ICT in the Business Sector of the Czech Republic

Methodological introduction

This publication contains the overall results of the ICT 5-01 statistical survey on the extension and methods of usage of selected ICT (computer, E-mail, mobile phone, Internet and other computer networks, web sites, e-commerce, EDI and other processes related to the data transferring via ICT) among enterprises of the business sector and their employees in the Czech Republic in 2005. The survey also contains information on the realized purchases and sales via networks based on Internet protocol and other computer mediated networks. Within the survey the first information on ICT security was obtained.

Data for the European Survey on ICT Usage and e-Commerce in Enterprises were collected for the fifth time in the Czech Republic (a pilot survey was carried out in 2002 and the first regular “annual” survey in 2003). The survey was carried out in line with REGULATION (EC) No 808/2004 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL and it’s implementation (REGULATION (EC) No 1099/2005 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL).

Statistical population included legal and natural persons incorporated and unregistered in Companies Register with 5 and more employees according to the Administrative register and Business register as of December 30, 2004, from sections D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and O of CZ-NACE.

Sample of reporting units that was drawn from the statistical population according to the Business register combining census (enterprises with 250 and more employees) and stratified random sample, was selected to in order to enable calculation of grossed values of observed indicators for following selected groups of enterprises defined by the help of CZ-NACE:

15+16+17+18+19+20+21, 22, 23+24+25, 26+27+28, 29, 30+31+32+33, 34+35,36+37, 40+41, 45, 50, 51.4, 51.84, 51 rest, 52, 55.1+ 55.2, 63.3, 60+61+62+63 rest, 64, 65.12+65.22, 65 rest, 66.01+66.03, 66 rest, 67.12+67.13+67.2, 67rest, 70+71, 72, 73, 74, 92.1+92.2, 92 rest., 93

Within selected groups of enterprises it was possible to calculate grossed values of indicators for the following size of enterprises:

Extra small with 5 – 9 persons employed,
Small with 10 – 49 persons employed,
Medium with 50 – 249 persons employed,
Large with 250 and more persons employed

and enterprise headquarters address:

Objective 1 Region – parts of country other than Prague,
Non Objective 1 Region - Prague.

Data evaluation with respect to number of persons employed reflects the task of Eurostat. Number of enterprises and any other indicators were acquired by grossing up, because a frame population is different from a target population.

Questionnaire ICT 5-01 was divided into several parts according to character of tracked indicators:

a, basic information on ICT,
b, persons employed using ICT.
c, processes with electronic data transmission,
d, e-commerce,
e, ICT security.

There were two versions of the questionnaire. Short version for extra small enterprises with 5 – 9 employees was created with limited number of most important questions.

Data collection was done with the help of mailed out questionnaires, which reporting units mailed back after filling in to the Czech Statistical Office. The reporting units could also obtain the electronic form of the questionnaire via Internet and send the filled in questionnaire back via E-mail as well.

In terms of survey 10 361, reporting units were asked to fulfil the ICT 5-01 questionnaire, of which 8 243 were active and mailed back correctly filled in questionnaires. Discrepancies recognized during processing of questionnaires were corrected with the help of mailed or phoned inquiries. Due to the difference between frame and target population as well as refinement of data in the Business Register during data collection, several enterprises fell out from target population and the number of questionnaires usable for grossing decreased to 7 694.

Weights of enterprises in the sample were obtained with the help of Swedish subroutine CLAN that used GREG (general linear regression method). The weights were set so that the number of enterprises and employees in the frame population and grossed numbers were equal. Because of the fact the questionnaire didn’t include questions that were a part of other surveys, some basic data had to be estimated.

The fact that the questionnaire for enterprises with 5 – 9 employees didn’t include all the questions of the questionnaire for 10 and more employees made the number of responses used for grossing for some indicators lower (approximately by 3%). In this case, absolute values for selected enterprises were grossed up according to the sample with the assistance of weighted mean. In this case the indicators for selected finest group of enterprises were grossed at the first using weight and subsequently share indicators for selected groups of enterprises according to sample. Sequentially the aggregated values and shares of indicators were calculated. In this case the information from common part of the questionnaire was used. Any such indicator was processed individually and for enterprises with 5-9 employees was not evaluated (n. a.)

Values of indicators published in text and graphs are values grossed for statistical population with the help of weights. If there is no base to which the share indicators in tables of graphs are calculated, then the shares are calculated on adequate total number or total value.

Values of indicators state quantity relating to number of enterprises, persons, number of web sites and so on refer to January of selected year 2006. Values of indicators of flow variables such as sales, purchases, costs and so on refer to values for the whole year 2005.

This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the Czech Statistical Office and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.