International Conference on Establishment Surveys II (ICES-II)

American Statistical Association, Alexandria VA

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides partial support for the 2nd International Conference on Establishment Surveys, to be held in June 2000 in Buffalo, New York. The Survey Research Methods (SRM) Section of the American Statistical Association (ASA) has adopted a program of organizing international conferences as a vehicle for encouraging discussion and publication of current research on survey methods and applications. Establishment surveys pose many different problems from those of social and demographic surveys at every stage of collecting and processing data. This conference is designed to address the diversity of these unique features. The pre-conference will offer short courses in areas such as Sampling and Estimation for Business Surveys, Applying Principles of Visual Design to Establishment Surveys, and Using the North American Industry Classification System. The main conference will consist of workshops and a software demonstration lab for sessions dedicated to particular survey activity packages such as matching and record linkage, data capture, computer-assisted interviewing, automated coding, and data analysis. Sample surveys, augmented with periodic censuses, are the predominant mode for collecting data about businesses, farms, and institutions. There is remarkable commonality in the types of problems encountered in designing and implementing sample surveys and censuses of such establishments. For this project, "establishment surveys" is used as a general term for surveys that study the characteristics or attributes of organizational entities as opposed to surveys that study persons or households. In spite of their very different target populations, establishment surveys share common attributes that do not occur or are unimportant for social and demographic surveys. This conference will provide stimulus for the continued, interdisciplinary, cross agency, and cross country research cooperation needed to address the unique features of establishment surveys.