Central Statistics Office Ireland

Business Statistics: Results, Analysis, and Publications

Central Statistics Office Ireland

Central Statistics Office

Skehard Road

Mahon, Cork

Ireland T12X00E

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 the Commission’s vision for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030 presented on 9 March 2021. This vision for the EU's digital decade evolves around four cardinal points: Skills, Digital transformation of businesses, Secure and sustainable digital infrastructures, and Digitalisation of public services.

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 territory of the Republic of Ireland was covered.

Years 2022 and 2023.

Not applicable

Percentages of enterprises, Percentages of turnover, Percentages of persons employed and self-employed persons.

Reference period as laid down in the Model Questionnaire (2023)

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

National legislation in the form of Statutory Instrument 94 of 2021 covers the ICT Enterprise survey for 2023.

Not available

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 : 

We use 3 main rules for primary confidentiality:

1. Minimum number of enterprises needed in a cell = 3
2. 1 firm cannot dominate more than 80% of total
3. 2 firms cannot dominate more than 90% of total

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 : 

We use 3 main rules for primary confidentiality:

1. Minimum number of enterprises needed in a cell = 3
2. 1 firm cannot dominate more than 80% of total
3. 2 firms cannot dominate more than 90% of total

There is a release calendar on the Central Statistics Office website (cso.ie).

https://www.cso.ie/en/csolatestnews/releasecalendar/

Data will be released to users on 18/12/2023.

Annual

Not available

A release website will be published on CSO.ie

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 :

Data tables are published on https://data.cso.ie/product/ISSE

A research microdata file is created, which can be made available to researchers pending an approved application for access.

Not requested

Not requested

Not requested

There is a methodology tab on the web report that contains background notes and a copy of the survey form. https://www.cso.ie/en/methods/informationsociety/informationsocietystatistics-enterprises/

Not requested

There is an annual updating of the process map and end of cycle meeting to discuss issues and areas for improvement.

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 :

https://www.cso.ie/en/methods/quality/qualitymanagementframework/

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 :

This collection was conducted in alignment with the CSO's Quality Management Framework. https://www.cso.ie/en/methods/quality/qualitymanagementframework/

Quality assessment not available.

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 :

Users include academic researchers, the general public, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment. User needs are considered when designing the national questionnaire and discussed with users in response to queries.

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 applicable

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

Not requested. 

Not requested. Any relevant qualitative information is available in the column “Any deviation from question / item in model questionnaire” in the “ Annex I _ Completeness “ excel file.

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.

A small number of enterprises surveyed may be outside the scope of the survey because they have ceased trading or have fewer than 10 persons engaged. The over-coverage rate was 2.8%.

Not requested

No measurement errors detected.

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.

Reminders sent periodically throughout data collection

Not available

The item non-response rate was 0% because the e-survey requires that respondents complete all relevant items prior to survey submission.

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 : 

Data are released the same year as collection, so T+0 for indicators referring to the current year, T+12 months for other indicators referring to the previous year e.g. e-commerce

 See detailed section below.

The data were delivered to Eurostat on 5 October 2023.

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.

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.

Comparable time series for the survey: for some variables, 2003-2023

Not applicable

 Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Should any data revision be required post publication, the release will be updated with a note inserted explaining the needs for the revision

Should any data revision be required post publication, the release will be updated with a note inserted explaining the needs for the revision

 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: 

A stratified random sample is used. The strata are size class (small, medium, and large) and NACE sector  using the following 34 classifications to assure sufficient coverage for reporting.: 

10-12
13-15
16-18
19
20
21
22-23
24-25
26
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

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.

The survey is conducted through an online e-survey.

At source data level, edit checks are conducted through the data management system to identify invalid or implausible responses, which are then queried with the enterprise and/or revised in the data.

To validate aggegate data, comparisons are made with results from previous years and data are validated by server based EDIT validation.

Grossing-up procedures

Grossing-up is done using enterprise size groupings and NACE sectors to generate grossing factors using population estimates derived from the national business register. This grossing is conducted and applied separately for enterprise count, employee count, and monetary variables.

There is no formal method of imputation for unit non-response used for this survey. A limited use is made of Structural Business Statistics (SBS) as a method of imputation for item non-response if no details are offered for total employment, purchases and turnover. Limited use is made of the Last Value Carried Forward (LVCF) method if a respondent has left a particular field blank and if they responded to this question in the previous year 

Not applicable

Not applicable

Problems encountered and lessons to be learnt: