Introduction to the Economic Census

							Census Bureau

What’s New
in the 2002
Economic Census

www.census.gov/econ2002
     Census Terminology

Economic
 data collected from businesses

Demographic
 data collected from households
     Surveys vs Economic Census

Surveys               Census
                      (years ending in 2 & 7)

•Annual, quarterly,   •Every 5 years
monthly
                      •Industry/product
•Limited detail       detail

•Mostly national      •Detailed Geography
         Economic Census Provides:

• Detailed information on the structure of the economy
  -   What industries exist
  -   Where they are located
  -   What inputs they consume
  -   What outputs they produce
  -   What markets they serve
Economic Census Coverage


                          Mining
         Manufacturing       Construction
                                 Agriculture

         TCU                          Governments


  Wholesale                            Not covered



        Retail
                                  Service

                   FIRE
“The Economic Census is indispensable
to understanding America’s economy…”

--Alan Greenspan, Chairman, Federal
Reserve Board of Governors
      Public Sector Uses

• Benchmarking
• Tracking economic change
• Attracting new businesses
• Assisting business
  development
“Sound and timely economic
data are the fuel that powers
business decision making…”

--Thomas J. Donohue, President,
United States Chamber of Commerce
      Private Sector Uses
Study your industry
    Market share
    Product trends
    Strategic planning



              What’s my share?
              How does my firm compare?
        Private Sector Uses
Study your industry
     Market share
     Product trends
     Strategic planning



Study business markets
     Site locations
     Sales territories
     Forecasting sales
                          Where are my customers?
                          suppliers? competitors?
        Private Sector Uses
Study your industry
     Market share
     Product trends
     Strategic planning
Study business markets
     Site locations
     Sales territories
     Forecasting sales


Evaluate investments
     Estimate market size
     Data for loan applications
            2002 Economic Census
                  Key Dates
January-
                Period to which census data refer
  December 2002
                Companies
December 2002
                receive
                census forms.
                On-line HelpDesk,
                toll-free line available

February 12, 2003 Due date for returning
                  census forms
                  Economic Census
2004-2005
                  reports published
   2002 Economic Census
           What’s New?
 New   Questions
 – E-commerce sales
 – Supply chain (including outsourcing)
 – Leased employees
    2002 Economic Census
           What’s New?
 Better questionnaire design
 Forms customized for more industries
 Internet-based help-site
 Electronic reporting - downloadable forms
         Many businesses
         won’t get a form
 Very   small businesses
  – Nonemployers
  – Very small employers not sampled
 Most   locations of multi-unit firms
  – Forms go to company headquarters
 Excluded   industries
  – Agriculture, forestry, fisheries; schools;
    labor, political, religious organizations
     2002 Publicity
    Information kit
 Public Service Ads
 Material for articles
  – Press releases
  – Story ideas
  – Local data from 1997
  – Data uses
  – Questions and answers
      2002 Publicity
Key intermediaries
   General media
    – Broadcast media
    – Newspapers
    – News magazines
   Business media
    – Business publications
    – Trade associations
    – Chambers of commerce
   Data centers
Three “waves” of
        publicity
  Public Service Ads
can take many forms
  Public Service Ads
can take many forms
          2002 Publicity
           You can help!
•Newsletters
•Internet sites
•Training / conferences
•Contacts with local media
  –Give media local angles
•Gathering testimonials
    2002 Economic Census
  Timetable for Publicity
Summer 2002       Most forms viewable on the web

Summer 2002       Publicity materials on the web

Sep-Nov 2002      Wave 1 mailed to monthlies, assns

Nov-Dec 2002      Wave 1 targeted to appear
                  Companies receive census forms.
December 2002
                  On-line Help Desk, toll-free line available
Jan –Feb 2003     Wave 2 targeted to appear
February 12, 2003 Due date for returning census forms

Feb 12 – Mar 2003 Wave 3 targeted
       2002 Publicity
Useful website addresses

•For everyone, including users
      www.census.gov/econ2002

•For businesses with a form
      www.census.gov/econhelp

•For promotion
      www.census.gov/2002promo
?? Questions ??




                   For more information:
                    -- econ@census.gov
       (301) 763-2547 or (877) 790-1876