on the Information Economy 2009

the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy PREFACE Producing statistics on the information society is becoming an important component of the work programme of national statistical organizations. The demand for ICT statistics continuously increases as more countries seek to design, monitor and review national policies and strategies to take advantage of the rapid advances in information technology.<br><br> In addition, business communities require information about access to, and use of, ICTs by various consumer groups, as well as information about the impact of ICTs. This is a particular challenge for the developing countries, many of which are just starting their statistical work on measuring the information society. At the international level, comparable ICT indicators are critical to cross-country comparisons of ICT development, to monitoring the global digital divide and to establishing policy-relevant benchmarks.<br><br> The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is a founding member of the global Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development (see http://measuring-ict.unctad. org), which promotes the measurement of the information society at the international level. One of the key achievements of the Partnership is the development of a core list of ICT indicators for the production of internationally comparable statistics, which was endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission at its 38th session in March 2007.<br><br> The UN Statistical Commission encouraged countries to use that list in their data collection programmes and a Xrst version of the Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy was published at the end of 2007. UNCTAD prepared this Manual to guide statisticians from developing countries in all steps involved in the production and dissemination of business ICT statistics. To reYect the evolving nature of many ICTs, the core list of ICT indicators was revised in late 2008.<br><br> UNCTAD and the UN Statistics Division (UNSD) collaborated to subject the Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy to an extensive consultation process. Through this process, national and international experts have provided detailed feedback and suggestions aimed at making the Manual as practical a tool as possible for staff of national statistical organizations responsible for measuring the information economy. The process was supported by members of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development and an expert group meeting was held in Geneva in May 2008.<br><br> Further discussions on the Manual were facilitated by an online forum hosted by the UNSD and moderated by UNCTAD. This second edition of the Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy will be introduced to the 40 th UN Commission for Statistics in February 2009. It is a valuable tool in our common efforts towards enhancing the availability of internationally comparable indicators of the information economy.<br><br> Khalil Rahman OfXcer in Charge Division on Technology and Logistics UNCTAD Paul Cheung Director United Nations Statistics Division iv Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Xrst version of this Manual was prepared by a team consisting of UNCTAD staff members Susan Teltscher (team leader), Scarlett Fondeur Gil, Muriel Guigue, and Sonia Boffa, under the overall supervision of Geneviève Feraud. The main author of the Manual was José Luis Cervera Ferri and substantive editing was provided by Sheridan Roberts, both consultants to UNCTAD. The Manual was submitted to a consultation process in view of its revision in order to improve its content and practical usability by beneXciary countries.<br><br> This revision process was organized by Susan Teltscher and Torbjörn Fredriksson (team leaders), Scarlett Fondeur Gil, Sonia Boffa and Rémi Lang, under the overall supervision of Mongi Hamdi. José Luis Cervera Ferri drafted most of the modiXcations. Monica Morrica provided administrative support and helped in the formatting.<br><br> The overall layout, graphics and desktop publishing were done by MédiaCime. Sophie Combette designed the cover and the text was edited by Graham Grayston. Useful comments on various aspects of the Manual were provided by Aarno Airaksinen (Statistics Finland), Henri Laurencin, Head of UNCTAD 9s Central Statistics and Information Retrieval Branch and Ralf Becker, Chief of the Economic Statistics and ClassiXcations Section of the United Nations Statistics Division.<br><br> The UNCTAD team also acknowledges the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development, the OECD and Eurostat, whose work provided the basis for several of the chapters. A number of national statistical ofXces provided useful information to this Manual , in particular those of Kazakhstan, Morocco and Thailand. National statistical experts also provided useful contributions to the revision of the Manual , in particular Tapas Kunar Sanyal, Candido Astrologo, Mohamaed Jallouli, Sihar Lumbantobing and Yusif Yusifov, as well as most of the participants to the Expert Group Meeting for the revision of the Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy , which took place in Geneva on 26 May 2008.<br><br> Finally, the United Nations Statistics Division offered valuable support to the elaboration of the publication, including by providing the online forum that hosted the discussions for the revision. All contributions are gratefully acknowledged. v Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy CONTENTS Note &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> ii Preface &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& iii Acknowledgements &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& iv Contents &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. v List of boxes, examples, figures and tables &&&&&&&&&&&&&. viii List of abbreviations &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&..<br><br> x PART A. INTRODUCTION &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. 1 Chapter 1 - Objectives and overview of the Manual &&&&&&&&&& 3 Chapter 2 - Background &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&..<br><br> 5 2.1 ICT indicators for policymaking &&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 5 2.2 UNCTAD 9s work on ICT measurement &&&&&&&&&&&& 7 2.3 The Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development &&&&&&. 8 PART B. METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&..<br><br> 11 Chapter 3 - Conceptual frameworks for ICT measurement &&&&&&&.. 13 3.1 A conceptual framework for the measurement of the information economy &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 13 3.2 Concepts of e-business &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 16 E-business &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 16 E-commerce &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 19 Chapter 4 - Standards for indicators on ICT use by businesses, the ICT sector, and trade in ICT goods &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 21 4.1 Measuring ICT demand (use) &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 21 Core indicators on the use of ICT by businesses &&&&&&...<br><br> 21 Other ICT demand (use) indicators &&&&&&&&&&&&.. 29 4.2 Measuring the ICT sector (supply of ICT goods and services) &&. 32 Definition of the ICT sector &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 32 Core indicators on the ICT sector &&&&&&&&&&&&&. 35 4.3 Measuring trade in ICT goods &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 37 Chapter 5 - Data sources and data collection methods &&&&&&&&& 39 5.1 Sources for business ICT use data &&&&&&&&&&&&&& 39 Administrative sources &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 41 Statistical business registers &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 41 Economic censuses &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 42 5.2 Modules and stand-alone surveys on the use of ICT by businesses 43 vi Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy Modules on the use of ICT &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 44 Stand-alone surveys &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 48 Surveys of the ICT sector and ICT trade data &&&&&&&& 50 5.3 Data collection methods and quality control &&&&&&&&&&. 52 Data collection methods &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 52 Quality control of the data collection &&&&&&&&&&&&. 55 Chapter 6 - Model questions and questionnaires for measuring ICT use 6.1 Model questions for a module &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 57 6.2 Model questionnaires for a stand-alone ICT use survey &&&&& 64 Chapter 7 - Designing ICT business surveys and processing data &&&..<br><br> 69 7.1 Business surveys on the use of ICT . &&&&&&&&&&&&&. 69 Target population and scope &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> Population frames and coverage &&&&&&&&&&&&&.. Statistical units &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. Sample design &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> Stratification of the population &&&&&&&&&&&&&&... Sample size &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. Sample selection methods &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 7.2 ICT sector surveys &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 7.3 Data processing &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 82 Data editing &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. Treatment of internal inconsistencies and errors&&&&&&&. Treatment of missing data &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 84 Unit non-response &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&... 84 Item non-response &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. 86 Treatment of misclassified units &&&&&&&&&&&&&& 86 Weighting procedures &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 87 Calculation of ICT indicators &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. 90 Chapter 8 - Dissemination &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 91 Tabulation plan &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 92 8.1 Dissemination of metadata at the indicator level &. &&&&&&& 98 Accuracy and precision &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. 98 Sampling error &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 98 Bias &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 99 Reference date and period &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 99 69 73 75 76 77 78 79 80 82 83 57 in business &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. &&&& &&&& & vii Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy Scope of indicators &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&..<br><br> 100 8.2 Dissemination of metadata for surveys &&&&&&&&&&&&. 102 Rationale &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&... 102 Description of data sources &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 102 Timeliness and punctuality &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 102 Data accessibility &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 102 Statistical units, scope and coverage &&&&&&&&&&&.. 102 Response rate &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&..<br><br> 103 Statistical standards: concepts, classifications and definitions & 103 Data collection method and questionnaire &&&&&&&&&.. 103 8.3 Metadata reports &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&... 103 Part C.<br><br> INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. 107 Chapter 9 - Cooperation and coordination &&&&&&&&&&&&&&... 109 9.1 Cooperation among stakeholders of the national statistical system 109 Collaboration with data providers &&&&&&&&&&&&&..<br><br> 110 Cooperation and coordination among data producers &&&&.. 111 Cooperation with data users &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. 114 9.2 Statistical work programmes &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 115 9.3 International data collection and methodological work &&&&&... 116 9.4 Capacity-building issues &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. 117 Annexes &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 121 Annex 1. Revised core list of ICT indicators (2008) &&&&&&&&&&&&. 122 Annex 2.<br><br> UNCTAD model questionnaire &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 125 Annex 3. OECD model questionnaire for ICT use by businesses (2005) &&& 128 Annex 4. Eurostat model questionnaire on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises (2008) - version 3.3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&..<br><br> 141 Annex 5. Estimation of a proportion under different sampling schemes &&&. Annex 6.<br><br> Imputation of missing data in ICT surveys &&&&&&&&&&&.. 158 Annex 7. OECD list of ICT goods (2003) &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 161 Annex 8. OECD list of ICT goods (2008) &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&. 166 References &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> 169 Index &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 171 154 113 Technical coordination &&&&&&&&&&& Legal coordination &&&&.. 113 &&&& &&&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&& 113 &&&&&&&&&&&& Coordination in resource allocation &&&& &&&& viii Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy LIST OF BOXES, TABLES, EXAMPLES AND FIGURES Boxes Box 1. The WSIS mandate .....................................................................................................<br><br> ..............5 Box 2. Lack of data for ICT policymaking &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. ...............................6 Box 3.<br><br> Development of the core list of ICT indicators &&&&&&&&&&&.. .............................9 Box 4. OECD deXnitions of electronic commerce transactions and interpretation guidelines .....19 Box 5.<br><br> Alternative presentations of ICT indicators &&&&&&&&&&&&& ...........................27 Box 6. The 2002 OECD ICT sector deXnition (based on ISIC Rev. 3.1) &&&..<br><br> ..............................33 Box 7. The 2007 OECD ICT sector deXnition (based on ISIC Rev. 4) &&&&..<br><br> ..............................34 Box 8. Presentation of a Xlter question ...................................................................................... .......58 Box 9.<br><br> Presentation of a question on ICT activities in multiple years ............................................ 60 Box 10. Selection of responses for the calculation of an indicator ..................................................64 Box 11.<br><br> Background variables in the Eurostat questionnaires .........................................................65 Box 12. SNA 93 and Eurostat deXnition of an enterprise .................................................................75 Box 13. Design of a business survey with different levels of precision ..........................................78 Box 14.<br><br> Sample selection methods ............................................................................................. ....... 79 Box 15.<br><br> Application of micro-editing rules .................................................................................. .......84 Box 16. Corrective weighting for unit non-response ........................................................................85 Box 17.<br><br> How to treat misclassiXcation ....................................................................................... ........87 Box 18. How to make a stratiXed estimate for an ICT indicator .......................................................89 Box 19.<br><br> How to make a stratiXed estimate with an exhaustive and a sampled stratum ................89 Box 20. Formula for estimating a ratio ....................................................................................... .........90 Box 21.<br><br> Statistical disclosure control rules ................................................................................ ........92 Box 22. Breakdown by classiXcation variables ................................................................................<br><br> ..94 Box 23. Expressions for the precision of an indicator ....................................................................... 98 Box 24.<br><br> Precision levels for an indicator and its breakdowns ...........................................................99 Box 25. Alternative presentation of indicators .............................................................................. ..101 Box 26.<br><br> The case for revision of statistical legislation to improve ICT statistics ..........................118 Box 27. Reform of business statistics in former centrally planned economies ............................118 Examples Example 1. Inclusion of ICT indicators in household surveys in Latin America .....................................<br><br> 9 Example 2. Measurement of e-business processes in Senegal .............................................................16 Example 3. ICT business survey in Thailand ..................................................................................<br><br> ..........18 Example 4. Measurement of investment in ICT goods and services in the Republic of Moldova .......30 Example 5. Measurement of purchases by e-commerce in the Eurostat 2008 questionnaire .............31 Example 6.<br><br> Calculation of ICT satellite accounts in Australia ............................................................... ..37 Example 7. Data sources for indicators on the use of ICT by businesses: country examples .............39 Example 8.<br><br> Activity ratios as a measure of quality of business registers in the Western Balkans ......42 Example 9. Use of economic censuses for the collection of ICT indicators: country examples ..........43 Example 10. Measurement of response burden in the ICT survey in Kazakhstan ..................................43 Example 11.<br><br> Inclusion of questions on ICT in the Manufacturing Survey in Thailand ...........................46 ix Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy Example 12. ICT questions in the Survey on Technological Behaviour of Industrial Businesses, Argentina ......................................................................................................... ...47 Example 13.<br><br> Design of a stand-alone survey on the use of ICT by Brazilian enterprises .......................48 Example 14. The Survey on Information Technology Usage and Penetration in Hong Kong, China ...49 Example 15. Statistics on the ICT sector in Hong Kong, China ................................................................51 Example 16.<br><br> Coverage of the ICT surveys in Brazil, Thailand and Mauritius ..........................................71 Example 17. Investigating micro-business in India ............................................................................. ......72 Example 18.<br><br> DeXnition of urban and rural areas in England and Wales &&&.. .....................................73 Example 19. Exhaustive business surveys in the Commonwealth of Independent States &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.<br><br> ..................77 Example 20. Use of important variables in the design of a random sample in the Netherlands &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.. ...................78 Example 21.<br><br> Reduction of response burden in Thailand business surveys &&. ..................................110 Example 22. Legal provisions for compulsory response in the Republic of Moldova .........................111 Example 23.<br><br> Different institutions collecting ICT data in Africa .............................................................1 11 Example 24. The decentralized system of ICT statistics in the Philippines ...........................................112 Example 25. Co-ordination instances in the Spanish Statistical System ...............................................112 Example 26.<br><br> Distribution of roles in the collection of ICT statistics in Cameroon ................................114 Example 27. Cooperation with ICT data users in Peru ........................................................................... .114 Example 28.<br><br> Inclusion of ICT surveys in the statistical programme of Chile ........................................ 116 Figures Figure 1. UNCTAD and ICT for development .....................................................................................<br><br> ....7 Figure 2. The building blocks of the information economy ................................................................13 Figure 3. Schematic structure of a module on the use of ICT by businesses ...................................59 Figure 4.<br><br> Schematic outline of a model questionnaire on ICT use by businesses ...........................66 Figure 5. Steps in data validation ............................................................................................ ..............83 Figure 6.<br><br> Stakeholders in the ICT statistical system .......................................................................... 109 Tables Table 1. Policymaking and corresponding statistical work ...............................................................15 Table 2.<br><br> Types of e-business processes ...................................................................................... ........17 Table 3. Core indicators on the use of ICT by businesses .................................................................22 Table 4.<br><br> Types of connection to the Internet ................................................................................. ......28 Table 5. Proposed indicators and model questions on mobile phone use in businesses ..............29 Table 6.<br><br> Core indicators for the ICT sector .................................................................................. .......35 Table 7. Valuation of value added ...........................................................................................<br><br> ............36 Table 8. Core indicators on trade in ICT goods ............................................................................... ...38 Table 9.<br><br> Statistical sources for the collection of indicators on the use of ICT by businesses ........40 Table 10. Data collection methods ............................................................................................ ............53 Table 11.<br><br> Model questions for the core indicators on the use of ICT by businesses ........................61 Table 12. Model questions on the use of mobile phones ....................................................................67 Table 13. Breakdown of data by industry for the UNCTAD data collection on the ICT sector ..........81 Table 14.<br><br> Table 15. Model table for the publication of core ICT indicators broken down by economic activity .......................................................................................................... .....96 Table 16.<br><br> Suggested topics to be included in metadata reporting for ICT use surveys .................104 Model table for the publication of core ICT indicators broken down by business size ....95 x Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 1xEV-DO Evolution data optimized, or Evolution data only 1xEV-DV Evolution Data and Voice 2G, 3G Second, third generation ABS Australia Bureau of Statistics ADSL Asymmetric digital subscriber line B2B Business-to-business (transactions conducted over computer-mediated networks) B2C Business-to-consumer (transactions conducted over computer-mediated networks) BOP Balance of payments CAD Computer-aided design CAM Computer-aided manufacturing CAPI Computer assisted personal interviewing CATI Computer assisted telephoning interviewing C&SD Census and Statistics Department (Hong Kong, province of China) CDMA Code Division Multiple Access CNAE ClassiXcação Nacional de Atividades Econômicas (Brazil national classiXcation of economic activities) CPC Central Product ClassiXcation (UN) CRM Customer relationship management CV CoefXcient of variation DQAF Data Quality Assessment Framework (IMF) DSL Digital Subscriber Line ECOSOC Economic and Social Council EDI Electronic data interchange ERP Enterprise resource planning EU European Union FAQ Frequently asked question FSU First stage unit GDP Gross domestic product GPRS General packet radio service GSM Global system for mobile communications HS Harmonized System (WCO) HSDPA High-speed downlink packet access HSUPA High-speed uplink packet access IBGE Instituto Brasileiro de GeograXa e Estatística ICT Information and communication technology ICTs Information and communication technologies ILO International Labour Organization IMF International Monetary Fund INDEC Instituto Nacional de Estadística y censos (Argentina Nacional Institute of Statistics and Census) xi Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy INE Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Nacional Institute of Statistics, Chile, Spain,) INEI Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (National Institute of Statistics and Informatics, Peru) INS Institut National de la Statistique (National Institute of Statistics, Cameroon) IP Internet protocol ISDN Integrated services digital network ISIC International Standard Industrial ClassiXcation of All Economic Activities (UN) ISP Internet service provider IT Information technology IT&T Information technology and telecommunications ITU International Telecommunication Union Kbit/s Kilobits per second LAN Local area network LDCs Least developed country Mbit/s Megabits per second MINPOSTEL Ministère des Postes et des Télécommunications (Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Cameroon). NACE Nomenclature Générale des Activités Economiques dans L 9Union Européenne NAICS North American Industry ClassiXcation System NSCB National Statistical Coordination Board (Philippines) NSDS National strategy for the development of statistics NSO National statistical ofXce OCR Optical character recognition OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ONS OfXce for National Statistics (UK) PC Personal computer PDA Personal digital assistant RAIS Relaçao Annual de Informações Sociais R&D Research and development SCM Supply chain management SDSL Symmetric digital subscriber line SME Small and medium enterprise SNA System of National Accounts TFSCB Trust Funds For Statistical Capacity Building UMTS Universal mobile telecommunications system UN United Nations UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNECA United Nations Economic Commission for Africa UNECLAC United Nations Regional Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean UNESCAP United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the PaciXc UNESCO United Nations Educational, ScientiXc and Cultural Organization UNESCWA United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia UNSC United Nations Statistical Commission UNSD United Nations Statistics Division xii Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy URL Uniform resource locator VAT Value Added Tax VDSL Very high speed digital subscriber line WAP Wireless application protocol WCO World Customs Organization WiMAX Worldwide interoperability for microwave access WPIIS Working Party on Indicators for the Information Society (OECD) WSIS World Summit/s on the Information Society WWW World Wide Web 1 Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy PART A. INTRODUCTION Chapter 1: Objectives and overview of the Manual 3 Part A.<br><br> Introduction Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy CHAPTER 1 - OBJECTIVES AND OVERVIEW OF THE MANUAL The Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy has been 1. prepared for the beneXt of statistical agencies, in particular in developing and transition economies. 1 It is directed towards those staff that are responsible for producing ofXcial statistics on the information economy.<br><br> The main aim of the Manual is to support the production of information and communication technology (ICT) statistics that are internationally comparable 3 more speciXcally, statistics on the ICT sector, ICT trade and use of ICT by businesses. The Manual does not cover household statistics. 2 The Manual has been prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and reYects its mandate to assist developing economies in measuring and monitoring the information economy.<br><br> The 2. Manual is intended to be a practical tool for producing ICT statistics at the national level; these, in turn, serve as key inputs to countries 9 national ICT policies and strategies. The Manual explains the international standards that guide work in this area and offers advice on collecting, processing and disseminating ICT statistics and associated metadata.<br><br> Statistical systems in developing economies are diverse and reYect, among other 3. things, a country 9s wealth, culture, and legal and political frameworks. Understandably, the level of statistical capacity is unequal with respect to adherence to internationally recommended standards and methods, data collection systems and collection frequency, and the availability of key social and economic indicators.<br><br> The Manual takes the differing practices and capabilities of national statistical ofXces (NSOs) into account and highlights speciXc challenges that some developing economies face in their production of ICT statistics. Its contents are based largely on the work of the members of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development. In 2005, the Partnership developed a core list of ICT indicators, which was endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission at its 2007 meeting.<br><br> 3 The Commission encouraged countries to use the list as a basis for their ICT measurement activity. The Manual presents the Partnership core indicators on ICT use by business and the ICT sector, and provides associated deXnitions, classiXcations, methodologies and model questions. The 4.<br><br> Manual will refer to international standards, deXnitions and model questionnaires on ICT statistics that have been developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Eurostat (both of which are members of the Partnership ). In addition, it addresses statistical issues that are of particular interest to developing economies and are not extensively covered in the work of the OECD and Eurostat. For example, the Manual identiXes areas of ICT use in developing economies which should be measured (such as use of email) and provides relevant methodological advice (for instance, on construction of business frames, data collection methods and use of existing surveys where resources are insufXcient for carrying out stand-alone ICT surveys).<br><br> As well as covering these and other technical aspects of ICT statistics, the 5. Manual reviews important institutional aspects of the statistical process, such as collaboration with data providers, and cooperation with data users and producers. 1 Henceforth referred to as cdeveloping economies d.<br><br> 2 A Manual on household statistics is under preparation by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), to be published in 2009. 3 See UNSC 2007. Chapter 1: Objectives and overview of the Manual 4 Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy The 6.<br><br> Manual is organized as follows: Part A introduces the Manual and describes the background to the measurement of ICT. Part B covers the methodological and practical aspects of the production of ICT statistics on the information economy, including: - Information economy measurement concepts; - The core indicators and associated statistical standards; - Data sources for business ICT indicators; - Model questions and questionnaires; - Methodological issues relating to data collection, survey design and processing; and - The dissemination of data and metadata. Part C deals with institutional issues such as coordination between actors in the national statistical system, the work of international organizations and capacity- building.<br><br> The 7. Manual is supported by 8 annexes that provide further technical advice and useful references. The material presented in this 8.<br><br> Manual serves as the basis for the UNCTAD training course on cMeasuring the Information Economy d. The training course, which is based on the UNCTAD TrainForTrade methodology, is broadly organized around modules following the structure of the content of the Manual . 4 The training courses are useful tools in building the capacities of countries to produce statistics on the use of ICT by businesses and on the ICT sector.<br><br> ICTs play an increasingly important role in the economic and social development of 9. countries, and governments formulate policies on ICT for development in order to seize the opportunities offered by these technologies. ICT statistics are essential to plan, monitor and evaluate these policies.<br><br> This is a new area of measurement for most countries, as is the development of the necessary statistical standards and collection methodologies. Rapid technological change requires that new indicators be introduced and old ones discarded more frequently than in other areas of statistics. The UNCTAD secretariat will therefore regularly update and revise this Manual , with the objective of keeping member States informed of the most recent developments on the subject matter.<br><br> 4 Countries interested in the course should contact the UNCTAD secretariat at emeasurement@unctad.org. The training course uses the Manual as the principal reading material, and complementary course material includes presentation slides, an instructor 9s guide, tests and evaluation questionnaires. Chapter 2: Background 5 Part A.<br><br> Introduction Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy CHAPTER 2 - BACKGROUND 2.1 ICT indicators for policymaking The potential for ICT to increase economic growth and reduce poverty is receiving 10. increasing attention from Governments and the international community. Designing and implementing ICT policies and strategies require proper knowledge of the state of ICT in a country and its use by organizations (government as well as business) and individuals (and often, the main barriers to such use).<br><br> Consequently, calls for ICT statistics have become more frequent, both at the national and the international level (see Box 1). Furthermore, the measurement of ICT access, use and impact enables assessment and monitoring of the digital divide within a country and between countries. Box 1.<br><br> The WSIS mandate The measurement of ICT has been an important part of international debates on ICT for development. While ICTs can present opportunities for economic and social development for developing economies, the digital divide between developed and developing economies also presents new challenges. The UN Millennium Development Goals, for example, include the target of making available the beneX ts of new technologies, especially ICT, to developing economies.<br><br> Measuring ICT for development was a principal concern of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which was held in two phases, Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005. The Geneva phase highlighted the importance of benchmarking and measuring progress towards the information society through internationally comparable statistical indicators. The Tunis phase recognized that the development of ICT indicators is important for measuring the digital divide, and called upon countries and international organizations to allocate appropriate resources for the provision of ICT statistics, and to develop effective measurement methodologies including basic ICT indicators and an analysis of the state of the information society.<br><br> In particular, member States called for periodic evaluation, using an agreed methodology, such as described in paragraphs 113 3120 of the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, and referring to the work of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development. 5 In 2008, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in its resolution E/2008/31 acknowledged the work of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development to develop indicators and noted the lack of indicators to measure progress made towards achieving the targets of the Geneva Plan of Action. The ECOSOC thus recommended that the Partnership consider the creation of benchmarks and indicators, including impact indicators, for further consideration and decision by the UN Statistical Commission, in order to track progress towards the attainment of the speciX c goals and targets set out in the outcome documents of the WSIS.<br><br> During the past decade or so, a number of countries have made efforts to collect data on 11. ICT in their society. 6 As a result, they are now in a better position to: Assess the impact of ICT on their economies; Benchmark their economies and social situation against those of other countries; Identify the type of qualiX ed people needed to advance their country 9s information economy; and Calculate the investment needed to provide businesses with access to different ICTs.<br><br> 5 WSIS 2005. 6 cSociety d is used in a broader context here and covers both social and economic realms. Chapter 2: Background 6 Part A.<br><br> Introduction Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy In short, ICT statistics have helped policymakers and business people to make informed 12. decisions about public policy measures and private investment in ICT. Among developed economies, the NSOs of the members of the OECD have been 13.<br><br> producing statistics on the ICT sector and use of ICT by businesses in a reasonably harmonized way, on the basis of statistical developments facilitated by the OECD 9s Working Party on Indicators for the Information Society (WPIIS). As a result of this effort, a comparable set of such statistics is available for most OECD countries. However, in developing economies, the availability of ICT indicators is still scarce, 14.<br><br> even though Governments, civil society and the business sector explicitly recognize the urgent need for such information. Many developing economies are preparing ICT- related policies and strategies without the guidance of statistical evidence. Reliable and timely indicators on ICT are needed to maximize its potential to facilitate a range of economic and social developments, including poverty reduction, increases in health and education standards, generation of new industries and employment opportunities, and improvements in competitiveness (see Box 2).<br><br> Box 2. Lack of data for ICT policymaking In many developing economies, ICT policies and strategies have been set up to foster access to, and use of, ICTs by individuals and organizations, and to integrate national markets into the global information economy. According to an UNCTAD survey, in 2006, 116 developing economies had introduced national ICT Master Plans (UNCTAD, 2006).<br><br> At the same time, only 28 countries already had ofX cial statistics on the use of ICT by businesses. Without data on ICT access, use and impact, it will be difX cult for policymakers to design, analyse, evaluate and review national ICT policies. In many cases, developing economies need to increase their awareness about 15.<br><br> measurement efforts of other countries and may require assistance to incorporate ICT topics into their statistical programmes. With the increasing use of ICT by governments, businesses and households in those countries, it is essential to start measuring ICT now, for at least two reasons: First, the development and growth of the information economy is irreversible 3 organizations and individuals all over the world are increasingly demanding and using ICT; and Second, the experiences of countries that have started to collect information economy statistics show that it takes several years to design and implement a good national strategy for measuring the information economy and to incorporate ICT statistics into national strategies for the development of statistics (NSDS). Hence, the earlier that countries begin work on an e-measurement strategy, the more likely it is that they will achieve good results as ICT and e-business spread to more parts of the developing world.<br><br> Chapter 2: Background 7 Part A. Introduction Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy 2.2 UNCTAD 9s work on ICT measurement With the aim of improving the ability of developing economies to formulate policies 16. that will enable them to seize the beneXts of ICT, the ICT Analysis Section of UNCTAD collects and publishes data on ICT use by businesses and on the state of the ICT sector.<br><br> It also provides technical assistance and undertakes research and analysis (see Figure 1). These activities strengthen the statistical capacity of developing economies, allow UNCTAD to track global progress in the use of ICT and contribute to the evaluation of the WSIS implementation (see Box 1). Figure 1.<br><br> UNCTAD and ICT for development Since 2004, UNCTAD has been collecting statistics on ICT business use and the ICT 17. sector through an annual survey. The questionnaire is based on the Partnership 9s core list of ICT indicators (see Annex 1).<br><br> Results from the annual survey feed into a database that supports UNCTAD research and analysis, and its advisory work on ICT policies, including ICT policy reviews. UNCTAD analyses trends and developments in ICT access, use and impact in developing 18. economies.<br><br> In particular, it follows trends in e-commerce, the use of ICT by businesses for management and production, the impact of ICT on productivity, international trade in ICT goods and services, and the ICT sector. The research is published in UNCTAD 9s annual Information Economy Report , and disseminated at national, regional and international events, and through the dedicated website (http://measuring-ict.unctad.org). At the same time, UNCTAD raises the awareness of Governments about the importance of ICT statistics for monitoring ICT-related policies and assessing their impact.<br><br> UNCTAD provides technical assistance to developing economies on the measurement 19. of ICT use by businesses and the ICT sector, focusing on: Assisting NSOs in undertaking data collection, analysis and dissemination, including through advisory missions; Organizing expert meetings and conducting technical workshops for practitioners in developing economies to enable exchanges of experiences and discussions of methodological, analytical and dissemination issues; and Conducting training courses and developing training material, guidelines and other technical documentation on the collection of ICT statistics and the production of indicators. Chapter 2: Background 8 Part A.<br><br> Introduction Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy UNCTAD is an active member of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development 20. and a member of its Steering Committee. It also leads the Partnership 9s task group on capacity-building.<br><br> This Manual , which is a contribution of UNCTAD to the Partnership , is aligned with the Partnership 9s objectives and recommendations. 2.3 The Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development The international, multi-stakeholder 21. Partnership was launched during UNCTAD XI in June 2004.<br><br> It aims to identify and further develop different initiatives regarding the availability and measurement of ICT indicators at regional and international levels. It provides an open framework for coordinating ongoing and future activities, and for developing a coherent and structured approach to advancing the development of ICT indicators globally, and in particular in developing economies. The collaboration between Partner agencies ensures that there is no duplication of work and that resources are utilized efXciently.<br><br> The main objectives of the 22. Partnership are: To facilitate agreement on internationally comparable ICT indicators and to develop methodologies to collect those indicators; To assist in building statistical capacity in developing economies for the production of ICT statistics; and To set up a global database on ICT indicators. In 2009, partners are the ITU, the OECD, UNCTAD, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics 23.<br><br> (UIS), UN Regional Commissions (UNECLAC, UNESCWA, UNESCAP and UNECA), the World Bank and Eurostat. The Partnership Steering Committee is composed of the ITU, UNCTAD and UNECLAC. 7 The 24.<br><br> Partnership has developed a core list of ICT indicators in the areas of ICT infrastructure and access, ICT access and use by households and individuals, ICT use by businesses, the ICT sector, trade in ICT goods, and ICT in education (see Annex 1). The core list was drawn up after an intensive consultation process involving NSOs worldwide (see Box 3) and was endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) at its 38 th session in March 2007. 8 The core list was revised in 2008 and presented to the UNSC at its 40 th session in 2009.<br><br> 9 7 See List of Abbreviations at the beginning of this Manual . 8 The Partnership publication Core ICT Indicators (2005b) provided the Xrst version of the deXnitions for the indicators and model questions for their collection. 9 The revised core list of ICT indicators is contained in Annex 1 of this Manual and in the document prepared by the Partnership (2009b) for the 40th session of the UNSC.<br><br> See also http://measuring-ict.unctad.org for more information on the core list. Chapter 2: Background 9 Part A. Introduction Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy Box 3.<br><br> Development of the core list of ICT indicators Following the stocktaking exercise carried out by the Partnership in 2004, the United Nations Regional Commissions hosted several regional statistical workshops on ICT measurement. At these workshops, NSOs discussed the status of ICT statistics in their respective regions, and proposed regional core lists of indicators. The regional lists of indicators were presented for information to the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) at its thirty-sixth session (New York, March 2005).<br><br> Based on the regional lists, and feedback received from NSOs, the Partnership consolidated a core list of ICT indicators. The list was circulated to all NSOs for further comments and suggestions. A X nal list was discussed, and agreed upon, at the WSIS Thematic Meeting on Measuring the Information Society (Geneva, February 2005).<br><br> The core list was endorsed by the UNSC at its thirty-eighth session (New York, March 2007). The core list was subsequently revised, including the addition of new indicators on ICT in education, and discussed by countries at the Partnership 9s Global Event on Measuring the Information Society (Geneva, May 2008), which was part of the WSIS cluster of events. The revised core list was presented to the UNSC at its fortieth session (New York, February 2009).<br><br> The core list of ICT indicators has been widely disseminated and serves as a basis for the Partnership 9s work on measuring ICT. The need for establishing international comparisons and benchmarks requires comparable 25. sets of statistics across countries.<br><br> The core list of ICT indicators is recommended as the basis for the collection of internationally comparable ICT statistics. The development of ICT indicators is a continuous process, and the Partnership will continue to review the list periodically to address evolving policy needs. The core list is not mandatory and nor is it intended to be limiting 3 it is expected that 26.<br><br> national ICT policies may require larger numbers of indicators for planning, monitoring and evaluation (see Example 1). It is also expected that countries with different levels of development will have different priorities for the production of indicators. Example 1.<br><br> Inclusion of ICT indicators in household surveys in Latin America In Latin America, thirteen countries (as of February 2007) are including the necessary questions in their permanent household surveys to collect the information required to calculate the core indicators on access to, and use of, ICT by households and individuals. The collection of these indicators is related to the interest in national policies targeted to providing access to ICT by the population. Source: Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development, 2007.<br><br> The 27. Partnership also monitors the availability of national statistics on ICT, and its partners collaborate to build the capacities of statisticians in order to help them improve the availability and quality of ICT statistics, as well as their analysis. The ongoing work of the 28.<br><br> Partnership focuses on capacity-building, dissemination and database development, the development of new ICT indicators in the area of government, and the analysis of ICT impacts. More information on the 29. Partnership , its members and its activities can be found on UNCTAD 9s website (see http://measuring-ict.unctad.org).<br><br> 11 Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy PART B. METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES Chapter 3: Conceptual frameworks for ICT measurement 13 Part B. Methodological issues Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy CHAPTER 3 - CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS FOR ICT MEASUREMENT This chapter presents the concepts underlying ICT measurement, with the objective 30.<br><br> of providing ofXcial statisticians, and others with an interest in ICT statistics, with a basic framework for measuring ICT. It includes a conceptual framework for information economy measurement and deXnes a number of concepts associated with e-business measurement. 3.1 A conceptual framework for the measurement of the information economy A distinctive characteristic of the information economy is the intensive use by businesses 31.<br><br> of ICT for the collection, storage, processing and transmission of information. Business data from some industrialized countries show that improvements in productivity can be explained, at least partly, by use of ICT. Use of ICT is supported by supply of goods and services produced by the ICT sector 32.<br><br> and through trade. Additionally, a robust ICT sector can contribute to aggregate labour productivity growth (OECD, 2007a; UNCTAD, 2007). The information economy can be deXned and measured, based on the 8building blocks 9 33.<br><br> of supply and demand (see Figure 2). Statistical measurement instruments (surveys and other statistical operations) can cover these 8blocks 9 or conceptual areas. Figure 2.<br><br> The building blocks of the information economy Source: adapted from OECD (2005). Economic impact of ICT Social impact of ICT Impact Supply side: ICT sector - ICT manufacturing - ICT wholesale trade - Telecommunications - Computer-related services Main issues: Sector size, business performance, investment, employment, innovation and R and D Demand side: - Enterprises - Households - Public sector Main issues: ICT equipment, investment, technologies used, technological capacities, purpose, barriers to use. ICT infrastructure ICT Products Provide Use Provide Use Regulatory and institutional framework Chapter 3: Conceptual frameworks for ICT measurement 14 Part B.<br><br> Methodological issues Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy Statistical operations can separately investigate the supply of and demand for ICT, 34. as well as ICT infrastructure and trade. 10 From the supply side, statistics are collected about the ICT sector, that is, ICT manufacturing and services industries that supply ICT infrastructure, goods and services.<br><br> The output of the ICT sector in terms of goods can be classiXed using the World Customs Organization 9s (WCO) Harmonized System (HS) and equivalent national classiXcations. 11 ICT services are mainly estimated using the International Monetary Fund 9s (IMF) Balance of Payments (BOP) classiXcation which is rather broad and only captures transactions between residents and non-residents. The ICT sector is deXned in terms of the UN 9s International Standard Industrial ClassiXcation of All Economic Activities (ISIC) and equivalent national classiXcations (see Chapter 4).<br><br> 12 Measurement from the demand side addresses access to, and use of, ICT by businesses, households and government organizations (though this Manual provides methodological advice on demand side measures of the business sector only). The types of ICT indicators respond to different needs of policymakers and other data 35. users, at different stages of ICT development: ICT readiness indicators (i.e.<br><br> on the readiness of a country 9s infrastructure, society, economy and business sector to undertake ICT-related activities) are of particular interest to policymakers in countries at early stages of ICT maturity, but are likely to lose relevance or evolve as technologies become more prevalent; ICT intensity indicators (i.e. on the use of ICT and the extent to which ICT-related activities are carried out by businesses and other institutional actors) are likely to be of interest to policymakers in countries where ICT is spreading; Indicators on the outcomes and impacts of ICT on business activities and economic growth are likely to be of interest in countries with a relatively high level of ICT development. Priorities for statistical work on ICT should follow users 9 needs.<br><br> As national ICT policies 36. move from diagnostic or design to implementation and to evaluation, decision makers will be interested in the corresponding phases of the statistical work (see Table 1). 10 Some countries have surveys for the measurement of other topics relating to the information economy, such as innovation and R&D in Xrms (based in the OECD/Eurostat Oslo Manual and OECD Frascati Manual), patents, and human resources in Science and Technology (OECD Canberra Manual).<br><br> 11 The UN 9s Central Product ClassiXcation has been used for the OECD 9s revised ICT goods classiXcation (released in 2008). 12 The ICT sector deXnition was revised by the OECD in 2006 in order to comply with ISIC Rev. 4.<br><br> Chapter 3: Conceptual frameworks for ICT measurement 15 Part B. Methodological issues Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy Table 1. Policymaking and corresponding statistical work Policymaking stages Phases of statistical work Main statistical issues Diagnostic and design Consultation with policymakers on their data needs Choice of indicators to be collected Data collection activity Available statistical sources DeXnition of concepts DeXnition of indicators and questions Preparation of data collection instruments (questionnaires) Implementation Production of statistics Ongoing reXnement of statistical needs Relevance and accuracy of statistics and the resulting indicators Availability of sector, geographical and other breakdowns Accessibility of information (timeliness, metadata) Evaluation Data analysis Coherence with other statistical data Sustainability of statistical series over time International comparability ICT satellite accounts As indicated above, statistical programmes should reYect the evolution of information 37.<br><br> needs and are generally expected to extend and improve ICT measurement activities as technologies permeate society and the economy. Evaluations of the impact of ICT on an economy may be studied through the compilation 38. of ICT satellite accounts.<br><br> Such an account is a national accounting tool and represents a statistical framework for organizing and presenting information about ICT products and ICT-related activity. It is based on the System of National Accounts (SNA) concepts, deXnitions and methods. Satellite accounts enable the calculation of the direct contribution of ICT to the main national accounting aggregates, such as gross Xxed capital formation and gross domestic product (GDP).<br><br> Few countries have to date made use of this approach. 13 It integrates statistics related to the supply of ICT products (production, imports), and to the demand and use (intermediate consumption, Xnal use, exports, capital formation, etc.) and can be considered as a major milestone in the statistical work on ICT. A pre-requisite for the preparation of satellite accounts is to establish classiXcations on industries and products used in all ICT-related surveys.<br><br> It helps also to identify areas where deXciencies may exist in the collection of ICT statistics. 13 The Australian Bureau of Statistics has prepared several presentations of the progress made on this statistical exercise (http: // www.unescap.org/stat/ict/ict2004/12.ABS_ICT_Satellite_Account_Framework.pdf). Other countries, including Chile (http:// www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/conferences/panama06/material/27_Chile_Presentation_satelite_account_s.pdf) and Azerbaijan have also worked on this topic.<br><br> Chapter 3: Conceptual frameworks for ICT measurement 16 Part B. Methodological issues Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy In developing economies, especially the least developed countries (LDCs), ICT 39. infrastructure, supply and use may be at a low level.<br><br> Data on ICT are therefore likely to be scarce and measurement programmes will probably need to be prioritized. The internationally agreed core list of ICT indicators (see Annex 1) should provide guidance on the choice of priorities, while this Manual will help countries by providing guidance on the collection of relevant statistics. 3.2 Concepts of e-business E-business E-business refers to the use of ICT to facilitate business processes.<br><br> Businesses can use 40. ICT to communicate with government organizations, suppliers and clients (via email, for example) or to purchase and sell goods and services on line (e-commerce). ICT can also be used to automate business processes, to manage resources and to implement business policies (in marketing, human resources, X nance, etc.).<br><br> A diversity of business processes as well as barriers that hamper their use can be investigated in statistical surveys (see Example 2). Example 2. Measurement of e-business processes in Senegal In 2001, a survey of medium-sized and large industrial enterprises was carried out in Senegal.<br><br> While almost all of the businesses (92 per cent) were connected to the Internet, in most cases only the head of the enterprise had access (because of the perception of high cost relative to the beneX ts). The most common use of the Internet was for email, to communicate primarily with suppliers, followed by internal business exchanges and customers. A reason cited for a low level of use of the Internet for other e-business processes (such as customer relationship management, banking and X nance management or dealing with government institutions for administrative purposes) was that other partners, such as customers and suppliers, the Government, banks and insurance companies, were not using the Internet (yet) and therefore were not able to interact on line.<br><br> The overall lack of local content useful for entrepreneurs (including business information, legal and regulatory documents, and administrative forms) was noted as another major reason for not using the Internet more frequently. At the same time, business owners felt that, in particular, on-line government could signiX cantly contribute to reducing costs in terms of both time and transport. Source: UNCTAD(2004).<br><br> For a deX nition of e-business that could be used for statistical purposes, several broad 41. business functions are identiX ed and described in terms of e-business processes (see table 2). In 2003, an OECD expert group on the measurement of e-business processes proposed a deX nition of e-business processes as those c(automated) business processes (both intra and inter-business) over computed mediated networks d.<br><br> In addition, the group proposed that e-business processes should integrate tasks and extend beyond a stand-alone or individual application. Chapter 3: Conceptual frameworks for ICT measurement 17 Part B. Methodological issues Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy Table 2.<br><br> Types of e-business processes E-business process Description Customer acquisition and retention Customer relationship management (CRM); marketing campaign management, planning and execution; database marketing, direct marketing and telemarketing; electronic catalogues; web activity analysis and web advertising; call centres; arranging repairs and maintenance; handling customer complaints E-commerce Sale or purchase/procurement of goods or services (includes getting estimates, negotiating, ordering, arranging contracts); electronic data interchange (EDI); mobile commerce; integration of ordering system with that of customers/suppliers; integrated invoicing and payment by customers; full integration with back-end systems; use of an extranet; secure transactions; automated payment of suppliers Order fulXlment and order tracking Order control, product control, order tracking; data processing that relates to order fulXllment or tracking; sales force automation Logistics (inbound & outbound) and inventory control Supply chain management (SCM); production and inventory control (including of raw materials, parts, Xnished goods), distribution control, management of inventory, management of customers 9 inventory, transportation and shipping, automated warehouse; arranging and managing transport, dispatch of goods, tracking, provision of services Finance, budget and account management Enterprise resource planning (ERP); managing, planning and evaluating Xnance; invoicing and payment systems; software systems Human resource management External and internal recruitment, on-line job applications; automation of administrative tasks such as time reporting, payment of salaries and pension schemes, travel reimbursement, tracking working hours and production time; training; tele-working Product service and support Website support, frequently asked questions (FAQ), downloadable manuals; on-line queries; after-sales support Research and development Research, development and design of products, services or processes; computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and collaborative design Knowledge management Systematically aggregating and disseminating information and knowledge within the business; content management system; e-learning For the purpose of preparing a survey questionnaire, a pragmatic approach to the 42. measurement of e-business is to select processes of particular interest for which feasible questions (easily responded to with yes/no) could be included in an economy-wide survey. The model questionnaires on ICT use by businesses proposed by OECD and Eurostat include questions that cover some e-business processes.<br><br> This approach has also been followed in those developing economies that have started to collect ICT data from businesses (see Example 3). Chapter 3: Conceptual frameworks for ICT measurement 18 Part B. Methodological issues Manual for the Production of Statistics on the Information Economy Example 3.<br><br> ICT business survey in Thailand Since 2004, the National Statistical OfX ce of Thailand, which reports to the Ministry of ICT, has carried out annual business surveys on the use of ICT. Previously, the NSO had included ICT-related questions in the Manufacturing Survey of 2003. The questionnaires for the stand-alone surveys on the use of ICT investigate different aspects of e-business practices, such as the purposes of the use of Internet, the use of the X rm 9s website and reasons for carrying out Internet purchases and sales.<br><br> Options that can be recorded in the questionnaire (as yes/no answers) include use of the Internet for information search and monitoring the market, email and other communications, advertising, purchase and sale of goods and services, and, banking and X nancial services. On the use of a website, the questionnaire allows for multiple responses such as marketing of products, inquiries and contact facilitation, receiving purchase orders, providing after sales service, on-line payment and information networking. On the reasons for carrying out Internet transactions, the questionnaire allows grading the importance of a list of possible reasons.<br><br> The questionnaire is structured in modules, which makes it easier for the X rm to respond. The 2004 and 2005 Information and Communication Technology Surveys implemented by the National Statistical OfX ce of Thailand can be linked with the Manufacturing Surveys carried out for different reference years (2003, 2006) via the unique 11-digit registration code for X rms. ICT variables collected in the Information and Communication Technology Surveys can therefore be linked, at the X rm level, with business performance and other (for instance, employment) variables.<br><br> Econometric models (in particular, Cobb-Douglas production functions) can thus be estimated and tested with microdata, to analyse the relationship between adoption and use of ICT and economic results. An alternative that does not allow for measuring a delayed impact is to jointly analyse the economic and ICT variables contained in only one survey, namely the Manufacturing Survey 2003. The results showed that X rms with a combined use of computers, the Internet and the website had an average 21%<br><br>

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