United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division SDDS and Dissemination of Statistical Information to a Broader Range of Users SIAP-UNECE Training Course on New Challenges of Economic Statistics for Central Asian countries Tehran, Iran 19 October 2008 Petteri Baer, Regional Adviser, UNECE

GDDS and SDDS v General Data Dissemination System Basic information on economic, financial and socio-demographic data • With a standardized content • Provided with regular intervals • Service and follow-up provided by IMF • v Special Data Dissemination System • 19. 10. 2008 Same story – but more detailed and demanding - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 2

Custodian Organization: International Monetary Fund (IMF) v v 19. 10. 2008 The IMF monitors the world’s economies, lends to members states in economic difficulty and provides technical assistance The GDDS assists dataproducing agencies to take control of statistical development programs in a structured manner - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 3

Why SDDS? v v v Starting from 1996 The SDDS was established by the IMF to guide members that have, or that might seek, access to international capital markets in the provision of their economic and financial data to the public; Both the GDDS and the SDDS are expected to support the availability of timely and comprehensive statistics and therefore contribute to the pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies. 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 4

Main Dimensions of SDDS v v v The data: coverage, periodicity, and timeliness; Access by the public; Integrity of the disseminated data; and Quality of the disseminated data. All are important components when we think of dissemination of statistical information Metadata…User relations… 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 5

Main content of SDDS v Development in the Real Sector • v Development in the Fiscal Sector • v 12 components Development in the External Sector • v 12 components Development in the Financial Sector • v 10 components 26 components Population 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 6

CIS-Countries, whose Statistical System have subscribed to SDDS v v v Armenia Belarus Kazakhstan Kyrgyz Republic Russian Federation Ukraine 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 7

Main idea – Reporting to an International Organization? ? v Well, yes and no Strict regularity • Clear periodicity • Stable content • Metadata along • • reliability clearness, methodological soundness Control and alarming by IMF, if troubles improving the service ability of the NSO 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 8

Support (1) v v v Training by and in IMF Support for the construction of web sites for economic statistics by IMF User satisfaction surveys on a semiregular basis ROSC • Fairly small sample size • But important user groups • 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 9

Support (2) v Strict follow-up and monitoring by the IMF Headquarters • Implementation of disciplined dissemination practices, necessary for development of Trust and reliability w Good service ability w Independence of the NSO w Link to the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, where UN and UNECE are custodian organizations w 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 10

What is a Good Service Ability? v v v Different target groups will need different kinds of ready made information Some target groups will need mainly customized information Analytic materials, Good visual presentations What are the main target groups for Economic Statistics? What are the main media of communication? 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 11

What is a Good Service Ability? (2) v v v The need of a Broad Dissemination Strategy Timely economic statistics – A great possibility of Contact Building for the National Statistical Agency! But in close and clear relation to all this There is a need to have resources to do produce timely economic statistics • The biggest gap: Timely Short-Term Economic Statistics • Evidence-based decision making needs to have a good understanding of the economic development • w w w 19. 10. 2008 In general Different industries Different regions Internationally In relation to export and import - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 12

A Problem - as posed in a Pretoria Expert Group Seminar in 2003 v v v 19. 10. 2008 “Statisticians like to talk to one another in mysterious ways and with a time clock which runs 10 times slower than everyone else's” We have to communicate better! We have to imagine ourselves into the position of the potential users of our information! - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 13

Four important groups to provide services to Decision makers in big enterprises and industries… 2. The people making decisions, related to economic development in the government 3. The media 4. The general public, NGOs, politicians They are connected v Politicians need votes from the public v Governments are / should be accountable 1. 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 14

Often Encountered Public Perceptions of important things v v v v 19. 10. 2008 Health care Schools Medicines Roads Water Crime prevention Statistics? ? - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 15

Publicity may sometimes be tough! v v Statistics often tends to attract hostile media coverage… “Why does it take so long? ” “My own perception is different!” “Lies, Big lies, Statistics!” 19. 10. 2008 But what is the alternative Any votes for the Census? to providing better publicity? - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 16

Strategies for the future (1) v Take publicity seriously • Make a good plan of what will be published w Publication calendar Regular Media/Press releases • Press Officer • Press Conferences from time to time w …but not too often! w Also critical media to always be invited! w Cost plan and budget for publicity activities w • 19. 10. 2008 Follow up on media appearance – both quantities and attitudes - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 17

Strategies for the future (2) v The importance of good statistical information How can resources be allocated if basic information on the economic development is based on guesses and (too) old information? • Attracting investments, doing good business, developing economic activities needs good infrastructure – reliable official statistics is basic • If the denominators of Gross Domestic Product, Millennium Development Goals are wrong, no information is reliable. Monitoring donor activities needs good basic background information • 19. 10. 2008 - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 18

The media is your partner v v v 19. 10. 2008 In disseminating the main results of all your work on statistics In making problematic issues known Help the media to be well informed! - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 19

The importance of good contact information v User lists Existing customers and contacts • Regular and heavy sers of economical statistics • v v 19. 10. 2008 Contact directories Feedback contacts Contact / Customer database Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 20

You will profit much from active feedback v v v 19. 10. 2008 Having more feedback will help you to develop your services Interaction with critical customers will help you in having a positive pressure on performing better A demanding customer is like a grain of sand within the mussel. It doesn’t feel good but the result may be a beautiful pearl! - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 21

The efforts you will make will be rewarded, because… v Only used statistical information is useful statistical information! v v 19. 10. 2008 Thank you for your attention! petteri. baer@unece. org - UNECE Statistical Division Slide 22