Abstract

A comprehensive and detailed statistical database of any economic activity is a prerequisite for planning and policy making and this applies to economic activities that play a major role in most modern world economies.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics is pleased to issue the twenty-second volume of the Economic Survey of Palestine, including statistical tables of findings. This edition presents the findings of the surveys conducted for 2016 as the reference year and covers most of the economic activities operating in Palestine since 1994. Economic surveys of various fields constitute the basic foundations for the compilation of National Accounts for Palestine

Geographic coverage

Palestine

Analysis unit

Enterprises

Universe

The twenty second round of the economic survey series was conducted based on the Establishments Census of 2012 as a sampling frame. The economic surveys series covered activities in accordance with ISIC-4 (fifth digits).

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample of the economic surveys series was One-Stage Stratified Systematic Random Sample in which enterprises were divided into two types: the first type covered overall enterprises taken comprehensively, the second type covered enterprises selected in a systematic random way in which the enterprise constituted the sampling unit. Three levels of strata were used to draw up an efficient representative sample: 1. The frame was divided into two geographical locations: the West Bank excluding that part of Jerusalem governorate which was forcefully annexed by Israel following its occupation of the West Bank in 1967, and the Gaza Strip. 2. Strata were created based on the fourth digit of ISIC-4, excluding services sector based on the second in which every activity presents an actual stratum. 3. Within each stratum, new strata were created according to employment size.

According to services sector profit and non-profit enterprises are taking into consideration as a forth level.

The sample size in Palestine (excludes that part of Jerusalem governorate which was forcefully annexed by Israel following its occupation of the West Bank in 1967) in 2016 was 9,491 enterprises out of 143,140 enterprises comprising the survey sampling frame.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

All of the economic surveys series used the same questionnaire, with a few different characteristics for each survey. The design of the 2016 questionnaire takes into account the major economic variables pertaining to the sector examined and the needs to be met to compile the National Accounts for Palestine. The questionnaire included these variables: 1. The employed persons in enterprise and compensation of these employees. 2. Value of output from the main activity and secondary activity. 3. Production inputs of goods and services. 4. Payments and transfers. 5. Taxes on production. 6. Assets and capital formation.

Cleaning operations

·A specialized field work team with a background in economics was selected and trained theoretically and practically on the surveys' questionnaire. ·The main field work team was selected based on skills acquired from the training course. ·Project management received a daily report on the progress and response rates. ·Programs were designed to check and extract data through the web by project management and field work supervisors. ·A refreshment training course was conducted during the stage of data collection to reinforce the main points made during the training, and to answer questions by field workers about issues they faced in the field. ·Field visits were conducted from the project management team to check and progress of work for all governorates in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. ·Editing: PC-Tablets were used in collecting data in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the sample was loaded onto the tablets and automated rules applied to the program. ·Coding: After finishing editing process, the completed questionnaires are subject to coding process to be prepared to the data entry process. ·Creation of a data entry program prior to the collection of data to ensure this would be ready in advance. ·A set of validation rules were applied to the program to check the consistency of data. · The efficiency of the program was pre-tested by entering several questionnaires including incorrect information and checking its efficiency in capturing the incorrect information

Response rate

Response rate:93.3%..

Sampling error estimates

Sampling Errors Data of this survey affected by sampling errors due to use of the sample and. Therefore, certain differences were expected in comparison with the real values obtained through censuses. Variance were calculated for the most important indicators as shown in tables below. Dissemination of results at the national level did not pose a problem, but there was high variance in some variables.

Non Sampling Error These types of errors could appear on one or on all of the survey stages that include data collection and data entry; they related to, respondents, fieldworkers, and data entry personnel. To avoid errors and mitigate their impact, a number of procedures were applied to enhance the accuracy of the data through a process of data collection from the field and data processing.

Abstract

A comprehensive and detailed statistical database of any economic activity is a prerequisite for planning and policy making and this applies to economic activities that play a major role in most modern world economies.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics is pleased to issue the twenty-second volume of the Economic Survey of Palestine, including statistical tables of findings. This edition presents the findings of the surveys conducted for 2016 as the reference year and covers most of the economic activities operating in Palestine since 1994.

Economic surveys of various fields constitute the basic foundations for the compilation of National Accounts for Palestine

Geographic coverage

Palestine

Analysis unit

Enterprises

Universe

The twenty second round of the economic survey series was conducted based on the Establishments Census of 2012 as a sampling frame. The economic surveys series covered activities in accordance with ISIC-4 (fifth digits).

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample of the economic surveys series was a One-Stage Stratified Systematic Random Sample in which enterprises were divided into two types: the first type covered overall enterprises taken comprehensively, the second type covered enterprises selected in a systematic random way in which the enterprise constituted the sampling unit.

Three levels of strata were used to draw up an efficient representative sample: 1. The frame was divided into two geographical locations: the West Bank excluding that part of Jerusalem governorate which was forcefully annexed by Israel following its occupation of the West Bank in 1967, and the Gaza Strip. 2. Strata were created based on the fourth digit of ISIC-4, excluding services sector based on the second in which every activity presents an actual stratum. 3. Within each stratum, new strata were created according to employment size.

According to services sector profit and non-profit enterprises are taking into consideration as a forth level.

The sample size in Palestine (excludes that part of Jerusalem governorate which was forcefully annexed by Israel following its occupation of the West Bank in 1967) in 2016 was 9,491 enterprises out of 143,140 enterprises comprising the survey sampling frame.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

All of the economic surveys series used the same questionnaire, with a few different characteristics for each survey. The design of the 2016 questionnaire takes into account the major economic variables pertaining to the sector examined and the needs to be met to compile the National Accounts for Palestine. The questionnaire included these variables: 1. The employed persons in enterprise and compensation of these employees. 2. Value of output from the main activity and secondary activity. 3. Production inputs of goods and services. 4. Payments and transfers. 5. Taxes on production. 6. Assets and capital formation.

Cleaning operations

• A specialized field work team with a background in economics was selected and trained theoretically and practically on the surveys' questionnaire.
• The main field work team was selected based on skills acquired from the training course.
• Project management received a daily report on the progress and response rates.
• Programs were designed to check and extract data through the web by project management and field work supervisors.
• A refreshment training course was conducted during the stage of data collection to reinforce the main points made during the training, and to answer questions by field workers about issues they faced in the field.
• Field visits were conducted from the project management team to check and progress of work for all governorates in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
• Editing: PC-Tablets were used in collecting data in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the sample was loaded onto the tablets and automated rules applied to the program.
• Coding: After finishing editing process, the completed questionnaires are subject to coding process to be prepared to the data entry process.
• Creation of a data entry program prior to the collection of data to ensure this would be ready in advance.
• A set of validation rules were applied to the program to check the consistency of data.
• The efficiency of the program was pre-tested by entering several questionnaires including incorrect information and checking its efficiency in capturing the incorrect information.

Response rate

Response rate: 93.3%..

Sampling error estimates

Sampling Errors Data of this survey affected by sampling errors due to use of the sample and. Therefore, certain differences were expected in comparison with the real values obtained through censuses. Variance were calculated for the most important indicators as shown in tables below. Dissemination of results at the national level did not pose a problem, but there was high variance in some variables.

Non Sampling Error These types of errors could appear on one or on all of the survey stages that include data collection and data entry; they related to, respondents, fieldworkers, and data entry personnel. To avoid errors and mitigate their impact, a number of procedures were applied to enhance the accuracy of the data through a process of data collection from the field and data processing.