8168.0.55.002 - Technical Manual: Business Longitudinal Database, CURF, Australia, 2004-05 to 2009-10  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 21/12/2011  Ceased
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USING THE BLD CURF


ABOUT THE MICRODATA

The 2004-05 to 2009-10 BLD CURF contains two separate files. One for each of the two panels included in this version of the BLD. The BLD CURF enables users to manipulate the data and perform both point-in-time and longitudinal unit record analysis.

The 2004-05 to 2009-10 BLD microdata are released under the Census and Statistics Act 1905, which has provision for the release of data in the form of unit records where the information is not likely to enable the identification of a particular person or organisation. Accordingly, there are no names or addresses of survey respondents on the BLD CURF, and other steps have been taken to protect the confidentiality of respondents - see Chapter Two: About the Business Longitudinal Database.

Steps to confidentialise the data made available on the BLD CURF are designed to ensure the integrity of the dataset and optimise its content, while maintaining the confidentiality of respondents. Intending users should ensure that the data they require, at the level of detail they require, are available on the BLD CURF. The Data Item List for the BLD CURF is provided in Excel Spreadsheet format from the Downloads tab for this manual.


USING THE INDICATIVE ITEMS

The BLD CURF includes several indicative items which will assist users in their analysis. For background information about these - see Chapter Two: About the Business Longitudinal Database.

Design Weight (DWEIGHT): The sample weight at time of selection.

ANZSIC 1993 Division (DIV93)

      1 = Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
      2 = Mining
      3 = Manufacturing
      5 = Construction
      6 = Wholesale Trade
      7 = Retail Trade
      8 = Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants
      9 = Transport and Storage
      10 = Communication Services
      12 = Property and Business Services
      16 = Cultural and Recreational Services
      17 = Personal and Other Services

Food industry sample indicator (FIS)
      0 = No
      1 = Yes

Type Of Legal Organisation (TYPEOFLO)
      1 = Registered Company
      2 = Sole Proprietor
      3 = Partnership
      4 = Other

Size (based on Derived Size Benchmark employment) (SIZE)
      0 = Non-employing
      1 = DSB greater than 0 to less than 5 persons
      2 = DSB greater than or equal to 5 persons to less than 20 persons
      3 = DSB greater than or equal to 20 persons to less than 200 persons

Form type (FORM)
      1 = form sent to BLD & cross-sectional units
      2 = form sent to BLD units only

Unit live status (STAT)
      1 = Normal Unit
      2 = Nil
      3 = Death (part-period)
      4 = Death (full-period)
      5 = Out of scope
      6 = Outstanding


Stratum

The stratum is not included in the BLD CURF but can be recreated by using the Size, Industry Division and Food Industry Sample indicator variables. For counts of these combinations of indicators - see Chapter Two: About the Business Longitudinal Database.


DATA ITEM NAMING CONVENTION

Each data item has been assigned a variable number, for example, V001 (Number of locations operated). Each variable number is then appended with the reference period to which it applies, for example, V001_06 (Number of locations operated as collected in the 2005-06 BCS).


SPECIAL CODES

Special codes are assigned to variables in the following circumstances:
      999999999 = missing due to respondent omission
      88888888 = missing due to sequencing
      7777777 = ticked no and yes
      666666 = question not asked

Caution: Users should ensure that they do not inadvertently use the missing value code as a numeric value. This will ensure that these missing value codes do not incorrectly contribute to BLD CURF usage or outputs.


SELECTED BCS DATA ITEMS - CONSIDERATIONS FOR BLD CURF USERS

When using the following set of BCS (i.e. directly collected) data items, users should take the information provided here into consideration. BLD CURF users are able to access copies of BCS forms upon request.

Employment (Variable Numbers V006 to V009 and V408 to V410)

The reference period for these items is the last pay period ending in June of the relevant reference year. For example, for the 2004-05 reference year, the last pay period in June 2005 is used to collect these data. These data items do not measure employment during the reference year and it is possible for a business that normally has employees to have no employees in the last pay period. Users should also be aware that while the business may have initially been selected in a non-employing stratum (i.e. did not have an ITW role when included in the ABSBR), it is possible for the business to report employees in the first or any subsequent survey iteration.

For confidentiality reasons, reported employment data are presented in ranges. Every effort is made to ensure that these data are of the highest quality.

Years of operation, current owner and regardless of changes in ownership (Variable Numbers V033 and V034)

While the questions are asked annually, these data are only quality assured in the first year that the business is included in its respective panel. For this reason, data for these items in subsequent survey periods has been removed from the BLD CURF.

Comparisons to the previous year (Variable Numbers V057, V059 and V060)

For these items, respondents are asked to report if there had been changes in "income from sales of goods or services", "profitability" and "productivity". These data are presented as self-reported by the respondent and no effort is made to confront the veracity of the responses with other data items. For example, checks are not undertaken to compare an actual increase in the value of BAS total sales with a reported increase in "income from sales of goods or services" ticked as a response to this question.

Debt and equity finance topic (2005-06 onwards) (Variable Numbers V120 to V132)

For confidentiality reasons, the data items included in the BLD CURF for this topic have been reduced from the set originally collected. Excluded from the BLD CURF are responses for whether debt or equity finance sought was not obtained or was still in progress.

Main source of income (Variable Numbers V161 to V164)

The question for this item asks the respondent to identify, by ticking one box only, the main source of income from sales of goods and services. The respondent can choose from a specified list. In practice, a small number of respondents found it difficult to report one main source of income only, i.e. the income was equally split between two or more of the response options. As these responses are valid, in the BLD CURF this item has been treated as "tick all that apply". The vast majority of businesses included in the BLD CURF only show one response for this item.

Innovation - development and degree of novelty (2006-07 Long Form) (Variable Numbers V205 to V211)

For confidentiality reasons, the data items included in the BLD CURF for this topic have been reduced from the set originally collected in respect of 2006-07. All businesses which received a long form and reported introducing innovation were asked for each type of innovation (goods and services; operational processes; organisational/managerial processes; and, marketing methods) who developed the innovation and the degree of novelty.

For who developed the innovation, respondents were able to choose all that applied from the following set of response options:
  • This business or related company only
  • This business in cooperation with other business(es) or institution(s)
  • Other business(es) or institution(s)

The items included in the BLD CURF for who developed the innovation are:
  • This business or related company only - separate item for goods and services; and a combined item for operational processes, organisational/managerial processes and marketing methods
  • This business in cooperation with other business(es) or institution(s) - separate item for goods and services; and a combined item for operational processes, organisational/managerial processes and marketing methods
  • Other business(es) or institution(s) - combined item for all types of innovation

For the degree of novelty, respondents were able to choose all that applied from the following set of response options:
  • New to the world
  • New to Australia but not new to the world
  • New to the industry within Australia but not new to Australia or the world
  • New to this business only i.e. none of the above

Users are reminded that these items were only included on the 2006-07 Long Form.

The items included in the BLD CURF for degree of novelty are:
  • New to this business only i.e. none of the above - separate item for goods and services; and a combined item for operational processes, organisational/managerial processes and marketing methods.

Users are reminded that these items were only included on the 2006-07 Long Form.

Skills and innovation (2006-07 Long Form) (Variable Numbers V252 to V265)

For 2006-07, businesses that reported innovation were asked which of a specified list of skills were used to develop or introduce the business innovation and, whether the business had experienced a shortage or deficiency in those skills. The complete list of skills used for innovation are included in the BLD CURF. However, the list of skills used for innovation for which the business had experienced a shortage or deficiency has been reduced for confidentiality reasons. Included in the BLD CURF are: Engineering; Information Technology; Trades skills; and the "none of the above" data items.

Skills (from 2007-08 Long Form, and from 2008-09 Short Form) (Variable Numbers V436 to V457)

These questions relate to skills used and skills shortages or deficiencies in undertaking core business activities, whereas previously the skills questions were related to business innovation.


HOW TO DERIVE ABS INNOVATION INDICATORS

In releasing Innovation statistics, the ABS produces two main indicators: proportion of innovating businesses and proportion of innovation-active businesses. The derived items used to produce these indicators have not been included in the BLD CURF. However, users may derive these ABS innovation indicators using the following:
      Innovating businesses = yes (value=1) to any of V189, V194, V199 and/or V204.
      Innovation-active businesses = yes (value=1) to any of V189, V194, V199, V204, V217 and/or V223.

These derivations can only be performed using data from 2005-06 onwards as the 2004-05 BCS did not include the full suite of innovation status and type questions.