Use of information technology in enterprises: documentation of statistics

The statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises describe the use of information technology and the digitalisation of business activities in enterprises. The statistics are produced as an extensive enterprise inquiry based on a sample. The results are inflated to correspond to all enterprises in the examined industries and size categories.

The sample framework for the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises comprises enterprises in the following industries with at least 10 employees according to Statistics Finland’s Business Register: 
•    C Manufacturing (10–33)
•    D Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (35)
•    E Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (36–39)
•    F Construction (41–43)
•    G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (45–47)
•    H Transportation and storage (49–53)
•    I Accommodation and food service activities (55–56)
•    J Information and communication (58–63)
•    L Real estate activities (68)
•    M Professional, scientific and technical activities (69–75)
•    N Administrative and support service activities (77–82)
•    Industry 951 Repair of computers and communication equipment.
 

The statistical unit of the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises is an enterprise.

Most of the data in the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises use the number of enterprises as a percentage of all enterprises, enterprises by industry or enterprises by size category. The other units of measure used are the euro and the proportion of personnel as percentages.

In terms of the use of information technology, the reference period in most variables is the time of the inquiry, i.e. February to May of the statistical reference year. In terms of online shopping and some changing variables, the reference period is the previous year.

The statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises cover the data of Finland.

The statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises cover the main categories of the Standard Industrial Classification TOL 2008: C Manufacturing (10–33); D Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (35); E Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (36–39); F Construction (41–43); G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (45–47); H Transportation and storage (49–53); I Accommodation and food service activities (55–56); J Information and communication (58–63); L Real estate activities (68); M Professional, scientific and technical activities (69–75); N Administrative and support service activities (77–82); and industry 951 Repair of computers and communication equipment.

The lengths of the time series available in terms of the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises vary depending on the desired data. At maximum, time series are available starting from the statistics of 2000.

The data in the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises are published annually on Statistics Finland’s website.

Sample surveys always include statistical uncertainty factors. The key uncertainty factors are sampling errors, measurement errors and nonresponse.
The random variation inherent in the sampling design is called a sampling error. While the significance of a sampling error can usually be kept minor at reported levels, it can cause annual fluctuations in some more detailed industry-specific reviews.

A measurement error can become apparent in the statistics mainly through complicated technological concepts that are not necessarily clear to all respondents. The resulting measurement error can nevertheless be considered minor in binary yes/no questions. Concepts may typically prove difficult for those who do not have some technology, in which case they usually provide a ‘no’ answer, or the question falls under item nonresponse. A measurement error’s significance in interpretation also reduces when monitoring time series, and when the measurement error can be expected to be repeated as it is. 

In terms of item nonresponse, nonresponse is accounted for in the calculation of the results with the use of inflating coefficients. Even after the inflation, the nonresponse causes uncertainty if the attributes of the missing responses differ materially from the attributes of the responses received. The impact of nonresponse on estimates can be expected to be minor.

For the most part, item nonresponse has not been subject to corrections, meaning that partly missing responses have not been imputed in any manner other than as logical corrections. Item nonresponse is not especially significant in any of the variables and is interpreted in practice as a ‘no’ answer for yes/no questions.
 

The data are published in November, and they primarily describe the situation during the data collection period each year, i.e. the situation from February to May. Some data refer to the previous year’s situation or some 11 months back.

There is no delay between the delivery and target dates of the data.

The data are comparable with the data of other European statistical agencies.

The statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises and online shopping have been compiled since 1999. The statistics are primarily comparable in terms of enterprises employing at least 10 people starting from 2000. From 2001 to 2009, the statistics were also produced on enterprises employing five to nine people, and the statistical data were presented on all enterprises employing at least five people. When comparing recent figures to figures from earlier years, one must also use the figures of enterprises employing at least 10 people in terms of the earlier years.
The new Standard Industrial Classification TOL 2008 was adopted as of the 2009 statistics. The figures of the earlier years are nevertheless very comparable and the change in the industrial classification does not result in material changes to the figures.
In addition, industry 951 (Repair of computers and communication equipment) was included in the statistics as a new industry as of 2010. The small size of this industry means its inclusion does not result in changes to the figures of the statistics. 
The figures concerning the size of online shopping involve a relatively high degree of uncertainty, and their time series comparisons must be considered indicative. The figures concerning the size of online shopping starting from the 2004 statistics in relation to 2003 are not comparable to the figures of the preceding years due to improved coverage.
The statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises are highly comparable in the member states of the OECD and the EU with regard to enterprises employing at least 10 people. The figures on the value of online shopping should be considered indicative in international comparisons.
The form was renewed in the 2006 inquiry by replacing the previous footnotes with definitions and instructions linked to the relevant questions, for example. This renewal seems to have had a reducing impact on the figures concerning the extensiveness of Internet sales. The likely reason for this is that some respondents previously construed orders placed via a standard email message erroneously as Internet sales. A decrease in the figures as of the 2006 statistics should therefore not be interpreted as a decrease in the extensiveness of Internet sales, but as a more precise result in line with the definitions.

From 2021 onwards, the coverage has changed slightly as veterinary activities (75) have been included in the population in section M. Due to the small size of the industry this has no effect on statistical figures.

The statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises will be published based on enterprise unit starting from the statistical reference year 2023. According to Statistics Finland’s definition, an enterprise is a unit with decision-making autonomy, which produces goods and/or services to be sold on the market. An enterprise may be formed of one or more legal units. The change may have a minor effect on some results concerning the prevalence of the use of information technology. Previously, the unit used was legal unit.

No other statistics

The statistics are based on separate data collection. The data collection is carried out as a sample survey in which all enterprises in the sample framework employing at least 100 people are included in the inquiry. Enterprises with 10 to 99 employees are subject to sampling. The sampling design is a simple random sampling stratified according to industry and size.

The data collection for the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises is carried out as an online inquiry.

The data collection for the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises is carried out annually.

All enterprises in the sample framework employing at least 100 people are included in the inquiry. Enterprises with 10 to 99 employees are subject to sampling. The sampling design is a simple random sampling stratified according to industry and size.
The received responses have been inflated to correspond to all enterprises employing more than 10 people in the studied industries or by size category to correspond to all enterprises within the size category. The weighting factor used in analyses pertaining to the numbers of enterprises is the ratio between the framework and the number of respondent enterprises by stratum. The weighting factor in monetary analyses was the ratio between the total turnover of the business enterprises included in the inquiry and the turnover of the respondents by stratum. Some enterprises to be considered extreme values in terms of the size of online shopping have been removed from the calculation of euro-denominated weighting factors. These form their own post-stratum with a weighting factor of 1.
 

The data collected for the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises are validated by ensuring internal consistency of the response, comparing the data with those from previous years, and comparing the data of an enterprise with the background data available in the register.

Statistics Finland

Business statistics

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 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 

The statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises are based on EU regulations which, for their part, require the collection of the data in question (Regulation (EC) No2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council) and on annual Commission Regulations, such as, regarding data collection in 2024, Commission Regulation (EU) No 2023/1507.

The survey was partly financed by the European Commission.
 

The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act (1050/2018). The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Violation of data protection is punishable. 

Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi) 

The data are published only at a level so aggregated that the disclosure of the data of an individual data supplier is not possible. A majority of the statistics data are based on binary yes/no answers, in which linking the observations to individual data suppliers is not possible. The value of online shopping is published only at a highly aggregated level.

The data in the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises are made available for research purposes through Statistics Finland’s research services. The data do not include identifiers. The use of the data for scientific research and statistical surveys is possible only on the basis of a separate application for licence to use statistical data and in unidentifiable form.

In tabulations delivered to Eurostat, sensitive cells are marked as protected, due to which Eurostat does not publish the data in question. However, the data can be used in calculating summary data at the EU level.
 

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 are public after they have been updated in the web service. 

Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland 

The data of the statistics on the use of information technology in enterprises are delivered to Eurostat annually by 5 October.

Statistical data are published as database tables in the StatFin database. The database is the primary publishing site of data, and new data are updated first there. When releasing statistical data, existing database tables can be updated with new data or completely new database tables can be published.   

In addition to statistical data published in the StatFin database, a release on the key data is usually published in the web service. If the release contains data concerning several reference periods (e.g. monthly and annual data), a review bringing together these data is published in the web service. Database tables updated at the time of publication are listed both in the release and in the review. In some cases, statistical data can also be published as mere database releases in the StatFin database. No release or review is published in connection with these database releases. 

Releases and database tables are published in three languages, in Finnish, Swedish and English. The language versions of releases may have more limited content than in Finnish.   

Information about changes in the publication schedules of releases and database tables and about corrections are given as change releases in the web service. 

Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions. 

 

The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before. 

 

Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data. 

The quality of the statistics is assessed at several different stages of the statistical process. The coherence of the unit data of the statistics is reviewed against the previous year’s data during the data collection phase. Macro-level reviews focus on possible errors in the production process.

 

Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The quality management framework of the field of statistics is the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice. 

Further information: Quality management | Statistics Finland (stat.fi) 

Data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may only be handled 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 separately stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer of the data and the owner of the copyright. The terms of use for statistical data.