Statistical sources and statistical system in the information society

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to analyze the impact on statistical systems and on official statistics derived from the increasing availability of archives in relation to many kinds of phenomena and subjects and the growing interest in taking advantage of these records by national statistical agencies and by several institutional and private entities emerging as “new data producers”. The effects of an enormous amount of electronic information extend to many aspects so that it seems possible to speak of a “revolution in data production”.The main issues concerning the Italian statistical system and its key objects, and the topics arising to ensure appropriate standards for data resulting from non statistical sources are investigated and discussed in the paper. In particular, the new challenges arising from the statistical use of administrative and managerial sources are identified. Finally, in the last part of the paper, focus is on the particular meaning a characterization the categories concerning measurement errors, quality, comparability and coherence take on when these sources are used to produce statistics.