survey vehicles for ict indicators of the business sector joint unctad – itu – unescap regional...
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Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
Joint UNCTAD – ITU – UNESCAP Regional Workshop on Information Society Measurements in Asia-Pacific
Bangkok, 26-28 July 2006ESCAP, United Nations
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators in the business sector
José CERVERA-FERRI
Consultant, UNCTAD
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES AND DATA COLLECTION METHODS
• Administrative registers
• Business registers
• Economic censuses
• Sectoral business surveys
• ICT-specific business surveys
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
ADMINISTRATIVE SOURCES
• Topics: – Information about ICT sector (suppliers of ICT services) (Supply side)– Information about the firms subscribing to their respective services (Demand
side)
• Pros: – Subject to mandatory provisions (administrative or legal), have to be transmitted
to Regulatory Authorities (Ministries of Communication and their subsidiary or related bodies)
– Reduced cost– Easy automatic processing
• Cons: – Limited international comparability of indicators – Breakdowns not available (v.g. by activity sector, by size of firm)– Assignment to central location (firm vs establishment)– Under-registration of “users’ deaths”
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
BUSINESS REGISTERS
• Topics: – basic ICT infrastructure-related information about firms and establishments
(identification variables)– Basic data (firm demography, employees, turnover) of the ICT sector
• Pros:– Key infrastructure of the business statistical system– Integrated with other statistical operations
• Cons:– Limited number of ICT-related variables– Breakdowns possible by standard classification variables (economic activity,
size, turnover)– Under-registration of deaths (over-estimation of denominators under-
estimation of ratio indicators)– Non-registration of groups of firms– Non-identification of firms belonging to international groups
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
ECONOMIC CENSUSES
• Topics: – Basic ICT-related indicators
• Pros:– Exhaustiveness– Geographical and sectoral desaggregation– Maintenance of the business register– Possibility of analyzing at the establishment level
• Cons:– Unefficient vs sample survey if large business sector – Low periodicity not suitable for rapidly changing environments– Very high cost– Limited number of variables
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
SECTORAL BUSINESS SURVEYS
• Topics: – General economic survey of main sectors (ex. Industry, energy, construction, services) – Specialised survey of certain sectors (ex. Agro-industry, Mining, High-Tech)– ICT modules included
• Pros:– Regular periodicity (annual, biennal)– Use of statistical samples
• Controlled error vs size of survey• Possibility of more complete questionnaires (including ICT-modules)
– Possibility of integration of ICT-modules into existing surveys• Lower cost than ICT-specific surveys• Integration of results
• Cons:– Some detailed breakdowns may not be possible (ex. Sector by size x region)– Information at the establishment level may not be possible for ICT-related variables– Requires business directory updated– Requires specialistion in the preparation of survey topics– Requires deeper training of interviewers– No coverage of the informal sector
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
SPECIALISED ICT SURVEYS
• Topics: – Business access and use of ICT, e-commerce (products, values,
modes, barriers, etc.)
• Pros:– Specificity larger number of ICT-related questions– Experience of OECD countries can be adapted
• Cons:– Not always considered in National Statistical Programmes– Possible conflict of competencies between NSO and Ministries
responsible for Technology and/or Communications– Requires pilot testing before implementation– Requires more capacity building in statistical offices (ICT concepts,
measuring methods and instruments, analysis and dissemination)
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
SPECIALISED ICT SURVEYS (2)
• Alternative designs– Scope: economic activities covered
• OECD: – Manufacturing (ISIC D), Construction (ISIC F), Wholesale and
retail trade & reparation (ISIC G), Hotels and restaurants (ISIC H), Transport & communications (ISIC I), Real estate, renting and business activities (ISIC K)
• EUROSTAT: – NACE D,F,G,H (not all countries cover restaurants and bars), I,
K and O (only 92 = recreational, cultural and sporting activities). Separate survey to ISIC J (Financial intermediation)
– Size:• Cut-off of 10 employees
– But important policy isues regarding smaller firms
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
Data correspond to 2005
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
ICT TOPICS by SOURCE
Administrative sources
Business registers
Economic Censuses
Sectoral surveys
ICT-specific surveys
Basic access to ICT
Advanced ICT access and usage
Internet activities and e-commerce
Barriers to ICT
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
NEXT STEPS
• Assessment of relevance and demand for ICT indicators at the national level
• Institutional arrangements for the responsibility on ICT-related surveys– Identification of stakeholders (NSO, line ministries,
ICT authorities, business associations)– National co-ordination– Inclusion on National Statistical Plans
• Capacity building on measuring the use of ICT in the business sector
Survey vehicles for ICT indicators of the business sector
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