Characterization, Evaluation, and Management of Prospective Benefits, Costs, and Risks in the Development of New Statistical Programs for Energy

• Activity Number: 140
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Monday, August 3, 2009 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Committee on Energy Statistics
• Author(s): John L. Eltinge*+ and Polly Phipps
• Companies: Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Keywords: Administrative record data ; Human capital and institutional capital ; Survey data quality ; Survey design ; Operational risk ; Systemic risk

Abstract

Statistical agencies often need to begin new programs, or to undertake substantial changes in current programs, due to changes in: (a) the stakeholder needs for statistical information; (b) the resource base directly available to the statistical agency; or (c) the overall environment in which collection, analysis and dissemination of data takes place. This paper reviews some factors that may be important in the management of the resulting changes, and in the development and implementation of related methodology. These factors include primary stakeholders, their information needs, and translation of these needs into specific inferential goals; potential sources of applicable data, including both surveys and administrative records; feasible methods for collection and analysis of these data; investments required for the sound development and implementation of these methods; and evaluation.