What Is Net National Product (NNP)?
Net National Product (NNP) measures the monetary value of all finished goods and services produced by a country’s citizens, both domestically and abroad, during a specific period, after accounting for depreciation. It provides insights into a nation’s economic strength and sustainability.
Key Takeaways
- NNP Calculation: NNP is Gross National Product (GNP) minus depreciation.
- Annual Insight: It’s commonly assessed on an annual basis to ensure continuous production standards are maintained.
- Environmentally Focused: Though GDP is more popular for national income measurement, NNP is crucial in environmental economics.
Understanding Net National Product (NNP)
NNP is critical for monitoring a nation’s economic performance as it incorporates the income of all citizens, irrespective of where they earn it, and recognizes the need to reinvest in capital to sustain production levels.
NNP values differ by country and are expressed in the national currency. For instance, in the United States, it’s measured in dollars (USD), whereas in European Union nations, it’s gauged in euros (EUR).
Calculating NNP
NNP can be derived using:
- Combined Market Value Approach:
divide
NP = MVFG + MVFS - Depreciation
Where:
- MVFG = Market value of finished goods
- MVFS = Market value of finished services
- GNP Based Method
NNP = Gross National Product - Depreciation
Example Calculation of NNP
Imagine Country A produces $1 trillion worth of goods and $3 trillion worth of services in a given year, with asset depreciation totaling $500 billion:
NNP = $1 trillion + $3 trillion - $0.5 trillion = $3.5 trillion
Recording Depreciation
Depreciation, or capital consumption allowance (CCA), is pivotal when calculating NNP. It reflects the need to replace assets to maintain national productivity. Depreciation falls into two categories:
- Physical Capital: Includes real estate, machinery, and other tangible assets influenced by physical wear and tear.
- Human Capital: Involves workforce skills, knowledge, and capabilities requiring investment in training and education. Workforce turnover impacts human capital depreciation.
Special Considerations
Environmental Economics
NNP is vital in environmental economics for assessing the depletion of natural resources and the sustainability of certain economic activities.
Foreign-Made Products
Unlike GDP and NDP, which focus on domestic boundaries, NNP includes the value of goods and services produced by citizens abroad, such as U.S. manufacturers operating in other countries.
Related Terms: GNP, GDP, depreciation, net domestic product, capital consumption.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. “Net National Product (NNP)”.