GDP-B: Accounting for the Value of New and Free Goods

A-Tier
Journal: American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics
Year: 2025
Volume: 17
Issue: 4
Pages: 312-44

Authors (5)

Erik Brynjolfsson (not in RePEc) Avinash Collis (not in RePEc) W. Erwin Diewert (University of British Columbia) Felix Eggers (not in RePEc) Kevin J. Fox (UNSW Sydney)

Score contribution per author:

0.807 = (α=2.02 / 5 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

The welfare contributions of new goods and free goods are not well-measured in standard statistical agency metrics like GDP or productivity. We derive explicit terms for the contributions of these goods and introduce a new framework and metric, GDP-B, which quantifies their benefits. We apply this framework to several empirical examples, including Facebook and smartphone cameras, and estimate their valuations through incentive-compatible choice experiments. Our new approach can help measure welfare changes over time and reveal which goods and innovations contribute the most to economic growth and well-being.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aejmac:v:17:y:2025:i:4:p:312-44
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
5
Added to Database
2026-01-25