Regional and industrial statistics on manufacturing: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Regional and industrial statistics on manufacturing
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics have been discontinued. These statistics describe the structures in manufacturing and changes in them by industry and area. The basic variables of the statistics are personnel data, gross and added value of production, and investments in tangible assets. Manufacturing refers to the industries of mining and quarrying, basic manufacturing or factory production activity, electricity, gas and steam, and water supply, sewerage and waste management.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Ancillary establishment
An ancillary establishment produces services (in exceptional cases also goods such as additives and materials) mainly for the enterprise or an enterprise-type unit itself. Ancillary activities are nearly always a prerequisite for performing principal and secondary activities. The industry of the ancillary establishment is defined according to the principal activity it serves. Ancillary establishments can be e.g. the head or district office or other such administrative office, a separate transport unit, a repair shop for the enterprise's own vehicles, a warehouse or a data processing unit. If such functions take place in the same establishment as normal production, they are usually not considered to be ancillary establishments. In regional and industrial statistics on manufacturing also a power plant linked to an industrial establishment producing energy for the establishment or enterprise and a separate research and development unit linked to an industrial establishment are regarded as ancillary establishments.
Hours worked
Sum of hours actually worked by wage and salary earners during the financial year. The hours are determined methodologically from information available from the Labour Cost Index.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is understood as the processing of mechanical or chemical organic or inorganic substances into new products regardless of whether the processing is mechanical or manual and performed in a factory or in a worker's home. According to the definition, also product assembly is considered to be manufacturing. In statistics compilation manufacturing is traditionally deemed to include not only basic manufacturing but also mining and quarrying as well as electricity, gas and water supply.
Number of employees
Employees comprise wage and salary earners and self-employed persons. Employees are converted to annual full-time employees so that, for example, an employee working half-time represents one half of a person and two employees working half-time for one year represent one annual full-time employee. Labour input for self-employed persons is calculated as the input the owner of an enterprise or his/her family member makes into the enterprise without actual remuneration. For enterprises not included in the surveys of the Register of Enterprises and Establishments numbers of employees are estimated from data on wages and salaries.
Reference period
The reference period is the period for which data is collected. In structural statistics the reference period is the accounting period.
Statistical unit
A statistical unit is the basic statistical unit in statistics compilation, i.e. the unit from whom the data is collected. In structural business statistics a statistical unit is either an independent enterprise or an establishment of an enterprise.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)