data collection in a decentralized statistical system – the u.s. perspective
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Data Collection in a Decentralized Statistical System – The U.S. Perspective. J. Steven Landefeld Director. Friends of the Chair Group on Integrated Economic Statistics, Work Group Meeting June 6-8, 2007. Background to U.S. Decentralized System. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Data Collection in a Decentralized Statistical System – The U.S. Perspective
Friends of the Chair Group on Integrated Economic Statistics, Work Group Meeting
June 6-8, 2007
J. Steven LandefeldDirector
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Background to U.S. Decentralized System
Statistical system and laws grew over time to meet specific policy needs
Increasing regulation and monitoring of industries and institutions
Deregulation has dismantled parts of the system but much of it is still in place
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Imprint of Regulation and Monitoring on the U.S. Statistical
System
Agriculture NASS, ERS
Financial FRB, Treasury, SEC, FDIC
Health Care NCHS, CMS
Energy EIA
Transpiration BTS
Labor BLS
Commerce Census, BEA
Environment EPA
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Characteristics of U.S. Decentralized System
Almost all agencies have separate enabling legislation and data collection authorities No comprehensive statistical “law”
Reflecting public concerns, there are strong confidentiality protections Civil and criminal penalties for disclosure Sharing of data among agencies
prohibited, with exception of limited data sharing relationship between BEA/BLS/Census
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Characteristics of U.S. Decentralized System: Privacy Strong U.S. resistance to provision of “too
much” information to the Government. Such concerns major determinant of the
structure of the U.S. Statistical system Decentralized – no single agency able to access
and share data Strong confidentiality – limited access to tax
and administrative records for statistical purposes
Collection system mainly based on Censuses with extrapolation using sample surveys designed to minimize respondent burden
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Chief Statistician of OMB
Key role is coordination of decentralized independent system
Charged with managing the trade-off between respondent burden and statistical needs
No direct budget or management control of individual agencies, but Can exert significant effect through cross-
cutting OMB review of budgets Statistical agencies independent but report
to both OMB and parent departments Parent departments have direct budget and
management control
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U.S. Business Accounts
Statistical and Regulatory Reporting based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) Significant flexibility in GAAP Significant differences between GAAP, IRS, and Economic
Valuations Significant adjustments required to provide consistent accounting
Key Issues “Gaps in GAAP”
Rules-based, but significant flexibility Stocks options, intangibles, pensions and “off-the-book”
liabilities Harmonization with IFRS
Principles based; also significant flexibility
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Sample Frame/Business Lists
Census Federal-tax based and Census identification and collection
BLS State-tax based and BLS identification and collection
BEA BEA identification and collection, tax based supplement
IRS/SOI Federal-tax based
EIA, ERS, NASS, FRB, Treasury
Agency identification and collection
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Comprehensive Data Available for Benchmarks
Censuses – virtually complete and most detailed data available – used for benchmarking
Quinquennial Economic Census Quarterly Census of Wages and
Earnings (State & local data) Benchmark FRB/BEA International
Capital and Investment Surveys
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Good Annual Coverage From Survey Data
Annual Surveys: most comprehensive survey coverage (lower filing thresholds) and most detailed survey data: Annual Census Surveys: Manufacturing, Trade, and Services Annual BEA Surveys of Multinational Company Operations Annual IRS Business Tax Filings (Federal tax data) Annual BEA/FRB/Treasury International Capital and
Investment Surveys Other annual survey data: EIA, ERS, NASS
Challenges: Services expansion, updating, consistency, data sharing, and level of detail
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Rich Set of Quarterly and Monthly Current Business Indicators
Quarterly and Monthly Surveys: higher frequency but less complete – higher filing thresholds and limited detail Quarterly and monthly Census trade, manufacturing,
services and financial surveys Quarterly BEA international services surveys Monthly BLS payroll survey Monthly CPI, PPI, and IP prices Other public and private data
Challenges: Services expansion, updating, consistency, and level of detail
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Strengths of Decentralized System
Resulting system good at providing timely measures on issues of interest to public and private decision makers: Good at innovation in concepts and
methods Good at updating the estimates to reflect
changes in the economy Good at addressing current policy and
business concerns Good at balancing timeliness, accuracy,
and relevance
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Challenges to Decentralized Systems
Challenges associated with decentralized system: Developing consistent and well integrated
estimates Developing new measures on issues/areas with
no constituency and Federal agency management
Balancing respondent burden with need for detail
Lack of a well-established conceptual foundation and organizational framework (true of all national accounts)
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Bottom Line
U.S. Decentralized System largely reflects U.S. public’s demand for: Timely data that answers the “big
picture” questions, Gets the answer “about right,” and Doesn’t impose too heavy a
respondent burden.