Expanded Contents

NOTES


INTRODUCTION

This release presents detailed indicators on the incidence of use of information technology in Australian business, as collected by the 2007-08 Business Characteristics Survey (BCS).

Collection of these data using the BCS vehicle is part of the ABS' Integrated Business Characteristics Strategy (IBCS). This strategy integrates the collection and quality assurance of data required for input into the Business Longitudinal Database (BLD) and the production of point in time estimates for Business Use of Information Technology (BUIT), innovation and a broad range of other non-financial business characteristics. A key part of the IBCS is the production of annual BUIT and business innovation indicators, with a more detailed set of items for each of these topics collected every second year (i.e in alternating years). The 2007-08 BCS collected detailed information relating to the use of information technology by Australian businesses.


STRUCTURE OF THIS RELEASE

There are two components to this release: web based information and datacubes. Unlike the previous edition of this release, there is no associated PDF. This release includes information related to business IT use; IT security; type of broadband access; web features; ordering system linkages; and, detailed uses of the Internet. Web based information includes the tables and graphs with associated commentary. Detailed data (including some output cross-classified by business size and industry) are presented in the datacubes. Some commentary referred to in this release relates to data only contained within the datacubes.


DATA QUALITY

Data in this release were subject to standard quality assurance processes with additional focus on core business use of IT data items; specifically, placing and receiving orders via the Internet or web, Internet commerce income and type of Internet connection.

Information provided in the Quality Declaration and Explanatory Notes must be taken into consideration when interpreting results, particularly if making comparisons to those reported for previous periods.

The estimates in this release are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 edition. Estimates in previous issues of this release were based on the 1993 version of ANZSIC. This change has impacted on direct comparability, more information about this change is provided in the Appendix 1: Changes to industry classification. This Appendix contains data for core IT items such as Internet access and web presence which are collected annually. The data from 2005-06 are presented on the ANZSIC93 basis, while the 2007-08 data are on an ANZSIC06 basis. Data for 2006-07 are presented on both bases.


INQUIRIES

For further information about this publication, contact Andrew Puljic on Perth (08) 9360 5229.