1. Business Performance & Energy group update
The last few months have been quite busy, with the release of many publications, the follow-up queries, and specialised information requests. In addition, we have set up and started the 2008/09 round of surveys. All are now in the field – we appreciate your time and energy in completing these questionnaires.
It is with regret that, due to reprioritisation of some parts of Statistics New Zealand's outputs programme, the following changes are being made:
- The Information and Communication Technology Supply Survey will now be produced every two years rather than annually, with the change being implemented after completion of the 2008/09 survey. The next survey will be run in 2010/11.
- The Internet Service Provider Survey will move from being produced six-monthly to annually. The annual release date has not yet been decided, however it is expected to align with OECD-reporting timeframes. The next survey will be in 2009, and the date will be published on the release calendar when it is known.
- The Household Use of ICT Survey will be produced three-yearly rather than two-yearly, with the next survey expected to be published in 2010.
- Statistics NZ will no longer produce the ICT Government Use Survey. The State Services Commission will instead collect Government ICT statistics, which will include some of the information collected by the Statistics NZ survey.
The Business Performance work area now has responsibility for the Energy programme (effective 1 September), including the Energy End Use Survey. An update on this programme will be included in the next newsletter.
Finally, Statistics NZ has a limited number of the Economic Development Indicators: 2007 report and brochures available for free. Economic Development Indicators: 2007 is the third publication of its kind and follows the reports published in 2005 and 2003. A joint publication between the Ministry of Economic Development, the Treasury and Statistics NZ, the report draws together a broad range of indicators, to provide a useful picture of New Zealand's economic performance. The 2007 report incorporates a wider range of indicators than the two previous editions. The additional indicators are in areas such as well-being and prosperity, regulation and tax policy, and infrastructure. Most indicators are benchmarked against those for the OECD. Also, a set of indicators compares New Zealand with the Australian states, to provide a different perspective on New Zealand's recent economic performance.
If you wish to order a copy please contact Eugenie Bint: info@stats.govt.nz.
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2. Information and communication technology programme
Internet service providers
The six-monthly Internet Service Provider (ISP) Survey measures Internet service provision in New Zealand. The survey looks at Internet subscriber information, Internet connection technology and speed, email and web content filtering, and barriers to ISP growth.
Latest results cover the six-month period to March 2008, and were published on 12 August 2008 – Internet Service Provider Survey: March 2008.
In the near future we will be revising the questionnaire. While we will continue to collect current information, we are interested in hearing from any users of the ISP data to discuss additions or modifications that would better suit their needs.
The ISP Survey will move from being produced six-monthly to annually. The annual release date has not yet been decided, but may align with OECD-reporting timeframes. The next survey will be in 2009.
For further information, contact Carolina Cladellas Escola: info@stats.govt.nz
Information and communication technology supply
The ICT sector is a key industry in the New Zealand economy. Measuring sector growth requires the collection of current and accurate information on how ICT businesses operate and what is important to their success.
After the release of the Information and Communication Technology Supply Survey: 2006/07 results in April, we mailed out the 2007/2008 survey at the beginning of August. The questionnaire remains the same. From this year, we will publish the results using the Australian New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 2006 industry definitions.
Following the 2008/2009 survey, the ICT Supply Survey will be produced two-yearly.
For further information, contact Guannan Miao: info@stats.govt.nz.
Business use of ICT
Data regarding New Zealand businesses’ use of ICT is collected every two years, as one of three modules within the annual Business Operations Survey (BOS). The initial 2007 BOS results were published in April. The Information and Communication Technology in New Zealand: 2006 report investigated the data further, and included comparisons with government organisation use from the Government Use of ICT Survey: 2006.
The team is also investigating the relationships between the business use of ICT data and the other general business performance data that is available through the modular design of the BOS survey.
For further information, contact Hamish Hill: info@stats.govt.nz.
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3. Business operations
The Business Operations Survey (BOS) is a modular survey, developed by Statistics NZ to give current and accurate information on how New Zealand businesses operate, and what is important to their success. The Business Performance Newsletter – August 2005 has more information on the background to this survey.
The BOS 2005 questionnaire had modules on innovation and on business practices, while the 2006 questionnaire included modules on business use of ICT, and employment practices. The BOS 2007 questionnaire included modules on innovation, and on international engagement (exporting, importing and overseas operations). Initial results can be found in the Business Operations Survey: 2007 Hot Off The Press, and further results were published in the Innovation in New Zealand: 2007 report, which was released in July 2008.
The 2008 questionnaire was posted out during August and includes the existing module on business use of ICT, together with a new module to examine the impact of skills shortages on businesses. Results will be available in April 2009.
A range of outputs has been produced using BOS data.
For further information, contact Hamish Hill: info@stats.govt.nz.
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4. Screen industry
The Statistics NZ Screen Industry Survey collects information that measures the size and nature of the screen industry in New Zealand.
The latest information from the Screen Industry Survey: 2006/07 was released in May 2008. For the first time, regional expenditure data for screen production companies was released. The results showed that the Auckland region supported 67.2 percent of expenditure, with 357 businesses spending $442 million. The full Screen Industry in New Zealand: 2007 report was released in August 2008.
As part of the Government's 2008 Budget, a new screen production incentive scheme was introduced from 1 July 2008. One of the key objectives of the new fund is to support increased production of medium-to-large scale New Zealand screen content.
For further information contact Deborah Harkin: info@stats.govt.nz.
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5. Research and development
The Research & Development Survey 2008 was posted out in early August 2008. Key results of this survey will be released in late April 2009, followed by a comprehensive report to be released in June 2009.
A Research, Science and Technology (RS&T) Scorecard has been compiled by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST) using information from the Research and Development in New Zealand: 2006 report released by Statistics NZ in September 2007. The scorecard provides a comprehensive picture of New Zealand's RS&T sector.
For further information, contact Ritesh Anand: info@stats.govt.nz.
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6. Biotechnology
The Biotechnology Survey is a two-yearly survey that collects information about the use, application and funding of biotechnology, and about partnerships, alliances, employment and recruitment within the field. Information from the Biotechnology Survey: 2007 was released in April 2008. The survey is being reviewed prior to the 2009 collection.
For further information, contact Meighan Ragg: info@stats.govt.nz.
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7. Improved Business Understanding via Longitudinal Database Development
The last quarter has been very busy for the IBULDD team. Three research papers were presented at two international conferences in May:
- "Developing the Prototype Longitudinal Business Database: New Zealand's experience", at the International Seminar on the Use of Administrative Statistics Conference, Daejeon, Korea.
- "The 'Suite' Smell of Success: Complementary personnel practices and firm performance, and export market choice for New Zealand firms", at the Comparative Analysis of Enterprise Data 2008 Conference, Budapest, Hungary.
These two papers, along with an additional five papers, will be presented at the 2008 New Zealand Association of Economists Conference in Wellington in July.
In addition, the first stage of the IBULDD annual update is well under way. Once completed, the database will include data for 2000 to 2007.
For further information, contact Julia Gretton: info@stats.govt.nz.
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8. Who’s who in Business Performance
Gary Dunnet, Manager, Business Performance and Agriculture
Louise Hoather, ICT Project Manager
Korena Cunningham, ICT Project Leader
Guannan Miao, ICT Supply Project Leader
Carolina Cladellas Escola, Internet Service Providers Project Leader
Deborah Harkin, Screen Industry Project Leader
Will Lu, Screen Industry Statistical Analyst
Hamish Hill, Science and Technology Project Manager
Meighan Ragg, Biotechnology and Government Use of ICT Project Leader
Ritesh Anand, Research and Development Project Leader
Catherine Li, Business Operations Statistical Analyst
Kathy Jackson, Business Operations Statistical Analyst
Elizabeth Chisholm, Questionnaire Design
Julia Gretton, IBULDD Statistical Analyst
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