Economic Impact Analysis
Fast, lightweight estimates of GDP (value added), employment, wages, and NZ-content — built for Aotearoa funding, investment, and reporting.
Start with the free Impact Calculator for indicative numbers. When the results need to stand up in a board pack, funding bid, or public report, we provide reviewed analysis with clear boundaries and transparent assumptions.
Impact calculator (economic multipliers)
Estimate output, value added (GDP), and employment impacts from revenue or an investment, using regional multipliers.
- Select region and industry, then run scenarios
- Designed for scoping; desktop recommended
- Includes glossary and practical examples
Note: the calculator is designed for education and early-stage scoping — use reviewed analysis for external reporting.
Rapid economic impact note
A short, analyst-reviewed estimate you can drop into a funding application, investment memo, or annual report.
- GDP/value added, employment (FTE or job-years), wages, NZ-content
- Direct / indirect / induced breakdown (as appropriate)
- One-page executive summary + assumptions table
Best when you need credible numbers quickly, without a heavyweight report.
Decision-ready report + monitoring (optional)
For scrutiny: clear boundaries, scenario testing, and (optional) quarterly tracking for boards, investors, and agencies.
- National and regional results, with explicit “what’s in / what’s out”
- Scenarios (e.g., conservative / base / stretch; local procurement)
- Optional monitoring pack for regular updates
Built for decisions, not just reporting.
Economic impact ≠ SROI
Economic impact shows how activity ripples through the economy (GDP/jobs/wages). SROI values outcomes (social value). They complement each other — but shouldn’t be mixed into one headline number.
See SROI services →What we need
To keep this light and fast, we work from a small set of inputs:
- Location(s) and timeframe
- Spend or revenue (and what it’s spent on)
- Local share / NZ-content assumptions (if known)
How defensible are multipliers?
Multipliers are useful for direction and communication — and they have limitations. We state assumptions, show sensitivities where it matters, and avoid over-claiming.
Read the FAQs →Start with the calculator (indicative)
The Impact Calculator uses multiplier logic to illustrate how revenue or investment in one industry and location can ripple through the economy. It’s a practical way to get an initial view of output, GDP (value added), and employment before you invest time in a full analysis.
The calculator is intentionally simple: it supports quick scenarios, helps people learn the terminology, and makes assumptions visible rather than hidden.
Economic impact services (light and fast)
Economic impacts are the indirect effects of business activity: benefits to suppliers, flow-on jobs, and additional spending supported by wages. A multipliers-based analysis quantifies these ripple effects in a way that’s straightforward to communicate.
What we can report
- GDP / value added (usually the most defensible headline)
- Employment (FTE or job-years, depending on context)
- Wages / household income (where appropriate)
- Output (useful, but easy to overstate — we keep it in context)
- NZ-content / local share (how much spend stays in-region / in-country)
Option 1 — Snapshot (tool + light review)
Best for quick scoping and internal use. You run the calculator, then we sanity-check inputs and sector selection and help you frame the result responsibly.
- Input check (region, industry mapping, revenue/investment framing)
- Low/base/high sensitivity (where inputs are uncertain)
- One-slide summary you can paste into a deck
Option 2 — Rapid Economic Impact Note (reviewed)
Best for funding, investment, and stakeholder comms when the numbers need to be defensible but the scope must stay tight.
- Clear boundary definition (geography, timeframe, inclusions/exclusions)
- GDP/value added, employment, wages, NZ-content (as relevant)
- Executive summary + assumptions table + comms-ready chart
Option 3 — Decision-ready Report + Monitoring (optional)
Best when the work will be challenged, compared across options, or repeated over time.
- Scenario testing (e.g., procurement localisation, location choices, staged investment)
- Conservative / base / stretch results, with drivers clearly explained
- Optional quarterly monitoring pack for repeat reporting
Method (transparent by design)
We keep the method simple, documented, and auditable:
- Scope: define geography, timeframe, and what is (and isn’t) being claimed
- Inputs: structure spend/revenue so it maps cleanly to an industry classification
- Multipliers: apply direct / indirect / induced logic consistently
- Stress-test: sensitivities for uncertain inputs; avoid double counting
What we need from you
To keep turnaround fast, we start with the minimum viable dataset and only add complexity if it changes the decision.
- Geography: where the activity happens (and where spend lands, if known)
- Timeframe: one-off project, annual operations, or multi-year programme
- Activity base: revenue, investment amount, operating spend, capex/opex split
- Spend breakdown (even rough): major categories and expected local share
- Context: what the numbers will be used for (internal / funding / board / public)
If you’re unsure about inputs, start with the calculator. We can then convert that scoping run into a reviewed note with proper framing.
FAQs
Is this a forecast?
No. Economic impact (multiplier) analysis is best treated as an estimate of ripple effects under stated assumptions, not a prediction of what will happen in the economy.
Which headline number should we use: output, GDP, or jobs?
GDP/value added is typically the most defensible “headline” metric. Output is intuitive but can overstate significance if used alone. We usually report all three with clear interpretation.
Can you report net additional impact?
Yes, when the context requires it. The crucial step is defining the claim (contribution vs additionality) and documenting any adjustments clearly.
Can you do this nationally and by region?
Yes — and we’ll recommend the geography that matches the decision. Regional results matter when local procurement, local jobs, or regional development are the point.
How does this relate to SROI?
SROI values outcomes (wellbeing change) and requires evidence on counterfactuals and attribution. Economic impact focuses on economic activity supported. They can sit together in a report, but they shouldn’t be combined into one headline metric.
Talk to us
Share what you’re analysing, what data you have, and how the numbers will be used. We’ll recommend the lightest option that still meets your standard of evidence.