Samoa Business Activity Survey 2009

The intention is to collect data for the calendar year 2009 (or the nearest year for which each business keeps its accounts. The survey is considered a one-off survey, although for accurate NAs, such a survey should be conducted at least every five years to enable regular updating of the ratios, etc., needed to adjust the ongoing indicator data (mainly VAGST) to NA concepts.
The questionnaire will be drafted by FSD, largely following the previous BAS, updated to current accounting terminology where necessary. The questionnaire will be pilot tested, using some accountants who are likely to complete a number of the forms on behalf of their business clients, and a small sample of businesses. Consultations will also include Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour, Central Bank of Samoa (CBS), Samoa Tourism Authority, Chamber of Commerce, and other business associations (hotels, retail, etc.).

The questionnaire will collect a number of items of information about the business ownership, locations at which it operates and each establishment for which detailed data can be provided (in the case of complex businesses), contact information, and other general information needed to clearly identify each unique business. The main body of the questionnaire will collect data on income and expenses, to enable value added to be derived accurately. The questionnaire will also collect data on capital formation, and will contain supplementary pages for relevant industries to collect volume of production data for selected commodities and to collect information to enable an estimate of value added generated by key tourism activities.

The principal user of the data will be FSD which will incorporate the survey data into benchmarks for the NA, mainly on the current published production measure of GDP. The information on capital formation and other relevant data will also be incorporated into the experimental estimates of expenditure on GDP. The supplementary data on volumes of production will be used by FSD to redevelop the industrial production index which has recently been transferred under the SBS from the CBS. The general information about the business ownership, etc., will be used to update the Business Register.

Outputs will be produced in a number of formats, including a printed report containing descriptive information of the survey design, data tables, and analysis of the results. The report will also be made available on the SBS website in “.pdf” format, and the tables will be available on the SBS website in excel tables. Data by region may also be produced, although at a higher level of aggregation than the national data. All data will be fully confidentialised, to protect the anonymity of all respondents. Consideration may also be made to provide, for selected analytical users, confidentialised unit record files (CURFs).

A high level of accuracy is needed because the principal purpose of the survey is to develop revised benchmarks for the NA. The initial plan was that the survey will be conducted as a stratified sample survey, with full enumeration of large establishments and a sample of the remainder.

v01: This is the first version of the documentation. Basic raw data, obtained from data entry.

The scope of the 2009 BAS is all employing businesses in the private sector other than those involved in agricultural activities.

Included are:
· Non-governmental organizations (NGOs, not-for profit organizations, etc.);
· Government Public Bodies

Excluded are:
· Non-employing units (e.g., market sellers);
· Government ministries, constitutional offices and those public bodies involved in public administration and included in the Central Government Budget Sector;
· Agricultural units (unless large scale/commercial - if the Agriculture census only covers household activities);
· “Non-resident” bodies such as international agencies, diplomatic missions (e.g., high commissions and embassies, UNDP, FAO, WHO);

The survey coverage is of all businesses in scope as defined above. Statistical units relevant to the survey are the enterprise and the establishment. The enterprise is an institutional unit and generally corresponds to legal entities such as a company, cooperative, partnership or sole proprietorship. The establishment is an institutional unit or part of an institutional unit, which engages in one, or predominantly one, type of economic activity. Sufficient data must be available to derive or meaningfully estimate value added in order to recognize an establishment. The main statistical unit from which data will be collected in the survey is the establishment. For most businesses there will be a one-to-one relationship between the enterprise and the establishment, i.e., simple enterprises will comprise only one establishment. The purpose of collecting data from establishments (rather than from enterprises) is to enable the most accurate industry estimates of value added possible.

* Collection start: 2009
* Collection end: 2009