Bundesanstalt Statistik Österreich ("STATISTICS AUSTRIA")

Directorate Social Statistics,
Unit Research and Digitalisation

Guglgasse 13, 1110 Vienna, Austria

Data on the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage and e-commerce in enterprises are survey data. They are collected by the National Statistical Institutes or Ministries and are in principle based on Eurostat's annual model questionnaires on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises.

Large part of the data collected is used to measure the progress in the implementation of one of the main political priorities of the European Commission for 2019 to 2024 – A Europe fit for the digital age. Part of this is the "European strategy for data", envisioning a single market for data to ensure the EU's global competitiveness and data sovereignty, in which context a comprehensive set of new rules for all digital services was proposed: the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, which are centrepieces of the EU digital strategy. Furthermore, the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented a new “EU cybersecurity strategy”, which is intended to bolster the EU's collective resilience against cyber threats, safeguard a global and open internet and protect EU values and the fundamental rights of its people. Furthermore, data will allow monitoring the progress towards  A Europe fit for the digital age, one of the six priorities for the period 2019-2024 of the von der Leyen European Commission.

The aim of the European survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises is to collect and disseminate harmonised and comparable information at European level.

 NACE Rev.2 2008

All economic activities in the scope of Annex I of the Commission Regulation are intended to be included in the general survey, covering enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed persons. These activities are: NACE Rev. 2 sections C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, M and N, division 95.1.

For micro-enterprises see the sub-concepts below.

Micro-enterprises are not included in the survey.

The model questionnaire on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises provides a large variety of variables covering among others the following areas:

-          Access to and use of the Internet

-          E-commerce and e-business

-          Use of cloud computing services

-          Artificial Intelligence

-          Other topics: Data utilisation, sharing, analytics and trading, Invoicing.

The annual model questionnaires and the European businesses statistics compliers’ manual for ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises comprise definitions and explanations regarding the topics of the survey.

Enterprise

Target Population

As required by Annex of the Commission Implementing Regulation, enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed persons shall be covered by the survey.

For micro-enterprises see the sub-concepts below.

Not applicable.

All territories of Austria.

Data for a specific set of variables were delivered on NUTS 2 regional level.

Years 2022 and 2023.

Not applicable

Percentages of enterprises, Percentages of turnover, Million euro, Percentages of employees and self-employed persons.

The reference period of the Model Questionnaire is followed completely.

Complementary national legislation constituting the legal basis for the survey on the use of ICT in enterprises:

There is no complementary national legislation.

Not applicable.

Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

At national level : 

The strict confidentiality provisions of the Austrian Federal Statistics Act 2000 regulate the handling of sensitive data relating to individuals and organisations.

Data are transmitted via eDamis (encrypted) and delivered to a secure environment where they are treated. Flags are added for confidentiality in case results must not be disclosed.

At national level : 

Data is transmitted via eDamis (encrypted) and delivered to a secure environment where they are treated. National Statistical Institutes are requested to add flags for confidentiality in case results must not be disclosed.

Dates of the release of the ICT in enterprises results (press release and website) are preannounced in the release calendar of Statistics Austria which is publicly accessible.

Release calendar of Statistics Austria

Results are disseminated to all users at the same time via a press release and standardized tables via the website of Statistics Austria for free.

Specific data is provided to everyone with a specific request. Feasibility of the request and payment of possible expenses are checked in advance.

Annual

A press release was published on 17 October 2023 ("11% of Austrian enterprises use artificial intelligence").

Standardized tables of the results of the ICT usage in enterprises 2023 were updated and provided on the website of Statistics Austria.

A standard publication is established covering the results on the ICT usage in enterprises 2023, available on the website of Statistics Austria.

See detailed section 10.3.1.

Results for selected variables collected in the framework of this survey are available for all participating countries on Digital economy and society of Eurostat website.

At national level :

Not applicable.

Not requested

Not requested

A national standard documentation is updated on a yearly basis to cover the latest information of each reference year and is published on the website of Statistics Austria. The detailed standard documentation is published in German only. A short summary is available in English.

• The detailed German standard documentation will be published on Statistic Austria's IKT-Einsatz in Unternehmen website > Dokumentationen > Standard-Dokumentationen.
• The English summary will be published on Statistic Austria's ICT usage in enterprises website > Documentation > Standard documentation.

Not requested

A national standard documentation is updated on a yearly basis to cover the latest information of each reference year and is published on the website of Statistics Austria. The detailed standard documentation is published in German only. A short summary is available in English.

• The detailed German standard documentation will be published on Statistic Austria's IKT-Einsatz in Unternehmen website > Dokumentationen > Standard-Dokumentationen.
• The English summary will be published on Statistic Austria's ICT usage in enterprises website > Documentation > Standard documentation.

The European businesses statistics compliers’ manual for ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises provides guidelines and standards for the implementation of the surveys. It is updated every year according to the changed contents of the model questionnaires.

At national level :

Statistics Austria is committed to ensuring the highest quality with respect to the compilation of statistical information. In accordance with the Federal Statistics Act (Article 24), Statistics Austria has to use statistical methods and processes in compliance with internationally recognised scientific principles and standards, conductongoing analyses of the statistics with a view to quality improvements and ensure that statistics are as up to-date as possible. This commitment to quality is also specified in Statistics Austria’s mission statement. In adopting the European Statistics Code of Practice, Statistics Austria has committed to adhering to principles and standards forthe production and dissemination of high-quality statistics. As part of the European Statistical System (ESS),Statistics Austria recognises the Quality Declaration of the ESS. The Statistics Council has set up a QualityAssurance Committee, a primary focus of which is the ongoing examination of potential quality improvements. The Methodological Manual provides guidelines and standards for the implementation of the surveys in the Member States. It is updated every year according to the latest content of the model questionnaire.

European level :

At European level, the recommended use of the annual Eurostat model questionnaire aims at improving comparability of the results among the countries that conduct the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises. Moreover, the Methodological Manual provides guidelines and clarifications for the implementation of the surveys.

National level :

In cooperation with the Statistic Committee’s Quality Assurance Committee, feedback meetings concerning the quality of the different statistical products are held regularly within the framework of Statistics Austria’s quality management programme. In addition internal quality audits are carried out by the quality management team. The content and objectives concern critical examination of the quality aspects of statistics with particular consideration of the methods and processes used; identification of quality improvement potential; development of recommendations for improvement measures; and improvement of the standard documentation relating to the statistics in question, with special attention to the views of users and external experts.

European level : 

At European level, European Commission users (e.g. DG CNECT, DG GROW, DG JUST, DG REGIO, DG JRC) are the principal users of the data on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises and contribute in identifying/defining the topics to be covered. Hence, main users are consulted regularly (at hearings, task forces, ad hoc meetings) for their needs and are involved in the process of the development of the model questionnaires at a very early stage.

User needs are considered throughout the whole discussion process of the model questionnaires aiming at providing relevant statistical data for monitoring and benchmarking of European policies.

National level :

At national level, the Federal Ministeries (e.g. BMF – Bundesministerium für Finanzen) are the main users of the data on ICT usage in enterprise. Statistics Austria is closely collaborating with ministeries to interpret different results on the survey, to observe the goals in regard to European and national benchmarks and to identify new developments on digitalisation which are shared in task force and working group meetings. Several other national users (e.g. public organisations, universities, private enterprises) regularly request data on ICT usage in enterprises.

European level : 

At European level, contacts within the Commission, the OECD and other stakeholders give a clear picture about the key users' satisfaction as to the following data quality aspects: accuracy and reliability of results, timeliness, satisfactory accessibility, clarity and comparability over time and between countries, completeness and relevance. Overall users have evaluated positively (good, very good) the data quality on the ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises.

National level :

Not available.

Detailed information is available in “ Annex I _ Completeness “ excel file - related to questionnaire, coverage, additional questions.

Not requested. 

Comments on reliability and representativeness of results and completeness of dataset

These comments reflect overall standard errors reported for the indicators and breakdowns in section 13.2.1 (Sampling error - indicators) and the rest of the breakdowns for national and European aggregates, as well as other accuracy measurements. The estimated standard error should not exceed 2pp for the overall proportions and should not exceed 5pp for the proportions related to the different subgroups of the population (for those NACE aggregates for the calculation and dissemination of national aggregates). If problems were found, these could have implications for future surveys (e.g. need to improve sampling design, to increase sample sizes, to increase the response rates).

More detailed information is available in “ Annex II. _ Accuracy “ excel file - related to European aggregates, comments on reliability and use of flag.

For calculation of the standard error see 13.2.1.1.

Standard error (for selected indicators and breakdowns)

Precision measures related to variability due to sampling, unit non-response (the size of the subset of respondents is smaller than the size of the original sample) and other (imputation for item non-response, calibration etc.) are not (yet) required from the Member states for all indicators.  Eurostat will make basic assumptions to compute these measures for all indicators produced (e.g. stratified random sampling assuming as strata the crossing of the variables “Number of employees and self-employed persons” and “Economic Activity” as it was defined in the 3 tables of section 18.1).

More detailed information is available in“ Sample and standard error tables 2023 “ excel file – worksheets starting with “Standard error".

Calculation of the standard error

Various methods can be used for the calculation of the standard error for an estimated proportion. The aim is to incorporate into the standard error the sampling variability but also variability due to unit non-response, item non-response (imputation), calibration etc. In case of census / take-all strata, the aim is to calculate the standard errors comprising the variability due to unit non-response and item non-response.

See detailed sections below.

See concept 18.1.1. A) Description of  frame population.

79 out of 11 007 sampled units were identified, which were classified as "out of scope" during field phase (mainly due to becoming inactive units during that period). The over-coverage rate was therefore 0.7%.

Not requested

Not applicable.

See detailed sections below.

See detailed sub-concepts below.

The following table contains the number of units (i.e. enterprises), by type of response to the survey and by the percentage of these values in relation to the gross sample size.

• A new designed covering letter was established.
• Electronic questionnaire via Internet (eQuest-Web)
• A new designed information sheet on how to use the electronic questionnaire was sent out and an information sheet about the current privacy policy as well.
• A telephone hotline for the respondents was established.
• Two written reminders were sent out. The paper questionnaire was enclosed to the reminders as well as a stamped addressed envelope for returning the questionnaire.
• Wrong mail addresses were investigated to send the questionnaire once again.
• Last year's respondents were addressed (if available) to ensure a direct contacting to the responsible person.
• Responding enterprises will receive the main results after the survey for free.

Not applicable.

Not available.

Other comments relating to the item non-response

No processing errors were detected.

Not requested

See detailed section below.

Not applicable

European level : 

Data are to be delivered to Eurostat in the fourth quarter of the reference year (due date for the finalised dataset is 5th October). European results are released before the end of the survey year or in the beginning of the year following the survey year (T=reference year, T+0 for indicators referring to the current year, T+12 months for other indicators referring to the previous year e.g. e-commerce).

At national level : 

A final and validated dataset was delivered to Eurostat on 28 September 2023. Final results were released on 17 October 2023 on the website of Statistics Austria (press release and website).

 See detailed section below.

The final and validated dataset was transmitted to Eurostat on 28 September 2023 (T-7).

The model questionnaire is generally used by the countries that conduct the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises. Due to (small) differences in translation, in the used survey vehicle, in non-response treatment or different routing through the questionnaire, some results for some countries may be of reduced comparability. In these cases, notes are added in the data.

Detailed information on differences in the wording of the questions in the national questionnaires is available in “ Annex I _ Completeness “ excel file - related to questionnaire, coverage, additional questions.

Data for specific set of variables were delivered on NUTS 2 regional level. There is no problem of comparability across the country’s regions.

Not applicable

See section below.

The length of comparable time series depends on the module and the variable considered within each survey module. Additional information is available in annexes attached to the European metadata.

Not applicable.

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Statistics Austria has in place a general data revision policy (available in German only), which corresponds to the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System.

The pracitces of possible data revisions are followed completely, based on the general data revision policy of Statistics Austria, which corresponds to the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System.

Only final results were published. No data revision was needed.

 Not requested

A) Frame population description and distribution

For more information see concept 18.1.1.

B) Sampling design - Sampling method

Description of the sampling method used (e.g. stratified random sample, quota sampling, cluster sampling; one-stage or two-stage sampling) and information which variables were used to stratify, the categories of those variables, in particular for the NACE Rev. 2 categories related to the "possible calculation of European aggregates", and the final number of strata: 

Sampling was carried out as stratified random sampling. Three dimensions were used as stratification variables (33 x 3 x 9 = 891 strata):

Main economic activity (33 strata)
10–12
13–15
16–18
19
20
21
22–23
24–25
26.1–26.4+26.8
26.5–26.7
27
28
29–30
31–33
35
36–39
41–43
45
46
47
49–53
55
56
58–60
61
62–63
68
69–71
72
73–75
77–78+80–82
79
95.1

Size classes (3 strata)
10–49 employees
50–249 employees
250 or more employees

Region NUTS2 (9 strata)
Burgenland
Kärnten
Niederösterreich
Oberösterreich
Salzburg
Steiermark
Tirol
Vorarlberg
Wien

Other surveys were not considered during the sampling process, but the two previous ICT surveys have an influence. If a unit was in the sample in one of the two previous years, the probability to be in the sample again is decreased compared to the other units in the same strata. This is only valid for non-complete sample strata.

C) Gross sample distribution

More detailed information is available in “ Sample and standard error tables 2023  “ excel file (Worksheet: GROSS SAMPLE)

D) Net sample distribution

More detailed information is available in “ Sample and standard error tables 2023  “ excel file (Worksheet: NET SAMPLE)

A) Description of frame population

 B) Frame population distribution

More detailed information is available in “ Sample and standard error tables 2023  “ excel file (Worksheet: FRAME POPULATION)

Annual

See detailed sections below.

• Web questionnaire
• Paper questionnaire

Plausibility checks are carried out during the field phase in order to detect incorrect or missing information in the filled-in questionnaires (using the web questionnaire with incorporated checks).

As far as possible, phone calls or mails are carried out to clarify open issues with the respondents. After the field phase, the dataset is checked again on consistency and plausibility in order to gain a valid dataset.

The grossing-up of indicators is done according to the transmission format by Eurostat.

For validating the final data file, the validation process by Eurostat is used (using the test version of eDamis to receive the validation report). Validation errors detected were corrected by Statistics Austria. In case a correction is not possible, a comment in the notes of the dataset is provided (e.g. due to rounding or non-responses).

Grossing-up procedures

• by number of enterprises,
• by employment,
• by turnover.

No imputation was carried out for the vast majority of variables.

Only for e-commerce values imputation was done if the requested value couldn't be provided, even after further inquiry. As only 1 unit had to be imputed, the imputation rate is about 0.01%.

Not applicable

Not applicable

Problems encountered and lessons to be learnt: