NAME OF ORGANISATION
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
OVERVIEW
The survey aims to measure the production and distribution of Information Technology and Telecommunications goods and services. Results are compared with Australia's international trade in IT&T goods and services).
The collection of statistics for the IT&T (supply side) industry is planned to be undertaken every two years, on the odd numbered year. That is, the IT &T Industry Survey will be conducted for 2000-01, 2002-03, etc.
An agreed list of IT&T goods and services (in consultation with users) is used to identify businesses specialising in IT&T. The list is tailored for the set of IT&T related industries (see below) which are covered in one discrete survey stream. Other industries which are part of the wider interest subsumed in the term information industries or information economy are dealt with in separate surveys (eg Radio and television services).
The IT&T industries which will be covered in the one survey stream are:
Manufacturing
2430 Recorded Media Manufacturing and Publishing
2841 Computer and Business Machine Mfg
2842 Telecommunication, Broadcasting and Transceiving Equipment Mfg
2849 Electronic Equipment Mfg nec
2852 Electric Cable and Wire Mfg
Wholesale
4613 Computer Wholesaling
4614 Business Machine Wholesaling
4615 Electrical and Electronic Equipment Wholesaling nec
Telecommunication Services
7120 Telecommunication Services
Computer Services
7831 Data Processing Services
7832 Information Storage and Retrieval Services
7833 Computer Maintenance Services
7834 Computer Consultancy Services
The ABS Business Register provides the collection frame, supplemented only by a list of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from external sources (due to the importance of non-employing units to the ISP industry). The unit for which statistics are reported is the management unit. Development of the survey commenced on 1/7/00 and involves consultation with peak bodies and industry sources including potential data users. These consultations assist in determining survey scope and content, including requirements for activity data and provide some appreciation of the level of coverage provided the Business Register.
Form testing commenced in November 2000 for the latest round of surveys with final adjustments to the questionnaire scheduled made in early April 2001. Forms were sent to the printers at the end of April 2001. Despatch will occur mid-August 2001 in line with the coordinated annual despatch of ABS Economic Collections.
Published output is proposed for release in July 2002.
PURPOSE
To provide a measure of the size, structure and performance of the Information Technology and Telecommunications industry in Australia.
To identify the nature and structure of the industry/activity in terms of employment, income, costs and its contribution to the Australian economy.
The following measures provide an indication of the performance of IT&T businesses:
- the number of businesses specialising in IT&T,
- employment levels
- gross incomes
- turnover
- IT&T revenues
- wages and salaries
- total expenses
- earnings before interest and tax
- operating profit before tax
- capital expenditure
- sales of goods and services (own production vs onselling) by commodity
Published data will reflect a range of standard outputs including: business employment details, income and expense dissected by major component and financial performance ratios.
SCOPE
All MU's with IT&T revenue within the following ANZSIC classes
2430 Recorded Media Manufacturing and Publishing
2841 Computer and Business Machine Mfg
2842 Telecommunication, Broadcasting and Transceiving Equipment Mfg
2849 Electronic Equipment Mfg nec
2852 Electric Cable and Wire Mfg
4613 Computer Wholesaling
4614 Business Machine Wholesaling
4615 Electrical and Electronic Equipment Wholesaling nec
7120 Telecommunication Services
7831 Data Processing Services
7832 Information Storage and Retrieval Services
7833 Computer Maintenance Services
7834 Computer Consultancy Services
IT&T revenue includes income from computer services, income from communication services, income from packaged software and income from the sale of computer and communications hardware
The Business Register based frame is supplemented by a list of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from external sources. ISPs found on the external lists are matched to the Register. If found on the Register they are extracted to the final Register-based frame (regardless of their ANZSIC code). If not found on the Register they are added to the final survey frame as a supplementary unit.
DATA DETAIL
Conceptual framework
Part of the ABS program of industry surveys. The data items are consistent with Economic Activity Survey (EAS) specifications and outputs will provide key financial statistics in respect of the in scope ANZSICs and National Account requirements.
Main outputs
Data are available at the ANZSIC class level. Some statistics are available at the state level.
The publication contains the following tables at the Australia level:
- sources of income
- items of expenditure
- characteristics of employment
- selected statistics by employment size groupings
- selected performance ratios
- production, imports and exports of broad IT commodities.
Classifications
The survey will collect data classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC). The classification relevant to this collection are:
2430 Recorded Media Manufacturing and Publishing
2841 Computer and Business Machine Mfg
2842 Telecommunication, Broadcasting and Transceiving Equipment Mfg
2849 Electronic Equipment Mfg nec
2852 Electric Cable and Wire Mfg
4613 Computer Wholesaling
4614 Business Machine Wholesaling
4615 Electrical and Electronic Equipment Wholesaling nec
7120 Telecommunication Services
7831 Data Processing Services
7832 Information Storage and Retrieval Services
7833 Computer Maintenance Services
7834 Computer Consultancy Services
Business will be selected on the basis of ANZSIC at the management unit level.
Classification issues:
Past survey experience indicates that a number of units currently classified to ANZSIC 7834 are not computer consultants. Many are consultants of other kind such as business, management consultants. Conversely, it is expected that several Computer Services units are "hidden" in ANZSICs such as 7855 - Business Management Services and 7869 - Business Services nec.
Coverage checks have indicated that although some Computer Services units are "hidden" in these ANZSICs, they are relatively small in number and concentrated in the small employers sector, and so will not significantly affect the quality of the final estimates.
Other concepts (summary)
The survey deals with the concept of "IT&T goods and services". Income derived from these goods and services is referred to as "IT&T income".
As an example, "Income from sale of goods", an item required by National Accounts, is split into "Income from sale of IT&T goods" and "Other income from sale of goods".
GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
1. National & State/Territory\1.01 Australia
1. National & State/Territory\1.02 All States & Territories
Comments and/or Other Regions
State/Territory details are available for Number of businesses, employment and wages and salaries.
COLLECTION FREQUENCY
2 Yearly
Frequency comments
This survey is undertaken every second year on the odd numbered year.
COLLECTION HISTORY
The various Information Technology and Telecommunication Industry Surveys have been conducted over the years as outlined below:
1987-88 Computer Services Industry Survey (ANZSICs 7831-4 only)
1992-93 IT&T Producers Survey (all relevant industries including computer services and telecommunication services)
1995-96 IT&T Producers Survey (all relevant industries including computer services and telecommunication services)
1996-97 Telecommunication Servuces Industry Survey (ANZSIC 7120 only)
1998-99 IT&T Producers Survey (all relevant industrues including computer services and telecommunication services)
The relevant ANZSIC industries that are included in the IT&T Industry Survey are:
Manufacturing
2430 Recorded Media Manufacturing and Publishing (from 1998-99)
2841 Computer and Business Machine Manufacturing
2842 Telecommunication, Broadcasting and Transceiving Equipment Manufacturing
2849 Electronic Equipment Manufacturing nec
2852 Electric Cable and Wire Manufacturing
Wholesale Trade
4613 Computer Wholesaling
4614 Business Machine Wholesaling nec
4615 Electrical and Electronic Equipment Wholesaling nec
Telecommunications
7120 Telecommunication Services
Computer Services
7831 Data Processing Services
7832 Information Storage and Retrieval Services
7833 Computer Maintenance Services
7834 Computer Consultancy
The Australian definition excludes some industries that the OECD ICT definition includes, mainly because investigations have shown that the amount of IT&T activity involved with them does not warrant the inclusion of these industries in Australia. These industries are:
2832 Medical and Surgical Manufacturing
2839 Professional and Scientific Equipment Manufacturing nec
4612 Professional Equipment Wholesaling
7743 Plant Hiring or Leasing (part)Manufacturing
The IT&T Industry Survey actually utilises a number of other ABS surveys to collect data on the production and distribution of IT&T goods and services in Australia. Generally, in the years that an IT&T Industry Survey is run, the relevant IT&T data items are included in questionnaires for the following:
- Economic Activity Survey (EAS) for the relevant IT&T wholesaling, computer services and telecommunication services industries; and
- Manufacturing Survey for the relevant IT&T manufacturing industries.
Basically, all units selected in the relevant IT&T industries in the EAS and Manufacturing Survey are automatically selected in the sample for the IT&T Industry Survey. However, the size of the sample for EAS and manufacturing Survey is not sufficient to support the level of accuracy required for IT&T Industry Survey output. Therefore, an additional 'top-up' sample of units from the IT&T industries is required.
The IT&T Industry Survey will be conducted on a biennial basis in the future covering the above industries. Accordingly, there will only be one Collection Management System entry under IT&T Industry Survey for the 2000-01 cycle.
Tailored forms are used to collect data items specific to the Computer services or Telecommunications industries.
DATA AVAILABILITY
Yes
Data availability comments
DATE OF LAST UPDATE FOR THIS DOCUMENT
19/12/2002 04:04 PM
