To inform the work of the Innovation Policy Forum, an ad hoc planning committee under the oversight of the Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy (STEP), in cooperation with the Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT), will organize a two-day workshop to improve the understanding, measurement, and valuation of global value chains. A global value chain is a network of financially-independent companies located around the world involved in the production of a good or service and its global level supply, distribution, and post-sales activities. Drawing on the expertise of recognized experts on economics, industrial organization, trade, other social sciences; accounting and taxation of multinational enterprises; and statistics, along with the perspectives of personnel of national statistical offices, the workshop participants will:

1. explore efforts already under way to address gaps in national statistical systems with respect to the impact of global value chains;
2. offer perspectives on the highest priority efforts needed to improve supply- and value-chain data;
3. consider how to modify statistical systems to gather and incorporate the improved data; and
4. suggest ways to help the system respond to ongoing and future changes in the structure and organization of the economy.

The committee will commission original research papers as background for the workshop. A proceedings of the presentations and discussions at the workshop will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.