Accuracy and reliability
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National Accounts, Economic StatisticsMagnus B. Eriksen
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The precision of the calculation of productivity growth is closely related to the uncertainty of the variables that are included in the calculation. I.e. how well, the value of an hour's work is reflected in the gross value added in fixed prices for the industry; the quality of the calculated hours and whether there are special conditions in the industry that make labor productivity less relevant, e.g. high capital intensity. For multiple industries, labor productivity growth should not stand alone in productivity analyzes. This applies, for example, to dwellings, public administration, education and health. Read more about this in kvalitetsvurderingen. (In Danish only).
Overall accuracy
The inaccuracy of this statistic relates to the inaccuracy of the figures used from the national accounts. See documentation of statistics for Annual national accounts. In addition, there is uncertainty connected with the assumptions made, for example in relation to production functions.
In the danish documentation note En kvalitetsvurdering af timeproduktivitet på brancheniveau an assessment is made of how usable each industry's productivity growth rates is in productivity analyzes.
Sampling error
Not relevant for these statistics.
Non-sampling error
The inaccuracy of this statistic relates to the inaccuracy of the figures used from the national accounts. See documentation of statistics for National accounts.
Quality management
Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on organisation and management of quality given in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and the implementation guidelines given in the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF). A Working Group on Quality and a central quality assurance function have been established to continuously carry through control of products and processes.
Quality assurance
Statistics Denmark follows the principles in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and uses the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF) for the implementation of the principles. This involves continuous decentralized and central control of products and processes based on documentation following international standards. The central quality assurance function reports to the Working Group on Quality. Reports include suggestions for improvement that are assessed, decided and subsequently implemented.
Quality assessment
In the danish documentation note En kvalitetsvurdering af timeproduktivitet på brancheniveau an assessment is made of how usable each industry's productivity growth rates is in productivity analyzes. The idea comes from The Danish productivity commissions report 1, p.14 in which the quality of the productivity figures on industries is specified.
Productivity calculations are based on the Danish national accounts.
When the national accounts were based on the definitions in the European System of National Accounts ESA2010, the national accounts were at the same time undergoing a major revision, which means that all the levels were examined and evaluated, among other things for the sake of the Gross National Income compilations, which form the basis of a considerable amount of the financial contribution from Denmark to the EU.
A reasonable accuracy of the national accounts figures is maintained by compiling the product balances at a very detailed level. Furthermore, the compilation of the central variable GDP is to the greatest extent possible compiled from the point of view: production, expenditure and income.
Data revision - policy
Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.
Data revision practice
Labor productivity is consistent with the rest of the national account. First preliminary version of Labor productivity (LP) for year t is published end of March in year t+1. The final version of LP for year t is published end of June in year t+3. First preliminary version of Productivity growth (Sources of LP) is published in February year t+2. The final version of Productivity growth (Sources of LP) is published in February year t+4.