Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe - Volume 8, issue 3-4 - Journals

Show:

results per page

Presenting statistics to press and public: The British experience since reorganization of the Central Statistical Office in July 1989

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In April 1989 the then Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher, announced measures designed to achieve a significant improvement in the quality and relevance of government economic statistics. This led to an enlarged Central Statistical Office which became a separate government department. It took over responsibility for most of the United Kingdom's economic statistics, including the over-seas trade figures and the retail prices index. It quickly emerged that dissemination of statistics would be a priority. In particular there was pressure on the CSO to get its press relations absolutely correct from the start. The paper examines how the operation was …carried out and has developed. It also looks at the publications policy inherited from the old CSO and other departments and possibilities for future improvements. It can be seen that the creation of the new CSO led to a radical re-examination of how Britain disseminates its official statistics. This involved introducing new and innovative practices and is in keeping with the declared intention of the Central Statistical Office becoming one of the Government's new-style executive agencies. These are being formed under what is called the “Next Steps” policy aimed at providing a sharper focus and emphasis on the way government delivers its services to the public and other customers. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1991-83-411

Citation: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 8, no. 3-4, pp. 313-320, 1991

Price: EUR 27.50

Marketing the 1987 economic censuses

Authors: Zeisset, Paul T.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The economic censuses are mail surveys of business establishments in the United States, conducted once every five years. They cover seven sectors of the economy: retail trade, wholesale trade, services, transportation, manufacturing, mining and construction. These censuses present two marketing challenges: promoting the timely completion of census forms by companies during data collection, and delivering the results of the censuses to researchers and decision-makers. Census forms were mailed to 3.9 million businesses in December 1987 with a due date of the following February 15. While response is required by law, only about half of all businesses responded by the …due date, and a series of follow-up letters were necessary to obtain responses from most of the remainder. To promote timely response, the Census Bureau included explanatory brochures with each questionnaire mailed, asked hundreds of business publications to write articles about the censuses, and conducted a multi-media public service advertising campaign under the auspices of the non-profit Advertising Council. We conducted an attitude and response behavior study during data collection, and the results have yielded a number of ideas on how we should change our approach to respondents in the 1992 Economic Censuses. Most of the 1987 census results have now been published in a series of over 500 printed reports, 20 computer tapes, and seven compact laser discs (CD-ROMs). We have promoted their dissemination and sale not as a source of income – since the law puts all census publications in the public domain and allows us to recover only the cost of reproduction – but as a way to increase the value the nation receives from its investment in this data collection. Marketing efforts have included product redesign, simplified product ordering, publicity in user-oriented periodicals, publication of guides and brochures, and holding a nationwide series of user conferences. In the long run, our most important activities may well be our efforts to effectively package our published data on CD-ROM for use on microcomputers, and our work to establish a network of intermediaries – librarians and state data centers – that can provide census information to researchers, government, the general public, and especially the businesses from which we obtained the census information in the first place. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1991-83-412

Citation: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 8, no. 3-4, pp. 321-338, 1991

Price: EUR 27.50

Marketing of statistical information and services

Authors: Peeva, Vassilka

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: An outline is given on new tendencies in Bulgarian State Statistics during the nation's transition to a market economy. The statistical information service is distinguished by the way it publicizes statistical data and by its thorough and current submission to public, Government, and social authorities. The marketing of statistical information and services will play an important role in the evolution of State statistics. All services are in principle free of charge, but attempts are being made to provide certain services against pay. Marketing of statistical information and services is carried out in several ways: a) assessment …of needs for statistical information and services b) segmenting of the marketplace; c) organization of promotion and price policies Modern collecting, compiling, processing and publishing of statistical data demand automated work stations (AWSS) which should be part of the METAINFORMATION SYSTEM of the CSO as well as of the Marketing Information System. The work stations will provide complete information on marketing of statistical information and services. This system should consist of four subsystems – for home information, outside information, marketing investigations, and analysis of complex information. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1991-83-413

Citation: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 8, no. 3-4, pp. 339-343, 1991

Price: EUR 27.50

Costing and pricing of statistical products: An overview of practices in ECE member countries

Authors: Rivet, J.-P.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: An overview of practices is given in ECE member countries about costing and pricing of statistical products. Although the research of good cost information is common to all countries, there are still great differences in the accuracy of costs calculation. The same is valid for their utilization. As for the pricing of statistical products (publications, “tailor made statistics”, databanks), the general policy is to charge only at marginal cost, the involved costs for data collecting and data processing being considered as already paid by the tax payers. The setting of fees for the utilization of databanks remains …the most difficult one. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1991-83-414

Citation: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 8, no. 3-4, pp. 345-351, 1991

Price: EUR 27.50