What does this indicator measure?

This indicator measures the number of services exports, and the services exports intensity (share of all exports), for the Syracuse, Albany, Buffalo, and Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) in 2009.  The 100 Largest Metro Areas total is also included for the intensity measure.

Services exports are an often-overlooked source of competitive advantage even in todays services-dominated economy.  From tourism to education to advanced professional and financial services, a foreign purchase of an American service adds as much to income as a foreign purchase of an American good.  Further, regional productivity depends on the local stock of knowledge capital that positively develops through  increased contact between domestic actors and their counterparts in international research and business communities. –explanation courtesy of the Brookings Institute