- Amman, Jordan
- 25 - 27 June 2024
Overview
Building on the Workshop on Statistical Business Registers (SBR) in the Arab Countries organized by ESCWA, AITRS, UNSD, and UNIDO in 2016, and drawing from the experience of the Regional Course on Statistical Business Registers for the ESCAP region in March 2024, UNSD, ESCWA, and AITRS are jointly organizing this regional workshop for Arab countries in Amman, Jordan, on 25-27 June 2024, with the aim to help participants acquire knowledge and skills to deepen their understanding of the principles and methodology of statistical business registers.
The course will review international recommendations and standards on Statistical Business Registers and provide guidance on the implementation of the Maturity Model for Statistical Business Registers. Furthermore, it will address new developments, including the global assessment questionnaire, the implementation of the revised industrial classification systems, the integration of geospatial information, and the global initiative on unique identifiers for businesses. Additionally, the course aims to create a platform that encourages participants to engage in peer learning and share country experiences in the establishment and maintenance of Statistical Business Registers, main challenges encountered by countries, and new developments in this area. Participants will be able to share knowledge with the regional national statistical authorities on the recently published international guidelines on statistical business registers, and on the latest developments on industrial classifications.
Programme
Day 1 - Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Welcome and Opening Ceremony
- ▪ Opening remarks by organizers - AITRS, ESCWA, UNSD
- ▪ Round table introductions
Session 1: International and Regional Perspectives on SBR
This session includes an overview of the work programmes at the international and regional levels, with a focus on the ESCWA region. It will also include an introduction to the UN Committee of Experts of Business and Trade Statistics (UNCEBTS) and its Task Teams, and the recent development and output.
- ▪ Overview of the UNCEBTS and the Task Team on Statistical Business Register (Julian Chow, UNSD)
- ▪ Overview of Task Team on Business Dynamic, Business Demography and Entrepreneurship (Gerardo Durand, INEGI)
- ▪ ESCWA work programme in business statistics (Majed Hamoudeh, ESCWA)
Session 2: Introduction to Statistical Business Registers (SBRs)
This session introduces the UN Guidelines on SBR and relevant concepts. (Gerardo Durand, INEGI) Presentation
- ▪ What is a Statistical Business Register?
- ▪ Roles and coverage of SBRs
- ▪ Data sources and units in the SBR
Lunch
Session 2 (continued): More Concepts Concerning the SBR
(Trainer: Zhiyuan Qian, UNSD) Presentation
- ▪ Units in the SBR
- ▪ Characteristics of units
- ▪ Maintenance of the SBR
- ▪ Survey frame methodology
Coffee break
Session 3: Uses of SBR - Country Examples
This session includes some country presentations on the use of SBR for the production of business statistics. (Moderator: Majed Hamoudeh, ESCWA)
Day 2 - Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Session 4: SBR Maturity Model (SBRMM)
- ▪ Overview of the SBR Maturity Model (Saleh Al-Kafri, PCBS)
- ▪ Seven Dimensions of the SBR Maturity Model (Julian Chow, UNSD)
This session introduces the SBR Maturity Model, including its overall design and purpose, and the self-assessment toolkit.
This session introduces the seven dimensions of SBR Maturity Model, covering the characteristics, requirements, stage and relevant description and its use to identify areas for improvement.
Coffee break
Session 5: Group Exercise - SBR Self-Assessment
This session presents the SBR self-assessment toolkit and provides an opportunity for each participant to assess the status of development of the SBR in their own country, and to identify areas for improvement. (Trainer: Zhiyuan Qian, UNSD) Presentation
Lunch
Session 6: Economic Census and SBRs
This session presents an overview of the Economic Census and its relevance and usefulness for the SBR. (Gerardo Durand, INEGI) Presentation
Coffee break
Session 7: Roundtable discussion on the key considerations in establishing an SBR
This session discusses the special circumstances and unique challenges for establishing an SBR for countries in the ESCWA region and the way forward to address them. (Moderator: Omar Hakouz, ESCWA)
Day 3 - Thursday, 27 June 2024
Session 8: Industrial classification systems – ISIC, Rev. 5
This session presents main concepts and the latest developments in the industrial classification systems. (Zhiyuan Qian, UNSD) Presentation
- ▪ Main concepts and application rules of ISIC
- ▪ Revision of ISIC
- ▪ Recoding the business register to ISIC Rev. 5
Coffee break
Session 9: New development in SBRs
This session presents the latest developments in SBR, covering the following areas:
- ▪ Integration of geospatial information in SBRs (Julian Chow, UNSD)
- ▪ Business Establishment Census (Abdirashid Khalif Mohamed, SNBS)
- ▪ Mainstreaming gender in business statistics and integration of business and trade (Gerardo Durand, INEGI)
Lunch
Session 10: Global/Regional Registers and Manual on Principal Indicators for Business and Trade Statistics
This session covers profiling in the global context and introduces the UNSD-OECD Multinational Enterprise Information Platform (MEIP) and the Manual on Principal Indicators for Business and Trade Statistics Vol. 1.
- ▪ Global initiative on unique identifiers for businesses (Julian Chow, UNSD)
- ▪ UNSD-OECD Multinational Enterprise Information Platform (MEIP) (Zhiyuan Qian, UNSD)
- ▪ Manual on Principal Indicators for Business and Trade Statistics Vol. 1 (Julian Chow, UNSD)
Closing Remarks - AITRS
Background documents
1. Guidelines on Statistical Business Registers
2. Manual on the Maturity Model for Statistical Business Registers
3. ESCWA Glossary on Economic Statistics, prepared by ESCWA with contributions from PCBS, June 2017
4. Glossary related to Statistics, Glossary related to SBR, English, UNSD, June 2024
5. SBR self-assessment questionnaire, English. Source: Annexes I and II of the Manual on the Maturity Model for Statistical Business Registers
6. SBR self-assessment questionnaire, Arabic.Translated by ESCWA.