A strategic and data production frameworks for the development of business statistics

Abstract

This paper highlights the key characteristics and implications of the strategic and data production frameworks designed and progressively implemented by the United Nations Committee of Experts on Business and Trade Statistics (UNCEBTS) to enhance the relevance, accuracy and coverage of business statistics, according to an internationally comparable, result-oriented and sustainable approach. The strategic framework aims to expand the traditional scope of official business statistics by including all relevant environmental and social related issues. NSOs may achieve relevant improvements by focusing their efforts upon specific global goals consistent with their national ones, and sourcing from knowledge sharing with other countries and international coordination. It also highlights the relevance of an enterprise-centered approach for a better understanding of emerging phenomena by official statisticians, and for priority setting in improving the quality of business statistics. The data production framework is dominated by the crucial role of the Statistical Business Register (SBR) as the backbone of any current and future improvements in the relevance and accuracy of business statistics. Its implications, both in terms of sustainability of production lines, data integration and production of new indicators that exploit the variability dimension of business statistics are further investigated in the paper.