In simplest terms, an index directs you to relevant data.
The concept of an index is not a modern one. The origins of the word, index, derive from in (Latin), meaning towards, plus indic (Latin) meaning forefinger or informer. The word, index, makes an appearance in Shakespeare’s, Hamlet, when Queen Gertrude asks: “Ay me, what act, / That roars so loud, and thunders in the index?” The meaning possibly refers to a signaling, or prelude (indexes were placed in the front of books during that time).
Today, there are several different types of indexes that direct users, readers, researchers, and investors to relevant data in the areas of computing, economics, mathematics, physics, publishing, and library/information science. In finance, an index typically refers to a statistical measure of change in a securities market.
For supply market research, as defined on the Supply Market Intelligence Index Virtual Library landing page, indexes provide data measurement benchmarks for price fluctuations, quantity and production of goods and services, worldwide economies, as well as indicating geopolitical, environmental, and supplier risk intensity. As newly launched or annually updated indexes are released, it is helpful for those needing market intelligence to be made aware of what is being published, even if the data is not directly needed at the moment.
Here are indexes that have been added to the Library in the first half of 2021. The indexes below are organized by these categories: Contingent Labor and Workforce, Country and Geopolitical Risk, COVID-19 Impact, Diversity and Inclusion, Economic, Energy, Logistics and Transportation, Marketing, and Procurement/Supply Chain. Some of the indexes are newly launched and some, although having been around awhile, have just been discovered for inclusion. Most of the indexes are open access, with some being fee-based. Many of the indexes cover more than one category. For simplicity, indexes are listed under one category only. The entire Supply Market Intelligence Index Virtual Library can also be accessed at ProcureSearch.
Contingent Labor and Workforce
Brightfield Indices – Contingent Worker Demand Index and the Active Contingent Workforce Index – The Contingent Worker Demand Index is a leading indicator of companies’ interest in using contingent workers and the Active Contingent Workforce Index provides a measure of “workers working” in any given time period.
UK Skills Index – This index, created in collaboration with labor market economists Emsi and the British Chambers of Commerce, explores how the skills and employment landscape is transforming and examines what skills and opportunities are growing now, and in the future.
Country and Geopolitical Risk
Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) – First launched in 2015 by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the GCI measures the cybersecurity commitment of countries across five pillars – Legal Measures, Technical Measures, Organizational Measures, Capacity Building, and Cooperation.
Global Startup Ecosystem Index Report 2021 – This interesting index by StartupBlink, updated annually since 2017, ranks the startup ecosystems in 1000 cities and 100 countries and is used by corporations, startup founders, and ecosystem developers to support decisions about strategy, relocation, and investment.
COVID-19 Impact
The Economist Normalcy Index – Measured here is current activity relevant to pre-pandemic levels based on eight indicators in 50 countries. Answers the questions: “Is the world returning to pre-pandemic life?”
Diversity and Inclusion
HOPE Minority Small Business Index – This index by Operation HOPE and SurveyMonkey is intended to help quantify the experiences and hopefulness of Black small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
PwC’s Women In Work Index 2021 – This year’s report focuses on how the pandemic is affecting progress towards women’s economic empowerment across the OECD. COVID-19 is impacting women disproportionally to men and highlights pre-existing gender inequalities.
Economic
CEO Confidence Index – Each month, Chief Executive surveys CEOs across all types and sizes of organizations regarding their confidence in current business conditions, future business conditions, and their revenue and investment forecast for the next 12 months.
CEO Economic Outlook Index – The Business Roundtable CEO Economic Outlook Index, since 2002, is based on a quarterly survey of Roundtable members’ plans for hiring and capital spending, and their expectations for sales, over the next six months.
ELFA’s Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25) – Reported here is economic activity from 25 companies representing a cross section of the equipment finance sector. Data include New Business Volume, Aging of Receivables, Average Losses, Credit Approval Ratios and Total Number of Employees.
Morning Consult/Axios Inequality Index – Each month, Morning Consult gauges, based on survey results, how economic inequality is shifting based on four indicators: consumer confidence, employment outcomes, employment expectations and financial vulnerability.
Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, Excluding Food and Energy – This index, also known as the core PCE price index, makes it easier to see the underlying inflation trend by excluding two categories – food and energy – where prices tend to swing up and down more dramatically and more often than other prices.
Energy
Energy Transition Index – The World Economic Forum’s, “Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2021,” report marks the 10th anniversary of the Energy Transition Index (ETI), which benchmarks 115 countries on the performance of their energy systems.
RECAI – Since 2003, the EY Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) ranks the world’s top 40 markets on the attractiveness of their renewable energy investment and deployment opportunities, reflecting their assessments of market attractiveness and global market trends.
Logistics and Transportation
DHL Supply Chain Pricing Power Index – This index uses analytics and data from FreightWaves’ SONAR platform to analyze the market and estimate the negotiating power for rates between shippers and carriers based on eight key market indicators.
TAC Space Announcement – Spire Global, a space-based Earth data analytics company, and TAC Index announced, in May, a strategic partnership to support the launch of TAC Space, which will provide live tracking of global air cargo supply coupled with market data.
Marketing
ESG Brand Perception Index – This index, produced by the Association of National Advertisers and Swayable, ranks, out of 430 brands, the top 20 brands across seven verticals on their ESG performance.
Global Marketing Index (GMI) – Established in October 2011, the GMI provides a monthly indicator of expenditure and business conditions for marketers worldwide with results aggregated into a monthly report. Access for WARC Data subscribers only.
Procurement and Supply Chain
SCRC Supply Management Index – The NC State University’s SCRC’ Supply Management Maturity Index was highlighted in a recent Wall Street Journal article, that identified the companies best prepared to weather the storm ahead in terms of supply chain disruptions.
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