Labour statistics: dissemination guidelines

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Stibbard, Peter^{; 1}

Affiliations: 62 Allington Drive, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 4HH, UK

Note: [1] This article is a shortened version of a report delivered in January 1998 to the International Labour Organisation, for discussion at the 16th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) held in Geneva from 6–15 October 1998. The report proposed 20 guidelines on good dissemination practice; these are listed at the end of the article, as amended and endorsed by the Conference.

Abstract: Nowadays the use of labour statistics goes well beyond just monitoring the labour market; they are becoming well integrated into several aspects of government decision-making and influence financial markets. The methods used for their release and further dissemination are therefore rightly a matter of public concern. Virtually all international recommendations and guidance on labour statistics are restricted to the collection and processing operations. Only recently has attention been given at an international level to developing a code of best practice for dissemination – even though dissemination practices have a big influence on the reputation of statistics and the agency which releases them. Besides the distribution of data on paper and by electronic means, guidelines of good dissemination practice should include topics such as user-friendliness, the provision of metadada, publicity for statistical products and relationships with users.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1999-16108

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 79-104, 1999