Changed Data Collection Strategies Wiesbaden Group on Business Survey Frames - 20th International Roundtable on Business Survey Frames The Business Register in relation to Changed Data Collection Strategies session 4 Jean Ritzen, Statistics Netherlands Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

Outline of the presentation Introduction Roles and uses of the business register The SN Strategy on data collection XBRL as a new reporting tool New focus on unit identification Discussion Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

Statistical Business Register Goals of the business register system: Population frame for statistics List of units and characteristics Rules and procedures for updating Basic reference information Part of surveying methodology Sampling procedures and grossing up procedures Frame/tool for survey control Frame/tool for burden control Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

The role of the business register in the statistical system From inside out: - Population frames (units + characteristics) - Data collection support - Monitoring response burden - Relationships between units (incl. EG’s) From outside in: - linking tool with administrative sources (incl. translation into statistical units) Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

The role of the business register in the statistical system (cont.) Basis for economic demography Tool for analysing continuity and comparability (co-ordination) Linking institutional and functional statistics Tool for analysis of the globalisation process The BR is multifunctional and is part of the statistical process in several stages Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

The BR environment at SN Three main programs: Master plan on standard ICT architecture Program redesign (total) chain of economic statistics Program on data collection Goals: Quality improvement Increased efficiency Decrease response burden Costs/budget reduction Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

Developments in data collection SN data collection strategy (data obtaining) New data collection modes Still higher attention on administrative burden at enterprises Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

SN data collection strategy (1) Use of administrative data (if available) Self administered reporting Electronic questionnaires Internet E-mail Other media (e.g. CD-Rom) Paper questionnaires (CA)TI: (Computer assisted) telephone Interviewing (CA)PI: (Computer assisted) personal interviewing Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

SN data collection strategy (2) Differentiation according strata by size and complexity of enterprises Large and complex enterprises (1%): tailor-made and co-ordinated data collection Small enterprises (90%): use of administrative data. Data collection by survey should be avoided Medium sized enterprises (9%): mixed mode; optimal combination of the use of administrative data and data collection by survey Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

New data collection modes Joined data collection in co-operation with other data collecting organisations: once questioned, multiple used. -> negotiations on definitions (units and variables) (e.g. chambers of commerce, business associations) New data collection techniques and procedures -> e.g. XBRL (extensible business reporting language) Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

XBRL (1) XBRL is a XML-based tool that can properly be used for automated messaging from bookkeeping systems. Software developers should built in facilities in the business information systems. After this automated reported can be done, also without a request! Spontaneous data providing Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

XBRL (2) XBRL messages based on a taxonomy (broad compiled for several message recipients) Dutch taxonomy, integrated developed for financial reports for tax, statistics and chambers of commerce. The XBRL program is organised in a national covenant. Participants: governmental agencies, accountant- and administrative offices, firms for development of bookkeeping software Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

XBRL (3) Properties of XBRL-reporting: In the definition of variables it has the properties of direct surveying (primary data collection) In survey procedures and protocols it has mainly the properties of data gaining from administrative files (secondary data collection) Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

Administrative burden A lot of progress, but still a high pressure by politics Political pressure/decision to avoid surveying small enterprises and to restrict to the use of administrative data Political pressure/decision for introduction of survey holiday with enterprises Pressure (and willingness) to adapt XBRL-reporting Administrative burden from statistics is about 0,15% of total burden, but burden perception is very high ranked (high in top 10 of annoying official obligations) Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

BR-related challenges The main BR related issues in the data collection strategy are: The identification of the units and the transformation into the statistical concepts (e.g. via the Baseline system) The survey management and survey control in the mixed mode situation The control and monitoring of the administrative burden at enterprises. Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

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Traditional BR-focus Focus is/was on statistical part of the register Administrative part is/was important for purposes of updating the register Use of administrative data for statistical purposes restricted to source units Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

National register developments End nineties: introduction of the single administrative business register, initially operated as a unit reference system for some administrative systems (tax, chambers of commerce, statistics, social security) In 2008 the introduction of the new trade register (NHR) as the single exhaustive administrative business register. The authentic variables (e.g. identification number) must be used (by law) in all official registers. Statistics Netherlands has full and free access to registers containing data useful for statistical purposes (regulated in the Dutch law on statistics) Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

Benefits of NHR for Statistics NHR units will be the central units for standardising and normalising administrative units concepts into statistical units concepts. More attention for administrative part of the SBR Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

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The role of the business register in the data collection processes The BR is part of a system and of a chain. Some conclusions related to data collection issues: The register is in many cases the backbone and important tool in controlling mixed mode data gaining Co-responsibility in the total chain The BR is a facilitating tool for unit identification, unit standardisation and normalisation in the statistical process Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

Requirements Less strict distinction between administrative part and statistical part of the register More attention for quality aspects in the administrative part, e.g. the quality of the time dimension in unit relationships More flexible and interactive procedures for unit identification Availability of adequate source oriented meta data systems Adaptation of tools for survey management and burden control in a mixed mode data collection strategy. Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

Finally Today’s statistics landscape is evolving rapidly Statistical processes and statistical information systems get more and more integrated in global social information systems with mutual interdependencies Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

Thank you for your attention Questions? jrtn@cbs.nl Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007