Going for Growth was launched in 2005 as a new form of structural surveillance complementing the OECD’s long-standing country and sector-specific surveys. In line with the OECD’s 1960 founding Convention, the aim is to help promote vigorous sustainable economic growth and improve the well-being of OECD citizens.

This surveillance is based on a systematic and in-depth analysis of structural policies and their outcomes across OECD members, relying on a set of internationally comparable and regularly updated policy indicators with a well-established link to performance. Using these indicators, alongside the expertise of OECD committees and staff, policy priorities and recommendations are derived for each member and, since the 2011 issue, six key non-member economies with which the OECD works closely (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russian Federation and South Africa). From one issue to the next, Going for Growth follows up on these recommendations and priorities evolve, not least as a result of governments taking action on the identified policy priorities.

Underpinning this type of benchmarking is the observation that drawing lessons from mutual success and failure is a powerful avenue for progress. While allowance should be made for genuine differences in social preferences across OECD members, the uniqueness of national circumstances should not serve to justify inefficient policies.

In gauging performance, the focus is on GDP per capita, productivity and employment. As highlighted in the past and again in this issue, this leaves out some important dimensions of well-being. For this reason, Going for Growth regularly features thematic chapters dedicated to these other dimensions, and increasingly looks at the side effects of growth-enhancing priorities on other government policy objectives.

Going for Growth is the fruit of a joint effort across a large number of OECD Departments.