CSO Enterprise Statistics Liaison Group Jonathan Healy Senior Economist 23/11/11

Forfás Surveys: Background ► Forfás has dedicated Surveys Unit (4.5 staff) ► Collects enterprise data on Agency clients as per Forfás remit in Industrial Development Act (1993) ► Collects R&D data to fulfil national and international data obligations

Institutional Arrangements for Enterprise Policy

Overview of Forfás Surveys ► Enterprise Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact Annual Employment Survey ► S&T Science Budget (GovERD / GBAORD) Higher Education R&D (HERD) Business Expenditure on R&D (BERD) with CSO Community Innovation Survey (CIS) with CSO

1.Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact

ABSEI ► Tracks performance of Agency-assisted firms ► Since 2000 (succeeded the IEE survey) ► Variables relating to the output of firms and expenditure by these firms in the economy ► Information yielded is a key input into a framework of performance indicators designed to assess the economic contribution of agency-assisted firms ► Data on individual firms are also used by the agencies in their day-to-day working relationship with their clients ► Forfás co-ordinates survey across the 4 agencies and maintains survey’s integrity. ► Consultants hired to undertake survey (send and collect questionnaires, aggregation of results, etc.)

ABSEI Methodology ► Data collection via postal questionnaire and electronic option (from 2011) ► Survey population is client base of each of the development agencies with 10 + employees operating within manufacturing and internationally traded services

ABSEI Core Variables ► 4-page questionnaire covering:

Breakdown of Results ► As well as producing aggregate information for each agency, disaggregated results are produced: ► Response rate typically ~ 60%, so this enables good disaggregation ► Extremely high level of follow-up required to achieve 60% rate

ABSEI Methodology 1.Initial mail-out 2.Follow-up 3.Data management and validation 4.Weighting 5.Data Analysis

Data Validations 1. Initial visual screening of each survey 2. Data entry of cleared surveys into customised data repository 3. Internal review of validation sheets prior to agency validation 4. Validation meetings with agencies (2 weeks) to double check returns with relevant Development Advisors (DAs) and to flag non-response firms for follow up with DAs 5. Agency reviews of preliminary weighted results in advance of final tables

Weighting of Data ► Weighting scheme devised by consultants to take account of non-respondents ► The following variables are used to stratify each company into homogeneous groups; agency, sector/department, size, region, relationship and nationality ► Employment data (gathered from Forfás Annual Employment Survey) used to weight up for non- respondents within each stratum

Timeframe ► EI questionnaires sent by end-December ► All others by end-March ► Results provided to Forfás by end- September ► Presented to Forfás Board October ► Publication by end of year (T+12 months)

Summary Results of 2010 ABSEI

Year-on-year difference in exports and domestic sales growth

Irish Economy Expenditure

Export Sales and Irish Economy Spend

Exports as % of Total Sales of Irish Firms by Sector

2. Annual Employment Survey

AES: Overview ► Annual census of employment in all manufacturing and services companies supported by development agencies ► The survey takes place in October and November ► ~8,000 questionnaires are posted to relevant firms ► Clients are asked to make an accurate estimation of Permanent Full-time Jobs and ‘Other Jobs’ as at 31 October of that year ► Survey has been carried out each year since 1973 ► Results are used to inform the Development Agencies’ End of Year Statements and Annual Reports as well as to inform policy analysis conducted by Forfás

AES (cont’d) ► Regional, sectoral, Agency, and time-series analysis undertaken ► Variables include: Job Gains, Losses, Net Change, 1 st -time jobs, PFT/TPT ► Results can be disaggregated to a fine level (DED/ county, NACE) due to high response rate (>85%) with non-responses imputed by DAs ► ESS database used throughout year for analysis, including PQs

Sectoral Proportions in Permanent/ FT Employment within Irish Agency-Assisted Firms: 2001-Vs-2010

Stats at a Glance ► Key Forfás Enterprise and R&D Stats published in Forfás Statistics at a Glance publications 1.Economic Context and Output 2.International Exports of Goods & Services 3.International Imports of Goods & Services 4.Direct Investment (ODI/FDI) 5.National Expenditure on R&D 6.Expenditure on R&D by Sector: Business, Higher Education and Public 7.R&D Workforce 8.Innovation Stats 9.Other S&T Indicators

For more information ► ►