1M Gouws – Stats SA Business Register (UNSD regional workshop)

Presentation to UNSD regional workshop for African countries – Basic economic statistics

Business register

Marietha GouwsSystem of Registers

25 July 2007

2M Gouws – Stats SA Business Register (UNSD regional workshop)

Stats SA Business Register• Business register complex (Flowchart)

(not a single database)

• Integrated Business Register (IBR)• contributing agencies• legal entities• no single common identifier, matching algorithms• administrative data sources

• Income tax, VAT, PAYE, UIF, SDL etc.

3M Gouws – Stats SA Business Register (UNSD regional workshop)

Administrative data sources

• Understand the source/s (legal framework)• Classification system • Comprehensive coverage• Duplicates• To transform it to a statistical business register

• Statistical Units Model• Business rules - maintenance

4M Gouws – Stats SA Business Register (UNSD regional workshop)

Business Register

General characteristics of BR

• Database of statistical information (industry, size and geography)

• Indicators – life status, measure of size, classifications, quality of the contact details, adequacy of coverage

5M Gouws – Stats SA Business Register (UNSD regional workshop)

Business Register – problems identified (1/2)

Both procedures and system related

• Weak communication• Documentation is in adequate• Absence of a quality management framework• Admin data not fully understood or used• Automated processing lacks integrity• Stats Unit model is not fully understood or used• Poorly conceived procedures for snapshot and

sampling frame creation

6M Gouws – Stats SA Business Register (UNSD regional workshop)

Business Register – problems identified (2/2)

• Frames for surveys are out of date• Coverage and content related• Duplicates• Lack of a single identifier

7M Gouws – Stats SA Business Register (UNSD regional workshop)

Business Register – further development

Action plan to implement the recommendations• System maintenance• Business rules• Suitable source for employer based surveys• Stats Unit model• Quality assurance framework• Classification (Industry and institutional)

• Work completed• analysis on current admin sources• decision: maintenance admin source• snapshot and frame creation procedures and responsibilities