Briefing

The numbers racket

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INTERNATIONAL comparisons of growth figures have become even more hazardous than usual in recent years, because countries use different statistical methods to adjust for changes over time in the quality of computers. As investment in information technology has increased, so has the size of the potential statistical error.

This article appeared in the Briefing section of the print edition under the headline “The numbers racket”

Euroshambles

From the September 16th 2000 edition

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