The opportunities, challenges and risks of big data for official statistics

Subtitle:

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Kitchin, Rob

Affiliations: NIRSA, National University of Ireland Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: The development of big data is set to be a significant disruptive innovation in the production of official statistics offering a range of opportunities, challenges and risks to the work of National Statistical Institutions (NSIs). This paper provides a synoptic overview of these issues in detail, mapping out the various pros and cons of big data for producing official statistics, examining the work to date by NSIs in formulating a strategic and operational response to big data, and plotting some suggestions with respect to on-going change management needed to address the use of big data for official statistics.

Keywords: Big data, official statistics, national statistical institutions (NSIs), opportunities, challenges, risks

DOI: 10.3233/SJI-150906

Journal: Statistical Journal of the IAOS, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 471-481, 2015