Observation of prices with hand-held computers

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bemelmans-Spork, Mieke^{1; 2} | Sikkel, Dirk³

Note: [1] The experiment reported here was conducted by the Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics. The authors thank Henk van Sintmaartensdijk for co-ordinating the experiment and Imre Kortbeek for drawing the hand-held computer.

Note: [2] Mieke Bemelmans studied mathematics at the University of Leiden, the Netherlands, with a major in operations research. She received her M.S. degree in 1983 and since then she is researcher at the Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics. Her research deals mainly with statistical computation.

Note: [3] Dirk Sikkel studied mathematics and Russian at the University of Leiden, and the University of Amsterdam. After receiving his M.S. degree he was teaching statistics at the University of Amsterdam. Since 1977 he is researcher at the Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics. His research deals mainly with statistical applications in the social sciences.

Abstract: Miniaturization of electronics has recently produced hand-held computers. The use of hand-held computers in data collection can boost efficiency by reduction of the amount of paper work, by instantaneous error checking and by fast transmission of the (machine readable) data. Therefore, in May 1984, the Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) conducted the experiment ‘Observation of prices with hand-held computers’. The object of the experiment was to test this data collection method in practice: is it possible to carry out these observations, needed for the calculation of consumer price index numbers, with this new equipment? The results show that this is possible as soon as several technical problems regarding memory size, speed, weight and size of the equipment have been solved.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1985-3202

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 153-160, 1985