Statistical presentation

Data description

Some questions are included in the questionnaire every year, such as enterprises e-commerce sales, websites and ICT security measures. Other questions are repeated after few years, e.g. the enterprises' use of digital business solutions (ERP and CRM software, RFID tags) and E-invoicing. Finally, in 2024 there are new questions regarding artificial intelligence, data ethics and ICT-security employees. A considerable number of variables are replaced each year as a result of the development in user needs and the need to measure new technology.

In the 2024 survey, the statistics cover the following main topics related to ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises:

• Access to the internet
• ICT skills
• ICT security and security incidents
• Data types and ethics
• Use of business software
• Cloud computing
• Internet of Things
• Robotics
• Artificial intelligence
• Web sales and electronic sales

The population is defined as enterprises in the private, non-financial urban industries with at least 10 full-time employees is determined by EU regulation. In 2019 and 2021 the population also covers microenterprises with 5-9 employees. The following industries are included in the population: Manufacturing, construction, trade and transport etc., information and communication, other business services.

Classification system

Survey results are reported by activity and size class. The applied activity nomenclature is Danish Industrial Classification 2007 (DB07), internationally NACE Rev.2. By activity groupings, Statistics Denmark’s standard groupings are applied. For further information, see Danish industrial classification.

In the StatBank, the size of the enterprise is defined by the number of full-time employees, divided into groups 10-49, 50-99, 100-249 and 250+ full-time employees - see tables ITAV3, ITAV4, ITAV9, ITAV12, ITAV13, ITAV15, ITAV16, ITAV17, ITAV18, ITAV19, ITAV20 and ITAV21. Information regarding microenterprises with 5-9 full-time employees (2019 and 2021) can be found in the tables ITAV10 and ITAV11.

Sector coverage

The survey covers private, non-financial enterprises, excluding primary activities such as agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining and quarrying. The financial sector is only covered in the reference periods 2005-2010.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Use of 3D printing: Use of 3D printing - also called additive layer manufacturing - refers to the use of special printers either by the enterprise itself or the use of 3D printing services provided by other enterprises for the creation of three-dimensional physical objects using digital technology.

Cloud Computing: Cloud computing refers to ICT services that are used over the internet to access software, computing power, storage capacity etc., where the services have all of the following characteristics: i) are delivered from servers or service providers, ii) can be easily scaled up or down, iii) can be used on-demand by the user, at least after the initial set-up, iv) are paid for, either per user, by capacity used, or they are pre-paid.

E-commerce sale : E-commerce sale is the sale or purchase of goods or services conducted over the internet or other computer networks. Orders placed by e-mail are not included. The payment and delivery of the goods or services do not have to be conducted online. E-commerce covers: i) web e-commerce, i.e. orders made at an online webshop or via web forms on the internet or extranet, and ii) EDI e-commerce, i.e. orders placed through electronic transmission of EDI-type business messages allowing for automatic processing and without the individual message or order being manually typed. EDI e-commerce in practice is business-to-business e-commerce.

GPS and satellite-based services: Satellite-based services include the use of signals and data from satellites. E.g. navigation signals, positioning signals, GPS signals, satellite images or communications outside internet coverage through satellites. GPS is included only in cases where the use is integrated with the enterprise's ICT-systems, or where the data generated is subsequently processed further (e.g. for fleet management or driving records).

Internet of Things (IoT): The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to interconnected devices or systems, often called “smart” devices or systems. They collect and exchange data and can be monitored or remotely controlled via the Internet. Examples of usage are: i) Smart thermostats, smart lamps or smart meters. ii) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Internet Protocol (IP) tags applied or incorporated into a product or an object in order to track them. iii) Sensors for tracking the movement or maintenance needs of vehicles monitored over the Internet.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence: Machine learning and artificial intelligence includes the use of computer software, which with a starting point in data “thinks”, analyzes, problem solves and forms connections in patterns, for instance images, audio and text. It may include computer generated annual report, chat bots or automated marketing.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies: The use of Radio Frequency identification technologies (RFID) - refers to an automated identification method to store and remotely retrieve data using RFID tags or transponders. - includes the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity standard. An RFID tag is a device that can be applied to or incorporated into a product or an object and transmits data via radio waves.

Use of robotics: An industrial robot is an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes, which may be either fixed in place or mobile for use in industrial automation applications. A service robot is a machine that has a degree of autonomy and is able to operate in complex and dynamic environment that may require interaction with persons, objects or other devices, excluding its use in industrial automation applications. Software robots (computer programs) is out of the scope in the survey.

Statistical unit

Enterprise.

Statistical population

The population is private, non-financial urban industries with 10 or more employees.

Reference area

Denmark.

Time coverage

1998-

Base period

Not relevant for this statistics.

Unit of measure

Percent of enterprises and percent of revenue.

In the StatBank table ITAV3, ITAV4, ITAV9, ITAV10, ITAV11, ITAV12, ITAV15, ITAV16, ITAV17, ITAV18, ITAV19, ITAV20 og ITAV21. are specified the percentage of enterprises that either have answered "Yes" or "No" to a question (categorical variable). There are enterprises that have not answered all questions, so the sum of the categories "Yes" and "No" does not total up to 100 percent.

In the StatBank table ITAV13, enterprises e-sales and e-purchases are stated as percentage of the year's turnover and total purchases, respectively. Enterprises annual turnover is obtained from the latest version of the Business Register. The enterprises annual total purchase is calculated by the sum of domestic purchases and imports in the latest publication of the General Enterprise Statistics.

Reference period

The reference period is January of the same year (for some variables the previous calendar year).

Frequency of dissemination

The survey is published annually.

Legal acts and other agreements

The Act on Statistics Denmark (Lov om Danmarks Statistik), cf. Order no. 15 of 12 January 1972, as amended by Act no. 386 of 13 June 1990, Act no. 1025 of 19 December 1992, Act no. 295 of 2 May 2000 and Act no. 610 of 30 2018.

EU Commission Regulation (EC) No 960/2008. From 2006 the survey is a part of the EU regulation on statistics on the Information Society (EC regulation No. 808/2004). The regulation is extended in Regulation (EC) No 2022/1344.

Cost and burden

The reporting burden is set at 1.220 hours for 1.809 enterprises with 10 or more persons employed that have answered the question concerning time consumption (total sample was 4.287 enterprises). It gives an average time per enterprise of about 40 minutes.

ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises 2024.

The sample size is regulated to minimize the number of enterprises that are burdened while still adhering to quality demands from Eurostat. For this reason the 2024 sample is reduced by around 450 enterprises compared to 2023.

Comment

Find information on the subject website about ICT usage in enterprises. Additional information can be obtained from Statistics Denmark.