This book investigates the extent to which macroeconomic forecasting relies on subjective human judgment rather than purely objective mathematical modeling. Robert G. Evans utilizes his background in sociology to examine the professional practices of the UK government's panel of independent forecasters. By analyzing the interplay between quantitative data and qualitative decision-making, the author argues that economic policy analysis is fundamentally shaped by the social and professional biases of the economists involved.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the sociology of finance and economic methodology. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous look at the human element within technical forecasting systems.