Combining survey and administrative data in Italian business surveys

Abstract

The main Italian enterprise surveys are shifting from a simple traditional data collection approach to a more complex one. This new approach is based on survey database management involving the recasting of many data sources (including administrative data). The reasons for utilising administrative data are: improved timeliness, increased precision and a reduction in the statistical burden. In our paper we focus on the Italian SCI survey (Sistema dei Conti delle Imprese, i.e., Businesses accounts survey). A number of innovations have been introduced into this survey over the last few years and remain ongoing. Since 2005, final economic estimates are obtained combining various data sources, primarily administrative data. The integration procedure involves a number of methodological solutions. In this paper we deal with the problem of non-response, particularly unit non-response. At first methodological issues, research and applicative trends in the NSI (National Statistical Institute) are briefly reviewed. Afterwards alternative means of estimating business data using administrative records and integrating sources are applied to the SCI survey data. The integration procedure is presented and its impact on the improvement of final data quality is verified.