National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria

Science, Innovation and Information Society Department

2, P. Volov str., Sofia 1038, Bulgaria

The Community Innovation Survey (CIS) is a survey about innovation activities in enterprises. The survey is designed to collect the information on types of innovation, processes of development of innovation like cooperation patterns, financing and expenditure, objectives of innovation activities or barriers for initiating or implementing innovation.

The CIS provides statistics by type of innovators, economic activity and size class of enterprises. The survey is currently carried out every two years across the EU Member States, EFTA countries and EU candidate countries.

In order to ensure comparability across countries, Eurostat together with the countries develops a Harmonised Data Collection (HDC) questionnaire and drafts the methodological recommendations for implementation of each survey round. 

CIS 2020 is a second in a row to implement concepts and methodology of the Oslo Manual 4th Edition revised in 2018. The changes in the CIS driven by the revision of the manual and their impact on collected indicators are described in the Statistics Explained article: Community Innovation Survey – new features. 

The legal framework for CIS since 2012 is the Commission Regulation No 995/2012 that establishes the quality conditions for the data collection and transmission and identifies the obligatory cross-coverage of economic sectors, size class of enterprises and innovation indicators. The target population are enterprises with at least 10 employees classified in the core NACE economic sectors (see 3.3).  Further activities may be covered on a voluntary basis in national datasets. Most statistics are based on the 3-year reference period (t, t-1, t-2), but some use only one calendar year (t or t-2). Please refer to the Annex section of the European metadata (ESMS) for details of the time coverage of collected indicators.

Indicators related to the enterprises are classified by country, economic activity (NACE Rev. 2), size class of enterprises and type of innovation.

The main typology of classification of enterprises in reference to innovation is the distinction between innovation-active enterprises (INN) and not innovation-active enterprises (NINN).

The enterprise is considered as innovative (INN) if during the reference period it successfully introduced a a) product or a) business process innovation, c) completed but not yet implemented the innovation, d) had ongoing innovation activities, e) abandoned innovation activities or was f) engaged in in-house R&D or R&D contracted out. Non-innovative (NINN) enterprises had no innovation activity mentioned above whatsoever during the reference period.

CIS covers main economic sectors according to NACE Rev.2 broken down by size class of enterprises and type of innovation activity.

In accordance with Commission Regulation 995/2012 on innovation statistics, the following industries and services are included in the core target population. Results are made available with these following breakdowns :

All NACE – Core NACE (NACE Rev. 2  sections & divisions B-C-D-E-46-H-J-K-71-72-73 )

CORE INDUSTRY (excluding construction) (NACE Rev. 2 SECTIONS B_C_D_E)

10-12: Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco

13-15: Manufacture of textiles, wearing apparel, leather and related products

16-18: Manufacture of wood, paper, printing and reproduction

20: Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products

21: Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations

19-22: Manufacture of petroleum, chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastic products

23: Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products

24: Manufacture of basic metals

25: Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment

26: Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products

25-30: Manufacture of fabricated metal products (except machinery and equipment), computer, electronic and optical products, electrical equipment, motor vehicles and other transport equipment

31-33: Manufacture of furniture; jewellery, musical instruments, toys; repair and installation of machinery and equipment

D: ELECTRICITY, GAS, STEAM AND AIR CONDITIONING SUPPLY

E: WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES

36: Water collection, treatment and supply

37-39: Sewerage, waste management, remediation activities

CORE SERVICES (NACE Rev. 2 sections & divisions 46-H-J-K-71-72-73)(NACE code in the tables = G46-M73_INN)

46: Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles

H: TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE

49-51: Land transport and transport via pipelines, water transport and air transport

52-53: Warehousing and support activities for transportation and postal and courier activities

J: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

58: Publishing activities

61: Telecommunications

62: Computer programming, consultancy and related activities

63: Information service activities

K: FINANCIAL AND INSURANCE ACTIVITIES

64: Financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding

65: Insurance, reinsurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security

66: Activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities

M: PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES

71: Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis

72: Scientific research and development

73: Advertising and market research

71-73: Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis; Scientific research and development; Advertising and market research

Complementary to the NACE Rev. 2 sections, divisions and aggregates, which are mandatory according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 995/2012 (listed above under item 3.3.1.) the following additional NACE Rev. 2 divisions, groups and aggregates are included in the target population of the innovation survey in Bulgaria on a voluntary basis, and for them final results are also made available:

5: Mining of coal and lignite

6: Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas

7: Mining of metal ores

8: Other mining and quarrying

9: Mining support service activities

10: Manufacture of food products

11: Manufacture of beverages

12: Manufacture of tobacco products

13: Manufacture of textiles

14: Manufacture of wearing apparel

15: Manufacture of leather and related products

16: Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials

17: Manufacture of paper and paper products

18: Printing and reproduction of recorded media

19: Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products

19-21: Manufacture of petroleum, chemicals, chemical products,basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations

22: Manufacture of rubber and plastic products

22-23: Manufacture of rubber, plastic products, and other non-metallic mineral products

24-25: Manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products (except machinery and equipment)

27: Manufacture of electrical equipment

28: Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.

26-28: Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, electrical equipment, and machinery and equipment n.e.c.

29: Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers

30: Manufacture of other transport equipment

29 to 30:  Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, and other transport equipment

31: Manufacture of furniture

32: Other manufacturing

33: Repair and installation of machinery and equipment

35.1 Electric power generation, transmission and distribution

35.2 Manufacture of gas; distribution of gaseous fuels through mains

35.3 Steam and air conditioning supply

37: Sewerage

36-37: Water collection, treatment and supply, Sewerage

38: Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery

39: Remediation activities and other waste management services

38-39: Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery; Remediation activities and other waste management services

49: Land transport and transport via pipelines

50: Water transport

51: Air transport

52: Warehousing and support activities for transportation

53: Postal and courier activities

59: Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities

60: Programming and broadcasting activities

58-60: Publishing activities, motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities, programming and broadcasting activities

61-63: Telecommunications; Computer programming, consultancy and related activities; Information service activities

In accordance with Commission Regulation 995/2012 on innovation statistics, the following size classes of enterprises according to number of employees are included in the core target population of the CIS:

• 10 - 49 employees
• 50 - 249 employees
• 250 or more employees

Size classes were based on persons employed.

The description of concepts, definitions and main statistical variables is available in CIS 2020 European metadata file (ESMS) Results of the community innovation survey 2020 (CIS2020) (inn_cis12) in Eurostat database.

The statistical unit used is the Enterprise = Legal unit. Statistical unit Enterprise is coinciding with the reporting unit.

Core target population are all enterprises in CORE NACE activities (see 3.3.1) with 10 or more employees.

Reference area is Bulgaria. Data on innovation are available on NUTS2 level.

Several rounds of Community Innovation Survey have been conducted so far at two-year interval since end of 90’s.

*two reference periods can be distinguished for CIS light: 2000-2002 and 2001-2003

Not relevant.

CIS indicators are available according to 3 units of measure:

NR: Number for number of enterprises and number of persons employed.

THS_EUR: Thousands of euros. All financial variables are provided in thousands of euros, i.e. Turnover or Innovation expenditure.

PC: Percentage. The percentage is the ratio between the selected combinations of indicators.

For CIS 2020, the time covered by the survey is the 3-year period from the beginning of 2018 to the end of 2020.

Some questions and indicators refer to one year — 2020.

The list of indicators covering the 3-year period and referring to one year according to the HDC is available in the Annex section of the European metadata (ESMS). 

CIS surveys are based on the Commission Regulation No 995/2012, implementing Decision No 1608/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the production and development of Community statistics on science and technology.

This Regulation establishes innovation statistics on a statutory basis and makes the delivery of certain variables compulsory e.g. innovation activities, cooperation, development, expenditures and turnover (see the Regulation). Each survey wave may additionally include further variables. 

In addition, the Regulation defines the obligatory cross-coverage of economic sectors and size class of enterprises.

The production of innovation statistics is governed by the national Statistics Act and National Statistical Programme, available at the following link: Legal Basis | National statistical institute (nsi.bg)

Not requested.

 CIS data are transmitted to Eurostat via EDAMIS using the secured transmission system.

The national Statistics Act (Chapter 6 “Protection of secrecy”) guarantees the protection of statistical confidentiality and the use of individual data of enterprises for statistical purposes only.

The two criteria (national confidentiality rules) applied for defining cells with direct disclosure risk (primary confidentiality), according to which certain data cannot be made public or released, are specified in Article 25 of the national Statistics Act: ‘statistical information, which aggregates data about less than three statistical units or about a population, in which the relative share of the value of a surveyed parameter of a single unit exceeds 85 per cent of the total volume of such parameter for all units in the population’. Secondary confidentiality treatment is carried out in way making it impossible to recalculate confidential data by subtraction from row and column aggregates.

Data on innovation are published in accordance with the deadline specified in the Release Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys carried out by the NSI, which is publicly accessible on the NSI website.

The Release Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys carried out by the NSI of Bulgaria is available at the following link: Release Calendar | National statistical institute (nsi.bg)

The release policy of the NSI determines the dissemination of statistical data on innovation to all users at the same time - standard tables for free access. The users are informed that the data are being released by a press release. Specific data are provided to everyone with a specific request. Feasibility of the data request and payment of possible expenses are checked in advance.

CIS is conducted and disseminated at two-year interval in pair years.

Accessibility and clarity refer to the simplicity and ease for users to access statistics using simple and user-friendly procedure, obtaining them in an expected form and within an acceptable time period, with the appropriate user information and assistance: a global context which finally enables them to make optimum use of the statistics.

See below.

-   Online database (containing all/most results): https://infostat.nsi.bg/infostat/pages/module.jsf?x_2=90

-   Publications:

Data on innovation are published in the annual ‘Statistical Yearbook’: https://nsi.bg/en/content/19555/публикация/statistical-yearbook-2021

and in the annual ‘Statistical Reference book’: https://nsi.bg/en/content/19722/публикация/statistical-reference-book-2022

Both publications are available in Bulgarian and in English.

Most recent data on innovation for 2020 are available in Bulgarian and in English on the NSI website at the following link: https://nsi.bg/en/content/2710/innovation-activity

Data on innovation for 2020 and preceding years are published in Bulgarian and in English in online database - Information System for online requests for statistical information  (INFOSTAT) - available at the following link: https://infostat.nsi.bg/infostat/pages/module.jsf?x_2=90

Not requested.

Microdata on innovation are disseminated through Eurostat SAFE centre.

Data on innovation are transmitted to Eurostat in SDMX/CSV format to compile European aggregates as well as to be disseminated at the level of Member States in Eurostat's database.

Not requested.

Disseminated innovation data are accompanied with metadata, which are published on the NSI website at the following link: https://nsi.bg/en/content/2710/innovation-activity

Not requested.

Additional explanations (assistance) are provided to the users if required. Nevertheless that, systematic feedback report is not available. The expressed opinions of some of the regular users indicate that they are satisfied with the accompanying meta-information disseminated alongside innovation data.

NSI of Bulgaria follows the recommendations on organization and quality management provided in the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP) and implements the guidelines given in the European Statistical System Quality Assurance Framework (QAF). As part of the European Statistical System (ESS), NSI of Bulgaria endorses the Quality Declaration of the ESS.

Quality management system established in NSI is in conformity with the requirements of the international quality management system standard ISO 9001:2015.

More information on the quality assurance and procedures that describe the quality policy in NSI of Bulgaria can be found on the NSI website at the following link: https://www.nsi.bg/en/content/471/basic-page/quality

Quality checks are conducted throughout the entire statistical production process of data on innovation, including comparisons with data from the previous innovation survey and data from other sources (R&D and SBS surveys), valid values checks, consistency and completeness checks, etc. The overall quality of the innovation data is considered to be very good. All compulsory and the vast majority of the voluntary data on innovation are produced strictly on time. As far as the innovation survey in Bulgaria is a census, sampling error does not exist, misclassification rate=0 and the unit non response rate is low - 3.91%. Coherence with SBS is ensured since data on ‘turnover’ and ‘persons employed’ are taken directly from SBS census survey.

Relevance is the degree to which statistics meet current and potential user needs. It includes the production of all needed statistics and the extent to which concepts used (definitions, classifications etc.) reflect user needs. The aim is to describe the extent to which the statistics are useful to, and used by, the broadest array of users. For this purpose, statisticians need to compile information, firstly about their users and their needs.

The CIS is based on a common questionnaire and a common survey methodology, as laid down in the 4th edition of Oslo Manual (2018 edition), in order to achieve comparable, harmonised and high quality results for EU Member States, EFTA countries, Candidates and Associated countries.

Main users of data on innovation are: the European Commission (DG ENTR, DG RTD); ministries; national and regional media; research institutes and universities (students and postgraduates).

User satisfaction survey carried out by the NSI of Bulgaria (https://www.nsi.bg/en/content/16537/questionnaire-survey-user-satisfaction-offered-statistical-data-products-and-services) does not provide special information for 2020 data on innovation but the effort to meet the needs of our users is an ongoing process. The comments received from the key users (ministries, researches) prove that they are satisfied with the available information on innovation.

Data for all variables, as defined in the CIS 2020 Harmonized Survey Questionnaire are compiled at the level of detail by NACE activities and by size classes of the enterprises as required by CR (EU) No 995/2012. In addition, data on innovation for the vast majority of voluntary NACE Rev. 2 divisions, groups and aggregates are also produced and transmitted to Eurostat.

Not requested.

Accuracy in the statistical sense denotes the closeness of computations or estimates to the exact or true values. Statistics are not equal with the true values because of variability (the statistics change from implementation to implementation of the survey due to random effects) and bias (the average of the possible values of the statistics from implementation to implementation is not equal to the true value due to systematic effects).

That part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.

The main indicator used to measure sampling errors for CIS data is the coefficient of variation (CV).

Coefficient of Variation= (Square root of the estimate of the sampling variance) / (Estimated value)

Formula:

where

Coefficient of variation (%) for key variables by NACE categories and for enterprises with 10 and more employees

Not applicable - the innovation survey in Bulgaria is a census.

[1] = Coefficient of variation for the percentage of innovative enterprises (INN) in the total population of enterprises (ENT20)
[2] = Coefficient of variation for the turnover of product innovative enterprises with new or improved products (TUR_PRD_NEW_MKT), as a percentage of total turnover of product innovative enterprises [TUR20,INNO_PRD].
[3] = Coefficient of variation for percentage of product and/or process innovative enterprises (incl. enterprises with abandoned and or on-going activities) involved in any innovation co-operation arrangement [COOP_ALL,INN], as a percentage of innovative enterprises (INN).

Not applicable - the innovation survey in Bulgaria is a census.

Non-sampling errors occur in all phases of a survey. They add to the sampling errors (if present) and contribute to decreasing overall accuracy. It is important to assess their relative weight in the total error and devote appropriate resources for their control and assessment. 

Coverage errors (or frame errors) are due to divergences between the target population and the frame population. The frame population is the set of target population members that has a chance to be selected into the survey sample. It is a listing of all items in the population from which the sample is drawn that contains contact details as well as sufficient information to perform stratification and sampling.

Not requested.

Not requested.

There are not under covered groups of the target population.

Not applicable - the innovation survey in Bulgaria is a census.

Measurement errors occur during data collection and generate bias by recording values different than the true ones. The survey questionnaire used for data collection may have led to the recording of wrong values, or there may be respondent or interviewer bias.

In order the respondents correctly to understand and apply the concepts on innovation, and to provide accurate answers, the national innovation questionnaire comprises explanatory notes fully in line with these of CIS 2020 Harmonised Questionnaire and Oslo Manual 2018.

Non response occurs when a survey fails to collect data on all survey variables from all the population units designated for data collection in a sample or complete enumeration.

There are two types of non-response:

1) Unit non-response, which occurs when no data (or so little as to be unusable) are collected about a population unit designated for data collection.

a) Un-weighted unit non-response rate (%) = 100*(Number of units with no response or not usable response) / (Total number of in-scope (eligible) units in the sample)

b) Weighted unit non-response rate (%) = 100*(Number of weighted units with no response or not usable response) / (Total number of in-scope (eligible) units in the sample)

2) Item non-response, which occurs when only data on some, but not all survey data items are collected about a population unit designated for data collection.

a) Un-weighted item non-response rate (%) = 100*(Number of units with no response at all for the item) / (Total number of eligible, for the item, units in the sample i.e. filters have to be taken into account)

Unit non-response is very low (3.91%).

See below.

Un-weighted and weighted unit non-response rate by NACE categories and for enterprises with 10 or more persons employed

The number of eligible units is the number of sample units, which indeed belong to the target population.

The maximum number of recalls/reminders depends on how big is the enterprise. Normally, if there is not a feedback after 2 to 3 recalls the enterprise is considered as non-responding.

See below.

Item non-response rate for Turnover (in Core NACE: B-C-D-E-46-H-J-K-71-72-73 enterprises with 10 or more persons employed).

Data on ‘turnover’ are not collected through the innovation survey, but are taken directly from SBS census survey.

Item non-response rate for new questions in CIS t (in Core NACE: B-C-D-E-46-H-J-K-71-72-73 enterprises with 10 or more employees)
 

In order to identify and correct the processing errors a lot of checks are carried out at micro and macro data level.

Human errors during the data editing process and plausibility errors are identified through many checks that are carried out automatically, e.g. checks of completeness/ sums/ horizontal logical dependences/ vertical relations/ average rates/ minimum-maximum values, etc. The macro data tabled are verified by both computer programs and by NSI staff before their publication.

The qualified checking of original respondent data, usage of sophisticated plausibility routines, correction measures taken by direct contacts to reporting units and also expert staff verification of the final aggregated data minimize the processing errors and their impact on the outputs.

Not requested.

Timeliness and punctuality refer to time and dates, but in a different manner.

The timeliness of statistics reflects the length of time between data availability and the event or phenomenon they describe.

Timeliness of national data – date of first release of national level: 30 June 2022

Not requested.

Punctuality refers to the time lag between the release date of data and the target date on which they were scheduled for release as announced officially.

Date of transmission of complete and validated data to Eurostat (Number of days between that data and 30 June 2022) : 27 June 2022

Comparability aims at measuring the impact of differences in applied statistical concepts and definitions on the comparison of statistics between geographical areas, non-geographical domains, or over time.

The coherence of statistical outputs refers to the degree to which the statistical processes by which they were generated used the same concepts (classifications, definitions, and target populations) and harmonised methods. Coherent statistical outputs have the potential to be validly combined and used jointly.

Data on innovation are geographically comparable - for the entire national territory the same statistical concepts and definitions (Oslo manual or Eurostat guidelines) are applied.

Not requested.

Methodological deviations from the CIS Harmonised Data Collection (HDC)

Methodological deviations from the CIS Harmonised Data Collection (HDC)

Due to important methodological changes driven by Oslo Manual 2018, CIS 2018 and CIS 2020 cannot be directly compared with previous CIS waves.

Not requested.

See the comparison between SBS and CIS data in the section 15.3.3 below.

Not requested.

Not requested.

This part compares key variables for aggregated CIS data with SBS data
Definition of relative difference between CIS and SBS data: DIFF = (SBS/CIS)*100

Comparison between SBS and CIS data (relative difference) by NACE categories and for enterprises with 10 or more persons employed

* Numbers are to be provided for the last year of the reference period (t)

Data on ‘persons employed’ and ‘turnover’ are not collected through the innovation survey, but are taken directly from SBS census survey.

Not requested.

Confidential information on the production cost of the CIS.

Not requested.

Not requested.

Not requested.

See below:

National Business Register which is updated regularly.

Not applicable - the innovation survey in Bulgaria is a census.

Variables and indicators filled or prefilled from other sources.

According to the Commission Regulation (EU) No 995/2012, the innovation statistics shall be provided to Eurostat every two years in each even year t+18.

The innovation survey in Bulgaria is mandatory census survey carried out online.

The innovation survey in Bulgaria is mandatory.

The innovation survey in Bulgaria is a census.

No.

None.

Data collection method

Not requested.

Operations performed on data to derive new information according to a given set of rules.

Imputation is the method of creating plausible (but artificial) substitute values for all those missing.

Definition of imputation rate:

Imputation rate (for the variable x) (%) = 100*(Number of replaced values) / (Total number of values for a given variable)

Definition of weighted imputation rate:

Weighted imputation rate= 100*(Number of total weighted replaced values) / (Total number of weighted values for a given variable)

Imputation rate for metric variables by NACE categories and for enterprises with 10 or more persons employed:

(1) = Total turnover in the last year of the reference period (t) (TUR)

(2) = Share of the turnover in the last year of the reference period (t) due to new or improved product new to the market in the total turnover for product innovative enterprises TUR_PRD_NEW_MKT/TUR(INNO_PRD)

(3) = R&D expenditure performed in-house (EXP_INNO_RND_IH)

Weights calculation method for sample surveys: Not applicable - the innovation survey in Bulgaria is a census.

No adjustment was applied to the data.

Not requested.