About the statistics

1. Administrative information

1.1. Name

Use of information and communication technology in public administration

1.2. Subject group

10.03 - Technological indicators, incl. ICT

1.3. Frequency and timeliness

Annual.

1.4. Regional level

National.

1.5. Responsible division

440 - Division for Transport, Tourism and ICT

1.6. Legal authority

Statistikklovens § 2-2.

1.7. Legal document(EU)

Not relevant.

1.8. International reporting

Not relevant.

2. Background and purpose

2.1. Purpose and history

The purpose of the survey is to map the use of information- and communication technology (ICT) in public administration. The survey was started in 2004.

2.2. Users and applications

Public administration, authorities, industry organizations and media.

3. Statistics production

3.1. Population

In this survey public administration are defined as enterprises within state- and social administration, state business management, lenders of the state, state enterprises (owned 100% by the state) and the Bank of Norway. 609 enterprises were covered by this definition in 2008 and all of them received a questionnaire.

3.2. Data sources

The survey "Use off information- and communication technology in public administration".

3.3. Sampling

The selection comprises all enterprises defined as part of public administration.

3.4. Collection of data

Web questionnaire and postal questionnaires submitted by the selected enterprises. The survey population was taken from Statistics Norway’s Central Register of Establishments and Enterprises. The survey was carried through in November 2008 – February 2009 with reference period 2. quarter 2008.

3.5. Control and revision

The web-form contains checks that shall guide the enterprises to give consistent answers. Data from the paper-forms are checked and revised by means of automatically and visual checks in the revision-system ISEE.

3.6. Estimation

The survey comprises all enterprises defined as part of public administration. It is supposed that the high response-rate provide representativity for the whole population. Partial defections are taken into consideration for each question when percentage share are estimated.

3.7. Confidentiality

Figures are not published if less than three units is the basis for the result.

4. Concepts, variables and classifications

4.1. Definitions of the main concepts and variables

Information- and communication technology (ICT) comprise personal computers, terminals and working stations plus software that are used on the computers. ICT comprises also equipment and solutions for communication with external networks.

Expenses on computer equipment, software and related consultancy services The following products and services are included in the collective term computer equipment, software and related consultancy services.

Computer equipment

Computer equipment consists of the following goods and related consultancy services (e.g installation and maintenance). Software is included when computer equipment and software are purchased together and they can not be separated.

1. Computer and related equipment

2.Telecommunication equipment

3. Audio and video equipment

4. Other ICT goods

Software and related consultancy services

Purchased software consist of pre-packaged software and customised software (license fees are included). Related consultancy services comprise development, implementation and testing.

1. Pre-packaged software Software that demands no or minor adjustments. Examples:

2. Customised software Software that is adjusted to the enterprises needs and for the enterprises expenses

4.2. Standard classifications

Not relevant.

5. Sources of error and uncertainty

5.1. Measurement and processing errors

Some respondents can misunderstand some of the questions in the inquiry and in that way give wrong answers. The quality on the answers can also depend on the competence of the respondents. Answers have been read optically and that could have result in wrong registrations of some replies.

5.2 Non-response errors

Unit none response: Among the 609 enterprises that received the questionnaire some applied for exemption since they were represented by a superior enterprise. (To avoid counting double.) Some enterprises plead the right not to answer, and others had ceased to exist. The survey was answered by 410 enterprises in 2008.

5.3. Sampling errors

Not relevant.

5.4. Other sources of error

Not relevant.

6. Comparability and coherence

On the basis off own experiences and feedback from the respondents the questionnaire are improved each year. As a result of this all variables will not be comparable over time. Because of this time series are not published for some affected variables.

6.1. Comparability over time and space

Statistics Denmark has carried through a corresponding surveys from 2001, but they have used another method to delimit the population. Because of this, the results in this survey are not directly comparable with the results in the Danish survey. The results from the Danish survey are available at Statistics Denmark

6.2. Coherence with other statistics

Not relevant.

7. Availability

7.1. Publications and other links

The statistics are found and updated at the surveys english homepage and in the statbank. Data from the survey are included in the publication Nøkkeltall om informasjonssamfunnet.

7.2. Microdata

Not relevant.


2009 © Statistics Norway