Reengineering the Census Bureau's Annual Economic Surveys (2018) / Chapter Skim
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3 Business Register
3 Business Register
Pages 39-52
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From page 39... ...
The samples for the annual economic surveys are drawn from the Business Register, meaning that one cannot think about redesigning the annual economic surveys without also thinking about the role of the Business Register in carrying out those surveys. At the same time, information collected through the annual economic surveys can be used to improve the accuracy and timeliness of the Business Register, benefitting future years' annual survey data collections and ultimately the integrated Annual Business Survey System (ABSS)
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From page 40... ...
In somewhat different words, it is the Census Bureau's master list of businesses.1 3.1.1 Uses and Units Included The primary use of the Business Register is to identify target populations for the Census Bureau's economic statistics programs. Samples for the Bureau's monthly and quarterly indicator surveys, annual economic surveys, and quinquennial economic censuses are developed on the basis of the information contained in the register.
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From page 41... ...
The annual economic surveys also may create special units to facilitate reporting by companies, but these may not conform to the special units in the economic censuses. Only the former are maintained on the Business Register.
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From page 42... ...
, income tax returns, and quarterly payroll tax returns. The IRS provides updates to the Census Bureau for each of these types of records on a weekly basis.
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From page 43... ...
The sources for these updates include not only income and payroll tax records from the IRS, but also data from two annual surveys that are conducted by the Census Bureau specifically for the purpose of updating the register and data from the quinquennial economic censuses -- the Company Organization Survey (COS, formally the Report of Organization Survey) and the Business and Professional Classification Survey (known as SQ-CLASS)
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From page 44... ...
, which includes the COS content, but not information collected in any of the other annual economic surveys. For years ending in 2 and 7, the economic censuses replace the COS and ASM as a source of data for updating the Business Register.
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From page 45... ...
Specifically, the Business Register would be more useful as a sampling frame for the annual economic surveys if it included information about special reporting units that are used for one or another of the surveys; was updated with a wide range of data sources, including information from the annual surveys themselves; and recorded information about when and for which survey(s) each unit on the register is sampled and responded, which would help in a plan to reduce reporting burden on businesses.
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From page 46... ...
Incorporating information about the special reporting units used in the annual economic surveys into the Business Register should be helpful for sample design and selection, as well as for facilitating coordination across the different surveys. Having a systematic process for adding information collected through the annual economic surveys to the Business Register, such as we recommend below, can help to keep the register information on special reporting units up to date.
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From page 47... ...
3.2.3 Frame Maintenance Another important future consideration is the possibility that the C ensus Bureau may turn to new sources of information for the Business Register in addition to those that have been important in the past. The annual COS and quarterly SQ-CLASS have been the primary drivers of register updates in the years between the economic censuses, but the Census Bureau collects a considerable amount of relevant business data through the annual economic surveys.
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From page 48... ...
Such information will be imperative to include in the register's data structure when an ABSS is implemented and processes are established to rotate sampled units. 3.2.5 Recommendations on Business Register Redesign RECOMMENDATION 3-1: In the planned redesign of its Busi ness Register, which the panel supports, the Census Bureau should take steps to make the register more useful for the annual economic surveys and ultimately for an Annual Business Survey System by: 3-1a.
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From page 49... ...
providing for the possibility, in the future, of broader shar ing of information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which would permit both agencies to improve their business registers, and of using information from other government, private, and commercial sources to update and enrich the register. RECOMMENDATION 3-2: As part of the Census Bureau's planned redesign of its Business Register, it should make provi sion to record information each time a statistical business unit is sampled and responds in one of the annual economic surveys.
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From page 50... ...
Although the program was viewed as successful, it was not extended to the balance of the economic statistics programs. More recently, some of the staff working on the annual economic surveys have been asked to assume the role of account manager for one or a small number of enterprises alongside their other responsibilities.
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From page 51... ...
Finally, such a coordinated and managed program would greatly facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of this report for improvements to the Business Register and the annual economic surveys and the development of an integrated Annual Business Survey System. RECOMMENDATION 3-3: The Census Bureau should establish a centralized and coordinated Account Manager Program that serves as a single point of contact for the largest enterprises with re spect to all Census Bureau economic and business data collections.
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From page 52... ...
Census Bureau on the survey response process in large companies. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Establishment Surveys (pp.
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