor income from abroad.
In order to properly account for a nation’s GNI, it is important that information from multiple sources is collected and analyzed. This includes data on macroeconomic aggregates, such as gross domestic product (GDP) and net factor income; data on the income and expenditure of households, the production of goods and services; the consumption of goods and services; and the external financial activities of a country (such as international trade and overseas investment).
The UNSCA also outlines how these various sources of information should be used in order to calculate GNI. The first step is to identify and estimate the value added of activities carried out during the period that are relevant to the calculation of GNI. This includes component activities such as the production of goods, services and the exchange of money. The value of outputs must then be estimated and calculated, taking into account all types of inputs, the impact of taxation and social security contributions, and the factor income received by households. These estimates can then be used to calculate actual GNI, taking into account all the activities relevant to GNI in the period.
Furthermore, nations also have the opportunity to adjust their GNI measurement in order to better capture the economic performance of the nation. This could include adjustments for the impact of price changes or population change on purchasing power, or measuring the direct effect of financial activities (such as banking and insurance) on GNI.
GNI is an important tool for governments, businesses, and citizens as it provides valuable insight into the economic performance of a nation as well as how it compares with other countries and over time. This can help inform policy decisions, business strategies and individual choices in order to maximize the benefit that a nation enjoys and attain optimal standards of living.