Economic impact
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Economic impact
Economic impact is the unilateral causality between economic notions on the one hand, and outcomes of a private and/or public project, decision, event or policy on the other hand. It may be viewed (or measured) in terms of measurable output: value added, wealth, personal income (wages), public income and expenditures or employment levels[1], but also in non-financial terms such as the increase of welfare due to a decrease in crime or an increase in leisure activities.
Description
In general, economists distinguish direct, indirect and induced economic effects. Direct economic effects are also referred to as 'primary effects' and indirect and induced economic effects are also collectively referred to as 'secondary economic effects'. The total economic impact of a development plan, threat or security measure is the sum of primary and secondary economic effects within a host economy (e.g. a city, county, region or country. These economic effects are viewed or measured with the help of economic tools, and translated in financial and economic (output)terms such as income, financial damage, value added, employment, etc.
Economic impacts always refer to an area's level of economic activity (in terms of jobs, income, wealth, etc.) and should not be confused with the monetary value of an individual's or society's willingness to pay for e.g. safety, leisure, clean air and so on (the economic concept of external impact[2]).
Economic impact of a project development plan
With regard to an urban development plan, economists primarily focus on the costs and benefits induced by this plan, including transaction costs and public budget effects[3]. Social impact, in contrast, focuses more on the more qualitative effects of a project for society. Examples of social impact of urban planning are: the impact on the quality of life in general, the labour market, crime, safety, health, and so on.
The economic impact of security threats (crime & terrorism) is mostly negative due to the damage on buildings, infrastructure, human beings and so on. The goal of security measures is to mitigate the economic effects of crime and terrorism, but also security measures create an economic impact[4], referred to as the economic effects of security measures. Criminals and terrorist, finally, will alter their behaviour in reply to security measures to reach their goal (as much as possible gain against as least as possible costs). In Securipedia we explain this phenomenon in the pages on the economics of criminal and terrorist behaviour.
Categories of economic impact
Securipedia is focusing on the following four subdimensions of economic impact, all regarded of paramount importance for the urban planner:
- The economic impact of urban planning
- The economic impact of security threats
- The economic impact of security measures
- The economics of crime and terrorism
Economists use various definitions and terminology for categorizing economic impacts. The two main categories of economic impact are primary and secondary economic impacts, also referred to as direct and indirect economic impact.
Primary (direct) economic impact
Primary economic impact (or direct effects) are generally defined as the initial, immediate economic output generated by a specific urban project development. The construction company in charge of building the urban object, for example, will pay its employees and will pay its suppliers. The user of the urban object will gain utility from the use of the particular urban object.
Secondary (indirect) economic impact
Secondary economic impact (or indirect effects) are generated each time a subsequent transaction is made. The suppliers of the construction company responsible for the construction of the urban project, for example, will also pay their employees and will buy supplies from subsequent suppliers. Furthermore, the employees will spend their wages on housing and other consumption goods and services. These are all examples of secondary economic impacts.
Below an example how € 1 spent on construction generates € 1 of primary economic output and € 1.19 of secondary economic output in another sector:
Gross and net economic impacts
Economic impact is mostly measured in terms of the urban object’s effect on the level of economic activities in a given area. This is what economists refer to as the gross economic effect, which is not necessarily the same as the net economic impact [5]. The measurement of the net economic impact includes the effects of other activities, policy or events that should be considered as well, especially when they would have had a more prominent function in the urban environment. An example: The development of an indoor shopping mall will compete with the already existing retail shops. Therefore, the jobs created in the mall will for a substantial part be shifted away from the latter mentioned stores unless the total consumption in the area will increase (e.g. due to an increase in tourism). The net economic impact takes account of the economic impact on all retail stores in the designated area.
Related subjects
Types of economic impact:
- Economic impact of urban planning
- Economic impact of security threats
- Economic impact of security measures
- Economics of criminal and terrorist behaviour
Other related subjects:
Footnotes and references
- ↑ Source: B. and G. Weisbrod (1997). Measuring economic impacts of projects and programs. Economic Development Research Group.
- ↑ See e.g.: http://www.wind-energy-the-facts.org/en/environment/chapter-4.-externalities-and-wind-compared-to-other-technologies/economic-concept-of-external-effects.html
- ↑ Source: Jongeneel, R., H. Leneman (eds), J. Bremmer, V.G.M. Linderhof, R. Michels, N.P.B. Polman & A.B. Smit (2009). Impact assessment of economic and social consequences of environmental and nature policies; the development of a framework and a checklist. Wageningen, Statutory Research Tasks Unit for Nature and the Environment. WOt-rapport 96.
- ↑ Think for example of the security measures on airports which have lead to a decrease in travel time.
- ↑ See also: B. and G. Weisbrod (1997). Measuring economic impacts of projects and programs. Economic Development Research Group.
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