Beijing, October 19, th International Roundtable on Business Survey Frames Co-ordinating role of the Business Register in Economic Statistics Results of a survey session 2 Presentation: Jean Ritzen, Statistics Netherlands

Beijing, October 19, Survey Session 2 Survey held in June 2004 Questionnaire Dispatch to all (potential) participants Responses of 15 agencies Many thanks! Analysis and report: Hugues Picard (INSEE) Jean Ritzen (Statistics Netherlands)

Beijing, October 19, Survey Items (1) BR Procedures and uses Linkages statistical and administrative units Continuity aspects Role in processing data of administrative files The BR as (general) sampling frame Enterprise profiling BR and economic demographic statistics Feedback to the BR The activity code(s) to the units in the BR

Beijing, October 19, Survey Items (2) Weak areas in the BR Critical issues The BR and coherent economic statistics Organisational aspects Role statistical process relationships Diagram of role and place of the BR

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“sources”)

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“sources”) Three main types: No or limited access to administrative sources Access and use administrative sources More of equal importance One dominant administrative source Use of a official administrative business register Kept and maintained outside the statistical office Kept and maintained in and by the statistical agency

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“sources”) In all cases: Additional information necessary to create and maintain statistical units according statistical criteria Profiling and surveying Feed back from surveys Using advanced methods (e.g. matching or imputation) Inclusion of information for statistics in administrative data collection

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“sources”) Number practises a.Administrative sources unit identifyers Kept in SBR for updating Often one main administrative identifyer in all administrative registers b.SBR identifyer in administrative sources: not applicable and/or not relevant

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“continuity”)

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“continuity”) In the SBR provisions for continuity: Criteria Methodology Processing

Beijing, October 19, Survey results

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“uses”) In the SBR provisions for: Translation from administrative information into statistical information Control on exhaustiveness administrative files Enrichment in statistical processing Economic demography

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“uses”) Most important uses: Sampling frame Selections according specified groupings Lists and survey control

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (feedback)

Beijing, October 19, Survey results

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“activity code”) Various practises, complex issue. Statistical agencies are responsible for output, including groupings Activity code is main grouping criterion Activity code assignment is responsibility of administrative agencies in many countries Conflicting

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“activity code”) Various practises in the use of the activity code Frozen values versus actual values Value as is versus correcting from survey information Co-ordination in: Annual statistics Short term or sub annual statistics All statistics in/of a period

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“time stamping”) Provisions in the SBR: Time stamping a.Co-ordinated value, time stamped (application date) b.Actual value c.Last check d.Registration date Time stamping also for units (creation, deathing) Time stamping gives a historical dimension to the SBR and is facilitating reconstruction of frames in the past

Beijing, October 19, Survey results (“activity code”) Conclusion: there is no common methodology on a co-ordinated use of the activity code. Discussion on dealing with frame imperfections regarding units and characteristics Conclusions affect statistical results and comparability

Beijing, October 19, Problems encountered (1) Weak areas Critical issues

Beijing, October 19, Problems encountered (2) Unit creation and maintenance Rapidly changing world Flexibility versus continuity Globalisation and changing legal structures at large enterprises Controling criteria in unit structures Grouping criteria (definitions of phenomena) Quality, especially regarding activity code

Beijing, October 19, Problems encountered (3) Maintenance of activity code quality Objectivity and neutrality of activity code assignment Small units dynamics Professions without employees Agricultural sector Divergence in quality approach between administrative concepts and statistical concepts Easy access by users, transparency and good helpdesk function Confidence of SBR users

Beijing, October 19, Problems encountered (4) Time lags in information availability and processing Interdependency in statistical processes Co-ordination between annual and sub-annual statistics as result of SBR use

Beijing, October 19, Problems encountered (5) Good software Tools for controlling administrative burden Units in the public sector Inclusion of meta data Integration of feedback information in SBR procedures Access to administrative files

Beijing, October 19, Awareness Awareness of SBR staff and of users on: Restricted available budgets Necessity of use administrative sources Budget Timeliness Response burden Common responsibility for quality of statistics Need for good relationships with administrative sources, resulting in influence in content Authority of GBR in statistical process

Beijing, October 19, Survey results

Beijing, October 19, Organisational place of SBR Different positions in responding agencies Moving to a place in which integrated in statistical process Position in which the SBR can be good and stable reference and axis in rapid changing environment and changing data collection methods (e.g. use of administrative registers) Evolution into a fully mature partner in statistical processes, including the necessary authority  ideal situation Requirement: support of top management

Beijing, October 19, Conclusions from the survey (1) 1.Sources: Use of administrative sources Continuity in sources Complementary surveying and/or feed back Profiling large and complex enterprises Responsibility of sources regarding activity code Time lags 2.SBR Information processing Statistical units Linking information (temporary and sequential) Characteristics for statistical grouping Time stamping and history Reconstructible frames Meta data

Beijing, October 19, Conclusions from the survey (2) 3.Statistical uses: Survey methodology aspects - e.g. provisions for co-ordination (frozen information) Benchmark and translation into statistical concepts in the use of administrative register information Sampling frame for surveying - selections and lists - grossing up factors - survey management information - Administrative burden information Economic demography 4.Feed back from surveys Use for quality control Use for checking and updating

Beijing, October 19, Final conclusions and remarks Many issues to be elaborated further; important ones: Fixed code issue Historical information (what information and what dates) Procedures for defining statistical units and units control Frame error correction or acceptance SIC-code assignment procedures and responsibilities SBR population figures or coordinated population estimates? Possibility for statisticians to built “ad hoc units”? Continuous quality insights Partnership of the SBR in the whole context SBR authority

Beijing, October 19, Final statement How do we see the role, place and functions of a SBR in 2010 and how can we meet the goals and requirements then? For 2005 or 2006 improvement of imperfections we only can trouble shoot, ut for 2010 solutions we can learn from the today imperfections and insights!

Beijing, October 19, Overview of the survey answers

Beijing, October 19, Survey results DIAGRAMS

Beijing, October 19, Australia

Beijing, October 19, Canada (1)

Beijing, October 19, Canada (2)

Beijing, October 19, France

Beijing, October 19, Italy

Beijing, October 19, Macao

Beijing, October 19, Mexico Economic Census BR Statistical Manifestatio n Services Industrial Comerce each 5 years update source Continue update source Selected samples

Beijing, October 19, The Netherlands (1)

Beijing, October 19, The Netherlands (2)

Beijing, October 19, Portugal

Beijing, October 19, Spain

Beijing, October 19, USA-BoC