Annual Survey of Personal Services

Detailed information for 2000

The survey objective is the collection and dissemination of data necessary for the statistical analysis of personal and laundry services industries.

Data release - August 21, 2002

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description

The survey objective is the collection and dissemination of data necessary for the statistical analysis of personal and laundry services industries.

The information from the survey can be used by businesses for market analysis, by trade associations to study performance and other characteristics of their industries, by government to develop national and regional economics policies, and by other users involved in research and policy making.

Statistical activity

This survey is part of the Service Industries Program. The survey data gathered are used to compile aggregate statistics for over thirty service industry groupings. Financial data, including revenue, expense and profit statistics are available for all of the surveys in the program. In addition, many compile and disseminate industry-specific information.

Reference period: Calendar year

Subjects

• Business, consumer and property services
• Business performance and ownership
• Financial statements and performance
• Personal services

Data sources and methodology

Target population

Under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS), this industry is comprised of establishments primarily engaged in many groups in Personal Services. The target population consists of all statistical establishments classified to sub-sector 812 according to the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) during the reference year. These establishments provide personal care services, funeral services, laundry services and other services, such as pet care and photo finishing. Operators of parking facilities are also included.

• Additional documentation

Instrument design

The survey questionnaire contains generic modules designed to cover several service industries. These include revenue and expense modules. In order to reduce respondent burden, revenue and expense data are extracted from administrative files for smaller firms.

Sampling

This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design.

Even though the basic objective of the survey is to produce estimates for the whole industry --all incorporated and unincorporated businesses -- not all businesses are surveyed. Rather, a sample is surveyed and the portion eligible for sampling is defined as all statistical establishments with revenue above a certain threshold. This low revenue threshold varied between provinces. The excluded portion represents a substantial proportion of the industry in terms of number of establishments (46%), but its contribution to the overall industry revenue is only about 5%. These excluded establishments are accounted for in the final estimates through the use of administrative data. However, only basic information is obtained from administrative sources, i.e., total revenue, expenses, depreciation and salaries, wages and benefits. Detailed characteristics such as client base, revenue by type of service, and detailed expense items are collected only for surveyed establishments.

Prior to the selection of a random sample, establishments are classified into homogeneous groups (i.e., groups with the same NAICS codes, same geography (province/territory), and same business type (incorporated/unincorporated) attributes). Quality requirements are targeted, and then each group is divided into sub-groups called strata: take-all, must-take, and take-some.

The take-all stratum includes the largest firms in terms of performance (based on revenue) in an industry. Every firm is sampled, which means each firm represents itself and is given a weight of one. The must-take stratum is also comprised of self-representing units, but these are selected on the basis of complex structure characteristics (multi-establishment, multi-legal, multi-NAICS, or multi-province enterprises). Units in the take-some strata are subjected to simple random sampling.

Finally, the sample size is increased, mostly to compensate for firms that no longer belong in the industry, i.e., they have gone out of business, changed their primary business activity, are inactive, or are duplicates on the frame. After removing such firms, the sample size for 2000 was 2150 collection entities.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: March 2001 to December 2001

Responding to this survey is mandatory.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents and extracted from administrative files.

Data are collected through a mail-out/mail-back process, while providing respondents with the option of telephone or other electronic filing methods.

Follow-up procedures are applied when a questionnaire has not been received after a pre-specified period of time.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .

Error detection

Data are examined for inconsistencies and errors using automated edits coupled with analytical review. Several checks are performed on the collected data. These checks look for internal consistency such as: section totals must be equal to the components; if employees are reported, wages and salaries must be greater than zero; the main source of income must be consistent with the assigned NAICS code.

Imputation

Partial records were imputed to make them complete. Data for non-respondents were imputed using either donor imputation, administrative data or historical data.

Estimation

As part of the estimation process survey data are weighted and combined with administrative data to produce final industry estimates.

Quality evaluation

Prior to dissemination, combined survey results are analyzed for comparability; in general, this includes a detailed review of individual responses (especially for the largest companies), general economic conditions, historic trends, and comparisons with other data sources.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

Data accuracy

Of the sampled units contributing to the estimate the weighted response rate was 76.8%

The sample of Personal Services represents 88% of the estimated industry revenues. The remainder of the estimate was derived from administrative data sources. Since this survey was based on probability sampling the potential for error caused by sampling can be measured. A standard measure of sampling error is the coefficient of variation (CV). The qualities of CVs are rated as follows:

. Excellent 0.01% to 4.99%
. Very good 5.00% to 9.99%
. Good 10.00% to 14.99%
. Acceptable 15.00% to 24.99%
. Use with caution 25.00% to 34.99%
. Unreliable 35.00% or higher

The CV for this survey for reference year 2000 ranged from "acceptable" to "excellent" for revenue, expenses and wages and salaries variables.