1. Business Performance & Energy group update
With many of our surveys out in the field, and completed forms flowing in, we have started processing the data. We certainly appreciate the time and effort that goes into the completion of these forms. In August, we released the Screen Industry in New Zealand: 2008 report – as usual this generated a lot of interest, and substantial discussion on TV One's morning business show examining the industry. In October, we will see the release of the Internet Service Providers (ISP) Survey, which brings it into line with Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reporting dates. Also in October, we will be putting the Household Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Survey out into the field.
As with previous years, the maintenance of the prototype Longitudinal Business Database (LBD) continues, and we are also seeing growing user demand (invariably requiring new data to be added). Recently, we, along with the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST), have been using the LBD to participate in an OECD cross-country analysis project looking at innovation indicators – we expect the complete results to be issued later this year.
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2. Information and communication technology programme
All of our ICT surveys are now being managed as the ICT programme.
For further information, contact Deborah Harkin: info@stats.govt.nz
Internet service providers
The 2009 ISP Survey was posted out in August. As of the middle of September, an overall response rate of more than 91 percent has been achieved, which is above the target of 85 percent.
The survey is currently being processed and analysed for the next Hot Off the Press release on 27 October 2009.
Following a review of the questionnaire’s content, it was identified that some questions were no longer needed, and therefore were removed for the current iteration of the survey. Some questions were updated to reflect a better breakdown of the upload and download speed categories. This is also the first time that we will publish information about the barriers for businesses to install Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).
Information and communication technology supply
We are in the process of reviewing and considering future methodology developments for the ICT Survey.
The next survey will be run in 2010 and results will be published in April 2011.
Household information and communication technology
The Household Use of ICT Survey was developed to measure the characteristics of the households and individuals that use ICT, the penetration and use of the Internet, commerce activities conducted via the Internet, and use of other ICT to create internationally comparable statistics.
Over the last few months, the electronic questionnaire has been developed and tested. Training of the interviewers will be carried out this month, with the survey going into the field in October. The first release of the data will come out in April 2010.
Business use of ICT
New Zealand businesses’ use of ICT data is collected every two years, as one of three modules within the annual Business Operations Survey (BOS). The latest results from the ICT module are available in the 2008 release of the survey.
The team is also investigating the relationships between the business use of ICT data and other general business performance data that is available through the modular design of the BOS survey.
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3. Business operations
The latest results from the Business Operations Survey: 2008 were released in April 2009, and were followed by the release of the full set of tables from the survey.
The 2009 survey was posted out in August, and responses are starting to roll in. The survey this year covers the topics of business operations, innovation, and business finance. This will include the revised business operations module that aims to decrease respondent burden.
We presented a paper covering a range of BOS results at the Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand (SEAANZ) conference on 2 September 2009. There was interest from organisations from all over New Zealand, as well as from Australia.
The contestable bids for new content to be included in the BOS have been accepted. New content in the 2010 survey will cover finance conditions, price setting, and wage bargaining, and will be covered in the new module C.
For further information, contact Kathy Jackson: info@stats.govt.nz
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4. Screen industry
Detailed survey results for the Screen Industry in New Zealand: 2008 were released in August 2009, following the initial release of results from the 2008 Screen Industry Survey in May 2009. In addition to information published in the initial release, the August publication includes information on post-production activities, digital technology, labour and employment, and growth and development in the industry. The release caused some media interest, with NZI Business interviewing an industry consultant about the results.
Also in August 2009, questionnaires for the Screen Industry Survey 2008/09 were sent to all businesses involved in the screen industry. The first results from this survey will be published in April 2010.
The Screen Industry Survey collects information about the size and nature of the screen industry in New Zealand. Screen industry refers to all businesses involved in the following sectors: screen production and post-production, distribution, exhibition, and broadcasting.
For further information contact Geraldine Davies: info@stats.govt.nz
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5. Research and development
The Research and Development (R&D) in New Zealand: 2008 report was released in June 2009. This R&D report shows a greater level of detail about business, government, and higher education sectors.
There were 24,700 full-time equivalent personnel involved in R&D in 2008. Biotechnology R&D and scientific research industry expenditures were reported to be $313 million and $622 million, respectively.
For further information, contact Ritesh Anand: info@stats.govt.nz
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6. Bioscience
The Bioscience Survey replaces the previous Biotechnology Survey. The Bioscience Survey takes a wider approach than the Biotechnology Survey, but keeps biotechnology at its core, thereby allowing international comparisons to be made.
Bioscience is applied in the following areas: agriculture, medicine and veterinary science (including equipment and research), microbes, and biotechnology.
The Bioscience Survey is currently in the field and initial results will be released in February 2010.
For further information, contact Meighan Ragg: info@stats.govt.nz
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7. New Zealand Energy Use Survey
The results for the 2008/09 cycle of the New Zealand Energy Use Survey have been published and are available from the Statistics New Zealand website. Work is underway to put these results in the Data Lab, allowing researchers to apply for access to the data.
The team is already busy with the early phases of the 2009/10 cycle, with all project management documentation completed and the ministerial approval lodged.
For further information, contact Martin Brown-Santirso: info@stats.govt.nz
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8. Improved Business Understanding via Longitudinal Database Development (IBULDD)
The prototype Longitudinal Business Database (LBD) contains integrated data from survey and administrative sources, and is used for microdata research. It was created by the two-year feasibility project, IBULDD.
The Government Assistance Programme (GAP) work has now been completed. This involved updating the LBD with new information on government grants to New Zealand businesses. The update was completed in July 2009, and the information is now in the LBD and being used by the researchers in the Data Lab. The GAP data tables now contain information from 1998–2009.
The current imputation being carried out is due for completion by the end of September 2009. This is being done to ensure there is complete coverage of key financial data.
Over the last quarter, research work for the OECD has continued. This work involves looking at New Zealand innovation indicators (obtained from the BOS 2007 survey, which lies in the LBD) for comparison with worldwide indicators. This is a joint project with the MoRST. The first set of indicators has been completed and was sent to the OECD on 18 September 2009.
New researchers from Inland Revenue (IR) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) have entered the Data Lab since the last update, and are currently making their way through the LBD.
Some new International Trade in Services and Royalties Survey (ITSS) data has now been added to the LBD. This work is being funded by MFAT.
And finally, our new LBD home page is up on the new Statistics New Zealand website. Although further updates are still in progress, you'll find further useful information about the LBD and IBULDD there.
For further information, contact Keely Betham: info@stats.govt.nz
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9. Who’s who in the Business Performance & Energy group
Andrew Neal, Energy Use Statistical Analyst
Carolina Cladellas Escola, ICT Suite Statistical Analyst
Chloe Lynch, Questionnaire Design
Deborah Harkin, ICT Project Leader
Gary Dunnet, Manager, Business Performance, Energy and Agriculture
Geraldine Davies, Screen Project Leader
Hamish Hill, Energy and Innovation Project Manager
Julia Gretton, Screen, ICT and Research Project Manager
Kathy Jackson, Business Operations Project Leader
Keely Betham, IBULDD Statistical Analyst
Martin Brown-Santirso, Energy Use Project Leader
Meighan Ragg, Bioscience Project Leader
Ritesh Anand, Research and Development Project Leader
Rosi Zeiske, Business Operations Statistical Analyst
Will Lu, Screen Industry Statistical Analyst
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