IAOS-OECD 2018 conference, 19-21 September 2018, Paris. More information at: http://www.oecd.org/iaos2018/

1. How are statistics governed – a case study on
developing trust and credibility in official statistics
Marika Pohjola
IAOS-OECD Conference: Better Statistics for Better Lives 19-21 September 2018

2. Contents
• What
• Why
• How
• Preliminary findings
• What next
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3. What
• A case study on developing trust and
credibility in official statistics from the
1990s until present
• Focus on describing the efforts of the
UN Statistical Commission (UNSC) as
the apex entity with a normative function,
and, in particular, on the Fundamental
Principles of Official Statistics (FPOS;
1994) as an instrument, to improve
statistical governance
• Knowledge and policy transfer
perspective
3 19 September 2018 Marika Pohjola
https://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/gallery/

4. Why
• The importance of the Fundamental Principles as the cornerstone
of the global statistical system
 How are (official) statistics governed?
• For better understanding the main ideas and principles as well as
the instruments, mechanisms and tools used for strengthening
statistical governance
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evidence
–based decision making
legal basis
integrity self-regulation
accountability
(professional)
independence
peer review

5. How (1.)
• Case study approach; Use of
qualitative methods
• Multilevel governance and
policy cycle stages as broader
conceptual aspects
• Framework for policy
composition: ends and means
Global level
Regional, other
international
(supranational)
level
Country level
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Drafting
Decision-
making
Implementation
Assessment
Agenda-
setting

6. How (2.)
• Process-tracing
• Text-based analysis with
illustrative orientation
• Data sources: UNSC
documents 1992 – 2017; the
Implementation Guidelines
(2015)
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7. Preliminary findings (1.)
• The FPOS, including their possible update and implementation,
appearing as a regular agenda item in the UNSC sessions since
2011
• The FPOS as de facto standard
• to give guidance on the role of official statistics and functioning of
a good statistical system
• Assessment modality of the implementation of the FPOS to be
further considered
• The self-regulatory setting + Use of legislative instruments;
Standards and Guidelines
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8. Preliminary findings (2.)
• Legislation providing conditions that give the system integrity and
credibility
• The NSO’s right to collect data and data confidentiality as two key
elements in a statistics law, also e.g. ensuring the professional
independence of the NSO
• Noting the main aspects of the FPOS:
• Role and governance and general quality (Principles 1, 2 and 4);
Information to users and metadata (3, 7); Data collection,
confidentiality, processing or treating (5, 6); Coordination of official
statistics at the national level (8) and International cooperation (9,
10) (Ljones 2015)
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9. Preliminary findings (3.)
• The critical role of statistics in supporting decision-making for the
development of societies
• Trust and credibility as main goals of statistical governance
arrangements
• Some illustrative examples of recommended actions and good
practices according to the identified governance dimensions:
• Actors and their roles; Statistical programme and products
and services; Quality assurance; International cooperation;
standards and governance (Radermacher 2017)
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10. What next
• Statistical governance process and policy design:
the analysis to be further deepened
• In addition to exploring the normative side: how the
implementation context is taken into account in international –
national level interactions aiming to strengthen statistical
governance
• An issue related to the statistical capacity-building and new
initiatives launched in that field
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11. Thank you!
marika.pohjola@stat.fi