1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. Thank you for your attention
Questions?
Wiesbaden, October 23, 2007