Sociological Survey Methodology: Interpreting Employment and Unemployment Data

Slide 1: CR CR RC Caucasus Research Resource Centers -Armenia RC A Program of Eurasia Partnership Foundation Sociological Survey Methodology: Interpreting Employment and Unemployment Data Arsen Aslanyan CRRC-Armenia Program Manager arsen@crrc.am March 19, 2008 Yerevan, Armenia 1

Slide 2: CR RC Surveys as Data Collection Tools • How the respondents are selected? • How and when are the data gathered? • How the data are archived? • How the data are analyzed and presented? • Nuances of commenting survey data. 2

Slide 3: CR RC Sampling: Strategies, Frames and Procedures From whom and how you gather the data: 3

Slide 4: CR RC What is a Sample? A sample is a finite part of a population whose properties (knowledge, opinion, attitudes, behaviors, etc.) are studied to gain information about the whole. Sampling Frame - A list of all the units (individuals, households, etc.) in the population from which the sample is taken. 4

Slide 5: CR RC Samples and Sampling Strategy The degree to which your sample mirrors the population from which it comes will depend to a large extent on your sampling strategy. Why is this important? The sampling strategy is the way in which you select units from the population for inclusion into your study. 5

Slide 6: CR RC The CRRC Data Initiative (DI) Surveys • The Data Initiative (DI) is a cross-border effort initiated by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC) to collect data on a wide variety of social, political and economic indicators in the South Caucasus (SC). • The DI survey has been conducted in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia annually since 2004. • While the survey in 2004 was conducted in the capitals of the SC countries, the survey of 2005 encompassed also an internal region per country and, since 2006 it included all the regions of the mentioned countries. 6

Slide 7: CR RC The DI 2004-2007 Survey Samples 7

Slide 8: CR RC The CRRC Data Initiative (DI) Survey Methodology The surveys in all countries have been implemented using a unified sampling methodology – multistage cluster sampling with preliminary stratification. To be able to compare various geographic areas in the SC countries, the CRRC centers in 2007 introduced preliminary stratification of the sampling frames, which included 9 strata: North-East, North-West, South-East, South-West, each of them having both urban and rural areas, and the capital cities. 8

Slide 9: CR RC The Preliminary Stratification in Armenia 9

Slide 10: CR RC The CRRC Data Initiative (DI) Survey Methodology Sampling Frame. While the CRRC centers in Georgia and Azerbaijan have been using Census data (addresses of surveyed households) as sampling frames, the CRRC-Armenia used the database of Armenian household electricity users as a frame to sample households for the interview. Clusters of about 500 households were formed in each strata based on geographical proximity, and 50 households were randomly sampled in each selected cluster for interviewing. Respondents: In parallel with/after the household interview, an individual interview was conducted with one adult member in the household, randomly selected using the last birthday method. 10

Slide 11: CR RC The Survey Instrument The survey instrument – questionnaire was developed by the teams of researchers from three SC countries. The survey gathers information about: e) household characteristics (more than 80 questions on household size, socio-demographics of household members, economic status/conditions, as well information on current/past migrant members) and g) individuals sampled within those households (about 160 questions on their employment, education, health, political views, social capital, etc.) The average time for completing either household or individual interview was about 30 minutes. 11

Slide 12: CR RC The Fieldwork in Armenia • Fieldwork period: September-October 2007 • Staff: 11 fieldwork supervisors, 100 interviewers • Response rate: 78% • Datasets (in SPSS format) and relevant documentation are available at: www.crrccenters.org 12

Slide 13: CR RC Armenian Labor Force Who is there? Respondents (18+ years old) were asked the following question: “Do you consider yourself to be employed (having a job)? This employment may be part-time or full-time, you may be officially employed, informally employed, or self-employed, but it brings you monetary income.” 13

Slide 14: CR Those who did not have a job, were asked the following: RC “Which of the following best describes your situation?” [those who have a job] 14

Slide 15: CR RC What comprises the Economically Active Population? Those who are employed (have a job) 922 individuals in the sample + Those who are unemployed and looking for a job (active job seekers) 361 individuals in the sample = Economically Active Population 922+ 361= 1283 individuals in the sample Unemployment level = 361/ (361+ 922) = 28% 15

Slide 16: CR RC How many job seekers are in our sample? 361 ? (According to their self reports) OR 49 ? (those, who are registered at state and/or private agencies, including those who are “Unemployed and interested in a job, but currently NOT looking for a job”) 16

Slide 17: CR RC Always ask! How the unemployment level is estimated? If we estimate the unemployment level according to the respondents’ self reports on employment, then Unemployment level = 361/ (361+ 922) = 28% If we estimate the unemployment level using the number of job seekers registered at state and/or private agencies, then Unemployment level = 49/ (49 + 922) = 5% 17

Slide 18: CR RC Armenian Labor Force: Who is there? The employed and unemployed by age groups (% within age groups) 49 47 36 31 27 26 18 15 18-30 31-45 46-60 61+ Unemployed and looking for a job Have job 18

Slide 19: CR RC Armenian Labor Force: Who is there? The employed and unemployed by sex (% within sex): 51 32 31 23 Male Female Unemployed and looking for a job Have job 19

Slide 20: CR RC Armenian Labor Force: Who is there? The employed and unemployed by settlement types (% of total respondents): 42 39 37 31 28 20 rural other urban capital Unemployed and looking for a job Have job 20

Slide 21: CR RC The Employment and Unemployment by Educational Levels of Respondents Unemployment % within education groups have a job 50% 45% 36% 32% 26% 24% 24% 24% 20% 10% Primary Incomplete Completed Secondary Completed education secondary secondary technical higher education education education education 21

Slide 22: CR RC Always check the questionnaire! The Employment and Unemployment in the Capitals of the South Caucasus during 2004-2007 2004 2005 2006 2007 52% 48% 44% 41% 40% 39% 39% 38% 38% 38% 37% 36% 36% 35% 34% 32% 32% 30% 28% 26% 23% 22% 15% 14% Unem ployed Have a job (% Unem ployed Have a job (% Unem ployed Have a job (% and looking in total adult and looking in total adult and looking in total adult for a job popul.) for a job popul.) for a job popul.) Yerevan Baku Tbilisi 22

Slide 23: CR RC Unemployment: Closer Look at the Duration 23

Slide 24: CR Employment in Armenia by Sectors (% within community type) RC 9 6 10 1 Other 1 4 1 3 3 4 3 2 2 1 Employee in a local or international NGO 4 10 10 Employee in a small local family business 15 26 54 Run my own business, self-employed with employees Employee in a foreign/international organization Run my own business, self-employed without 58 5 employees 42 Employee in a medium-size or big local private organization 23 Employee in a state organization, company or enterprise capital urban rural 24

Slide 25: CR RC Employment in Armenia by Branches (% of respondents by strata) 25

Slide 26: CR Migration: % of household members who have been RC abroad for more than 3 months during 1991-2007 and returned home 9.2% 6.9% 5.6% 3.9% 3.4% 3.3% 2.9% 2.7% 1.9% Yerevan Other Rural Baku Other Rural Tbilisi Other Rural urban urban urban Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia 26

Slide 27: CR Migration: Destination countries for those who have been RC abroad for more than 3 months during 1991-2007 and returned home 8 9 Other foreign country 4 18 4 / Different region. 18 7 Western Europe. 25 85 Former Soviet 69 Union, excluding Russia. 49 Russia. Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia 27

Slide 28: CR Migration: How did former migrants support their RC households back home? (% of returned migrants) No support 33 44 58 Monetary support only 33 42 Both monetary 30 and non- 34 monetary support 11 13 Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia 28

Slide 29: CR Migration: % of HHs having at least one member abroad as RC of October 2007 15% 11% 9% 7% 7% 6% 3% 3% 3% Yerevan Other Rural Baku Other Rural Tbilisi Other Rural urban urban urban Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia 29

Slide 30: CR Migration: Number of Migrants Abroad per 100 Households RC (October 2007) 34 29 Rural Urban Capital 23 14 8 8 9 7 6 Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia 30

Slide 31: CR Migration: “How important are contributions received from the RC household members currently living abroad to your household’s well-being?” 55 44 40 29 30 28 22 9 11 7 5 3 Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia Vital Important Moderately important Not very important 31

Slide 32: CR RC Want to learn more? Visit www.crrccenters.org - > Data Initiative Project to find: • Survey datasets (in SPSS format) • Questionnaires and show cards (in 4 languages) • Survey methodology document • SPSS online crash course 32

Slide 33: CR RC Want to learn SPSS? 33