SCB Centennial Homepage

Original Articles

To commemorate the centennial of the Survey of Current Business, we commissioned original articles from former and current BEA staff, academics, and researchers on topics that examine BEA's evolution and accomplishments from a historical perspective as well as provide fresh perspective on recurring themes from the last 100 years.

Some Inflection Points in BEA's Pursuit of Its Mission

Former BEA Director Carol S. Carson, whose affiliation with BEA dates back many decades, discusses five inflection points in BEA's pursuit of timely, relevant, and accurate economic information.

July 2020

The Origins of the Survey of Current Business: A Window on the Evolution of Economic Policy, Research, and Statistics

Dr. Andrew D. Reamer, a research professor at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy at George Washington University and a longtime BEA Advisory Committee member, discusses the Survey's early role in economic stabilization policy and in the development of national income accounting.

October 2020

BEA's Regional Program: Challenges and Milestones

BEA Economist Paul K. Medzerian of the Regional Income Division discusses some of the history of BEA's Regional Economic Accounts, as well as some of the challenges unique to the development of regional statistics.

December 2020

Including Illegal Market Activity in the U.S. National Economic Accounts

Rachel Soloveichik, a BEA research economist, discusses tracking illegal market activity in the national accounts, updating and extending a two-part 1984 article on the underground economy by former BEA Director Carol Carson.

February 2021

Estimating GDP for the U.S. Territories

BEA economists Aya Hamano and Sabrina L. Montes provide an overview of the evolution of estimating GDP for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, including unique challenges and opportunities.

May 2021

Steve Landefeld Looks Back and Forward

Former BEA Director Steve Landefeld answers questions from the Survey about BEA's progress over the last four decades and its “GDP and Beyond” initiative.

July 2021