How to Make Use of Business Statistics

This work provides an introduction to the range of UK published statistical sources now available to business users. It is not a comprehensive review of UK statistical publishing but a guide to key sources of information in selected subject areas of particular relevance to business users. The coverage, content, methods of collection and limitations of major titles and services in each subject area are described. Published statistics are important sources of information for business and industry and most statistics either come from official sources, produced by central government, or non-official sources such as trade associations, professional bodies, market research organizations and economic research institutes. In recent years, the range and nature of the published statistics available has changed significantly. The amount of official data collected and published in traditional statistical publications has been reduced in most subject areas, with one or two notable exceptions. More official statistics are now available only on demand while other official series have been passed to private sector organizations to market and distribute.
The accuracy and reliability of some official series have been increasingly questioned and, in an effort to improve the statistics, changes have been made, particularly in the collection and analysis of economic and business statistics. In the non-official sector, the range of statistical sources has increased dramatically. The widespread use of computer technology has also facilitated the development of more sophisticated statistical databases, such as those used in the growing area of geo-demographics. All these developments are described in the book.