1. 1 OECD Workshop on Business and Consumer Tendency Surveys, Rome, 19 September 2006 SESSION 1 RECENTLY DEVELOPED INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR OPINION SURVEYS

2. 2 International statistical guidelines Wealth of existing standards – mainly on quantitative statistics Developed jointly by I/Os (OECD, Eurostat, IMF, ILO, UN, etc) and NSIs over last 30 years Aim to improve the quality and comparability of national and international statistics Cover concepts / terminology, classifications, collection, transformation and presentation Mainly domain focused – national accounts, prices, retail trade, international trade, BoP, industry, etc

3. 3 International statistical guidelines - Access Available on UNSD website ( http://unstats.un.org/unsd/progwork/) http://unstats.un.org/unsd/progwork/

4. 4 International statistical guidelines - Access Available on UNSD website ( http://unstats.un.org/unsd/progwork/) http://unstats.un.org/unsd/progwork/

5. 5 Relationship to BTS / COS guidelines Existing European Commission (1997, updated 2006) - Collection - Compilation - Presentation - Harmonised -Questionnaires OECD BTS Handbook (2003) - Principles on different phases of survey cycle. -Collection (brief) - Questionnaires - Use of results Existing European Commission (1997, updated 2006) - Collection - Compilation - Presentation - Harmonised -Questionnaires OECD BTS Handbook (2003) - Principles on different phases of survey cycle. -Collection (brief) - Questionnaires - Use of results

6. 6 International guidelines and recommendations for BTS / COS Existing European Commission (1997, updated 2006) - Collection - Compilation - Presentation - Harmonised -Questionnaires OECD BTS Handbook (2003) - Principles on different phases of survey cycle. -Collection (brief) - Questionnaires - Use of results Existing European Commission (1997, updated 2006) - Collection - Compilation - Presentation - Harmonised -Questionnaires OECD BTS Handbook (2003) - Principles on different phases of survey cycle. -Collection (brief) - Questionnaires - Use of results Enhanced Cover three broad sets of issues: - Improve survey response rates - Minimise respondent load - Harmonisation of survey operations and technical design – including use of Internet for collection Discussed at joint EC – OECD Workshop in Nov. 2005 Some recommendations require further work

7. 7 Enhanced BTS / COS guidelines - Response rates and respondent load Achievement of a satisfactory response rate key factor in quality of output Need for clear strategies to minimise non-response – relating to collection methods and communication with respondents These also minimise respondent load Strategies need to be carefully thought through and adequately resourced. Embodied in 7 strategies in para. 6 of paper.

8. 8 Enhanced BTS / COS guidelines - Harmonisation of survey operations and technical design Recommendations outline best practice for the development of opinion surveys Many are self evident. Provide a basis for benchmarking recommended practice and comparisons of data quality between countries. Sample design and weighting methods – cover sample frame, sampling methods, treatment of missing data, weighting methods. Design of internet surveys – detailed recommendations are intended as a starting point for further development of research-based principles – cover initial development, email invitation, questionnaire design, analysing results, giving feedback, security Outlined in paras. 8-12 of paper.

9. 9 Enhanced BTS / COS guidelines - Dissemination Will be given wider dissemination in future, for example, in: OECD’s BTS / COS portal Future editions of OECD’s BTS Handbook

10. 10 Enhanced BTS / COS guidelines - Further changes Will be further supplemented by: Inclusion of further examples of national recommended practice on specific aspects / issues covered in recommendations Further development work and research by national agencies or new task forces

11. 11 Enhanced BTS / COS guidelines - Uses Facilitate benchmarking and comparisons of current national practices.

12. 12 Discussion Further comments on enhanced standards – their usefulness, application Suggestions on areas where further enhancements / development are required – by national agency or new task forces to work over next 12 months. Examples of recent national practice that could be submitted for inclusion in OECD portal, etc

13. 13 The End