Recent Developments of the OECD Business Tendency and Consumer Opinion Surveys Portal

1. Recent Developments of the OECD Business Tendency and Consumer Opinion Surveys Portal http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

2. PROJECT PROPOSAL Objectives Creation of a portal on the web to promote harmonisation and facilitate best practice through sharing of information The portal should provideaccessto: • International guidelines and recommendations • Questionnaires used by national institutes • Summary metadata on key elements of national surveys • Selected data presented in a common format • Links to papers from meetings organised by OECD, EC, CIRET • Links to selected best practice • Links to selected web sites • Terminology

3. Revised Structure Main links • Recent Survey Results • Methodological Guidelines and Good Practices • Country Metadata and Research • Meeting Papers • National Survey Institutes and Relevant International Bodies • Business Tendency and Consumer Survey Terminology • Joint Development Work by National Institutes • Other links • Business and Consumer Surveys: OECD Development work in OECD Non-Member Countries • OECD Leading Indicators http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

4. Recent Survey Results Methodological Guidelines & Good Practices International Guidelines & Recommendations The Survey Frame Sample Design Estimation Data collection & Validation Survey Errors and Bias Evaluation & Dissemination Questionnaire Design Data Presentation Seasonal Adjustment Country Metadata & Research Cross country Overviews Country Questionnaires National Survey Descriptions Country Investigations Online metadata for OECD published data Meeting papers November 2005 September 2004 November 2003 National survey Institutes & Relevant Internat. Bodies Business and Consumer Survey Terminology Revised Detailed Structure

5. Suggestions for improvements to the Portal discussed at the OECD Workshop in Warsaw 2004 • Maintaining the content – responsibility • Avoid duplication of efforts with respect to OECD, EC, CIRET websites • Access to dataand metadata in standardised format and through links to web pages of national institutes • Providing access to long time series • Information in common language (English) – metadata and questionnaires in national language, better than no information • Links to websites of national institutes – relevant web pages rather than just home page http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

6. Access to Data • Long time series - Historical data back to 1986 on industrial business confidence and consumer confidence indicators is now included in the Excel file with Recent Survey Results • Standardised format–Proposal for calculationofNormalised confidence indicators and regional/zone aggregates presented in OECD paper • Detailed survey data by sectors for all OECD Member countries and the Big 6 OECD Non-member countries will be available in April 2006 through a link to OECD.Stat • http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

8. Metadata in National Language Country Questionnaires BTS in Manufacturing • 9 countries in English, French, German, Italian BTS in Construction, Retail Trade and Services • 6 or 7 countries in English, French, Italian Consumer Surveys • 4 countries in English, French, Italian languages http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

9. Metadata in Standardised Format National Survey Descriptions Standardised National Survey Descriptions • OECD/European Union member countries • OECD Member countries (non European Union) • Large OECD Non-Member Economies Online metadata for OECD published data • Detailed metadata (questions/variables), updated monthly http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

10. OECD Member countries (non EU) Source Statistical concepts and classifications Data characteristics and collection Statistical population and scope of data Manipulation and dissemination OECD/European Union member countries Contact Methodology http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination Standardised National Survey Descriptions – Metadata Items

11. Main Metadata Items not explicitly listed in EU standard • Key statistical concepts used • Unite of measurement used • Reference period • Base period • Date base period last updated • Link to release calendar • Population coverage • Aggregation & consolidation • Estimation procedure • Imputation • Transformations http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

12. Online Metadata for OECD Published Data Main Economic Indicators (MEI) – Sources and Definitions (METASTORE) Metadata structure • Subject – Business (BTS)/consumer surveys • Sector – manufacturing, non-manufacturing, Construction/retail trade/other services • Country – OECD Member countries and Big 6 OECD Non-member countries http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

13. MEI - Metadata Items Subject and Sector level (BTS) • Contact • Direct source • Variables collected - National variables (confidence indicators) - EU harmonised variables • Key statistical concept • Aggregation & consolidation • Seasonal adjustment • Recommended uses and limitations http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

14. MEI - Metadata Items Country level • Name of collection/source • Direct source • Sampling • Sector coverage • Key statistical concept • Aggregation & consolidation • Estimation • Weights • Seasonal adjustment • Definition of individual questions/variables http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

15. Future Developments Data • Normalised Confidence indicators for selected countries and sectors and regional/zone aggregates will replace the data now available in the Excel file with Recent Survey Results • Detailed survey data for all sectors and countries will be available through a link to OECD.Stat Metadata • Coverage of metadata in standardised format for Non EUmember countries to be improved gradually • Online metadata for OECD published data will be rearranged to fit metadata structure(METASTORE) and upgraded with new information http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination

16. Thank You Ronny Nilsson Short-term Economic Statistics Division OECD Statistics Directorate http://www.oecd.org/std/bt-coi/coordination