Regional Workshop for African Countries on Compilation Regional Workshop for African Countries on Compilation of Basic Economic Statistics of Basic Economic Statistics Pretoria, 23-26 July 2007 Pretoria, 23-26 July 2007 Administrative Data Administrative Data and their Use in and their Use in Economic Statistics Economic Statistics Vladimir Markhonko Vladimir Markhonko United Nations Statistics Division United Nations Statistics Division
Transcript
Regional Workshop for African Countries on Compilation of Basic Regional Workshop for African Countries on Compilation of Basic Economic StatisticsEconomic Statistics
Pretoria, 23-26 July 2007Pretoria, 23-26 July 2007
Administrative Data and Administrative Data and their Use in Economic their Use in Economic
StatisticsStatistics
Vladimir MarkhonkoVladimir MarkhonkoUnited Nations Statistics DivisionUnited Nations Statistics Division
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ContentsContents
DefinitionsDefinitions Advantages of using administrative Advantages of using administrative
datadata Common problemsCommon problems Quality of administrative dataQuality of administrative data Using administrative data in practiceUsing administrative data in practice ConclusionsConclusions
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Definition of
administrative data
narrow definition
wider definition
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Narrow Definition of Administrative Data
Data available in records of governmental agencies administering various governmental programmes
Examples: tax records, customs declarations, social security records
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Wider Definition of Wider Definition of Administrative DataAdministrative Data
Data available in records of
Governmental agencies +Organizations operating in private sector
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Administrative sources of data are sources containing information which is not primarily collected for statistical purposes.
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Reasons for a wider definitionReasons for a wider definition
Privatisation of some governmental Privatisation of some governmental functionsfunctions
Growth of private sector organizations Growth of private sector organizations collecting statistically significant data collecting statistically significant data
User interest in new types of data which User interest in new types of data which might not be collected by NSOsmight not be collected by NSOs
Cost efficiency Cost efficiency
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Benefits of Administrative DataBenefits of Administrative Data
CostCost Surveys / censuses are expensive, Surveys / censuses are expensive,
administrative data are often “free”administrative data are often “free”
Response burdenResponse burden Reduced burden on data suppliersReduced burden on data suppliers Statistics can be compiled more Statistics can be compiled more
frequently with no extra burdenfrequently with no extra burden
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CoverageCoverage Full coverage of target populationFull coverage of target population No survey errors and lower non-responseNo survey errors and lower non-response Better small-area dataBetter small-area data
Timeliness Timeliness can be improved for some types of data but can be improved for some types of data but
not for allnot for all
Public imagePublic image National statistical office is perceived as National statistical office is perceived as
more efficient both in terms of cutting costs more efficient both in terms of cutting costs and provision of better dataand provision of better data
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An example: population census costs for An example: population census costs for some European countries in 2000-2001some European countries in 2000-2001
UKUK - €6.2 per person - €6.2 per person Austria - €6.9 per personAustria - €6.9 per person Finland - Finland - €0.2€0.2 per person per person
due to extensive use of administrative due to extensive use of administrative datadata
Source: Eurostat – Documentation of the 2000 Source: Eurostat – Documentation of the 2000 round of population and Housing censuses in the round of population and Housing censuses in the EU, EFTA and Candidate Countries; Table 22EU, EFTA and Candidate Countries; Table 22
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Typical problemsTypical problems
Administrative units do not always Administrative units do not always coincide with statistical unitscoincide with statistical units
Need to perform data conversionNeed to perform data conversion Difficulty in profiling of the more Difficulty in profiling of the more
complex casescomplex cases Gives a better understanding of Gives a better understanding of
complex business structurescomplex business structures Expensive and needs trained staffExpensive and needs trained staff
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Different definitions and classificationsDifferent definitions and classifications Conversion tables needed for different Conversion tables needed for different
classificationsclassifications Administrative and statistical priorities Administrative and statistical priorities
are often differentare often different TimelinessTimeliness
Data may arrive too lateData may arrive too late Data relate to a different time periodData relate to a different time period
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Change managementChange management Risk of changes in government Risk of changes in government
policy, thresholds, definitions, policy, thresholds, definitions, coverage etc.coverage etc.
Need contingency plansNeed contingency plans
Data from multiple sourcesData from multiple sources Matching / linking issuesMatching / linking issues Data conflicts – priority rulesData conflicts – priority rules
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Administrative data will be better Administrative data will be better than survey data in some aspects than survey data in some aspects but not in othersbut not in others
It is important to look at overall It is important to look at overall qualityquality
Do the data quality meet the needs Do the data quality meet the needs of users?of users?
Quality of Administrative Data
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Three Aspects of QualityThree Aspects of Quality
Quality of incoming dataQuality of incoming data
Quality of processingQuality of processing(matching, merging, ...)(matching, merging, ...)
Quality of outputs - likely to be Quality of outputs - likely to be different to survey based outputs, different to survey based outputs, but are they better?but are they better?
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Quality MeasurementQuality Measurement How to measure the quality of How to measure the quality of
data from administrative data from administrative sources?sources? Comparing sourcesComparing sources Quality check surveysQuality check surveys Knowledge of source (metadata)Knowledge of source (metadata) Quality reportsQuality reports
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Using Administrative DataUsing Administrative Data Conversion to statistical concepts and Conversion to statistical concepts and
Exact MatchingExact Matching - linking records from two - linking records from two or more sources, often using common or more sources, often using common identifiers – unique identifier of unitsidentifiers – unique identifier of units
Probabilistic MatchingProbabilistic Matching - determining the - determining the probability that records from different probability that records from different sources should match, using a sources should match, using a combination of variablescombination of variables
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Shift in paradigm:Shift in paradigm:
Some statistical offices prefer first to Some statistical offices prefer first to create a database populated with create a database populated with administrative data and use statistical administrative data and use statistical surveys only to fill the gapssurveys only to fill the gaps
Implies a high degree of trust in quality Implies a high degree of trust in quality of administrative dataof administrative data
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ConclusionsConclusions
Administrative sources should be Administrative sources should be defined in the widest sensedefined in the widest sense
There are many benefits in using There are many benefits in using administrative data, particularly the administrative data, particularly the reduced costs of data and better reduced costs of data and better coveragecoverage
There are problems when using There are problems when using administrative data, but an acceptable administrative data, but an acceptable solution usually can be foundsolution usually can be found
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Most problems can be solved by Most problems can be solved by effective planning and detailed effective planning and detailed knowledge of the sourceknowledge of the source
The benefits are greater than the The benefits are greater than the problems encounteredproblems encountered
UNSD plans to prepare a Handbook on UNSD plans to prepare a Handbook on Use of Administrative Data and put Use of Administrative Data and put good country practices on its website.good country practices on its website.
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Thank you for your attention.Thank you for your attention.
