The 57The 57thth Seminar of the International Seminar of the International

Statistical InstituteStatistical Institute

How to give value added to official How to give value added to official statistics – specific experiences of a statistics – specific experiences of a

developing countrydeveloping country

Blagica Novkovska. MSc Blagica Novkovska. MSc Director General. State Statistical OfficeDirector General. State Statistical Office

16-22 August 2009. Durban,South Africa16-22 August 2009. Durban,South Africa

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Value added in official statistics (VAS) can be quantified by use of the following Value added in official statistics (VAS) can be quantified by use of the following expression: expression: VAS = N*QSVAS = N*QS (1)(1)Where N is the size of the audience (number of who know official statistics) and Where N is the size of the audience (number of who know official statistics) and QS is the quantity of official statistics relevant for the users [1].QS is the quantity of official statistics relevant for the users [1].

The quantity of official statistics (QS) produced by the SSO The quantity of official statistics (QS) produced by the SSO increased substantially by introducing many new surveys increased substantially by introducing many new surveys essential for balanced policy making.essential for balanced policy making. Simultaneously with the increase of QS, the size of the Simultaneously with the increase of QS, the size of the audience (N) markedly increased.audience (N) markedly increased.

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Basic resultsBasic results

1. Enricco Giovaninni, Measuring Society’s Progress: A key issue for policy making and democratic governance, 1. Enricco Giovaninni, Measuring Society’s Progress: A key issue for policy making and democratic governance, Statistics User Forum: Transforming Official Statistics to Serve Society, 12 November 2008 at The Royal Society, Statistics User Forum: Transforming Official Statistics to Serve Society, 12 November 2008 at The Royal Society,

http://www.rss.org.uk/docs/Giovannini%20paper.dochttp://www.rss.org.uk/docs/Giovannini%20paper.doc

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Quantity of official statistics: Number of statistical Quantity of official statistics: Number of statistical surveys for three consecutive periodssurveys for three consecutive periods

Number of statistical surveys is increasing As a result much more various data are produced

nowadays compared to the period before transition

Period 1998-2002 2003-2007 2008-2012

New surveys 416 353 476

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Size of the audience: Size of the audience: Number of requests for specific Number of requests for specific data by year for the last 6 yearsdata by year for the last 6 years

Year 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Number of requests for data

738 777 848 824 788 927

It is seen that this increases substantially with small oscillations

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Size of the audience:Size of the audience: Number of visitors to the website of the Number of visitors to the website of the Statistical OfficeStatistical Office for the last 6 yearsfor the last 6 years

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

900000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Year

Num

ber

of v

isit

ors

Following expression for VAS can be used in this case [1]:Following expression for VAS can be used in this case [1]: VAS = N*[(QSA*MF)*RS*TS*NL]VAS = N*[(QSA*MF)*RS*TS*NL] (2)(2)The total amount of official statistics that reaches the generic user is The total amount of official statistics that reaches the generic user is QSR = QSA*MF, where QSA represents the total statistical information QSR = QSA*MF, where QSA represents the total statistical information produced by the official source and MF the role played by the media. RS is produced by the official source and MF the role played by the media. RS is the relevance of the official statistics communicated to the user, TS is the the relevance of the official statistics communicated to the user, TS is the trust that individuals have in official statistics and NL is the individuals trust that individuals have in official statistics and NL is the individuals “numeracy”, i.e. the ability to reason with the numbers and other “numeracy”, i.e. the ability to reason with the numbers and other mathematical concepts.mathematical concepts.

Users Satisfaction Survey shows that they perceive the Users Satisfaction Survey shows that they perceive the statistics produced by the SSO as highly relevant (RS).statistics produced by the SSO as highly relevant (RS).

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Factors influencing QSFactors influencing QS

11. Enricco Giovaninni, Measuring Society’s Progress: A key issue for policy making and democratic governance, . Enricco Giovaninni, Measuring Society’s Progress: A key issue for policy making and democratic governance, Statistics User Forum: Transforming Official Statistics to Serve Society, 12 November 2008 at The Royal Society, Statistics User Forum: Transforming Official Statistics to Serve Society, 12 November 2008 at The Royal Society,

http://www.rss.org.uk/docs/Giovannini%20paper.dochttp://www.rss.org.uk/docs/Giovannini%20paper.doc

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

The role played by the media:The role played by the media: Satisfaction with the quality of Satisfaction with the quality of the website of the State Statistical Officethe website of the State Statistical Office

Very big increase is observed in the number of visitors to the website of the Statistical Office

Website of the Statistical Office becomes the most important medium for data users

Users are highly satisfied with the quality of the website

  Excellent Good Fair Fail Don’t know Non response

Access 34.4 31.2 17.6 5.0 1.6 11.2

Content 17.6 28.8 27.2 15.2 1.6 9.6

Presentation 19.2 26.4 29.6 12.0 2.4 10.4

Structure 18.4 28.0 22.4 16.0 2.4 12.8

Navigation 18.4 24.0 18.4 23.2 2.4 13.6Source of data: Users Satisfaction Survey, May 2009

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Relevance of the official statistics communicated to the user: Relevance of the official statistics communicated to the user: Opinion on the quality of statistics by occupationOpinion on the quality of statistics by occupation (in %)

 Entirely agree

AgreeNor agree neither disagree

DisagreeStrongly disagree

Without response

Total

Relevance   22.1 49.7 16.0 6.1 3.1 3.1 100.0

Employed in public administration

21.9 51.4 15.2 5.7 1.0 4.8 100.0

Employed in education and research

22.2 66.7 2.6 5.6 9.0 0.0 100.0

Employed in private sector

18.2 31.8 27.3 13.6 1.1 0.0 100.0

Employed in international organization

60.0 40.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0

Journalist 0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0

Other 18.2 36.4 27.3 0.0 18.2 0.0 100.0

Source of data: Users satisfaction survey, May 2009

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

The individuals “numeracy”, i.e. the ability to reason with the The individuals “numeracy”, i.e. the ability to reason with the numbers and other mathematical conceptsnumbers and other mathematical concepts

-Users Satisfaction Survey shows that 50.3 % of the users with high Users Satisfaction Survey shows that 50.3 % of the users with high education or higher were very satisfied, giving notes from 8 to 10. The education or higher were very satisfied, giving notes from 8 to 10. The percentage of those with secondary education that expressed the same level percentage of those with secondary education that expressed the same level of satisfaction was rather low.of satisfaction was rather low.

The trust that individuals have in official statistics slowly The trust that individuals have in official statistics slowly progresses.progresses.

ConclusionsConclusions The value added of official statistics substantially increased during

the transition period. Both the quantity of official statistics (QS) and the size of the audience (N) markedly increased

The main limiting factor for the increase of the value added of statistics is the individuals’ “numeracy”. Namely, the portion of those who correctly interpret data and use them in their practical activities seems to be rather limited.

This is a factor that cannot be directly improved by the statistical system and requires contribution of other actors like the education system or specific government activities, such as publicity campaigns, aiming at improving the awareness of the use of statistical data.

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Thank you for your attention

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIAREPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

STATE STATISTICAL OFFICESTATE STATISTICAL OFFICE

Vision without a task

is a dream

A task without a vision

is only a hard work

A task with a vision

is a success