Methodology and Quality Update

Methodology and Quality last update

19/12/2024

Statistical Presentation

Data description  

The statistics of non-profit sector organizations present financial data that contribute to providing estimates and indicators related to non-profit sector organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also aims to:
•    To identify the size of the workforce in the non-profit sector.
•    To identify employees' compensation.
•    To identify the compensation of the workforce.
•    Providing data to identify the contribution percentage of the non-profit sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Data is also used to estimates:
•    Total number of employees.
•    Total compensation of employees:
•    Total expenditure.
•    Total revenue.

Classification system

The following classifications are applied in Non-Profit Sector Organizations Statistics:
International Classification of Non-Profit organizations (ICNPO):
It is the classification system recommended in the United Nations Handbook on Non-Profit Institutions in the System of National Accounts. It is a classification primarily based on the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) and aims to provide more detailed information about the non-profit sector. It includes all entities defined as non-profit organizations and consists of 12 main activity categories:
•    Category 1: Culture and entertainment.
•    Category 2: Education and research.
•    Category 3: Health
•    Category 4: Social services.
•    Category 5: Environment.
•    Category 6: Development and housing.
•    Category 7: Law, advocacy, and politics.
•    Category 8: Volunteer intermediaries and volunteer promotion.
•    Category 9: International.
•    Category 10: Religious.
•    Category 11: Professional associations, business associations, and trade unions.
•    Category 12: Not categorized elsewhere.

Sector coverage

Non-profit Sector Organizations Statistics covers all non-profit sectors.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Terms and concepts of Non-profit Sector Organizations Statistics:
•    Non-Profit Organizations:
Legal or social entities established for the purpose of producing goods and services, but whose status does not allow them to be a source of income, profit, or any other financial gain for the units that create, control, or fund them; in other words, profits are not distributed to stakeholders.
•    Number of employees:
The total number of employed individuals in the target year.
•    Compensation of Employees:
The total salaries and wages, both in cash and in kind, owed to employees of the organization in exchange for the work they perform during the accounting period. This includes overtime pay, vacation allowances, bonuses, commissions, tips, and the employer's contribution to social insurance.
•    Total revenue:
It refers to all revenues generated as a result of the non-profit organizations' main activities or other secondary activities during the target year.
•    Total expenditure:
It refers to all expenditures made by non-profit organizations as a result of engaging in the economic activity they conduct during the target year.

Statistical unit

The statistical unit in the Non-profit Sector Organizations Statistics is the establishment.

Statistical population

The target statistical population in the statistics of non-profit sector organizations consists of non-profit organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including associations, charitable institutions, government entities, and others.

Reference area

Not applicable.

Time coverage

The data is available from the year 2018 to 2023.

Base period

Not applicable.

Unit of measure

The unit used in the results of the non-profit sector organizations survey is measured through: 
Numbers (such as: Total revenues (in thousands of Riyals).

Reference period

During the specified time period, communication with organizations is conducted through the target population, and the survey form is completed. Survey data is typically attributed to the fiscal year preceding the implementation period.

Confidentiality 

Confidentiality - policy

According to the Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07-12-1397, data must always be kept confidential and must be used by GASTAT only for statistical purposes.
Therefore, the data are protected in the data servers of the Authority.

Confidentiality - data treatment

Data are displayed in appropriate tables to facilitate its summarization, comprehension, results extraction, comparison with other data and coming up with statistical connotations for the study community. It is also easier to check tables without the need to see the original questionnaire, which usually include data like names and addresses of individuals, names of data providers, which violates the confidentiality of statistical data.
“Anonymity of data” is one of the most important procedures. To keep data confidential, GASTAT removed personal information of individuals, households, or business entities in a way that does not allow the identification of the respondent either directly (by name, address, contact number, identity number etc.) or indirectly (by combining different - especially rare - characteristics of respondents: age, occupation, education etc.).

Release policy

Release calendar

Non-profit sector organizations statistics have been included in the statistical calendar.

Release calendar access

The release calendar is available at: https://www.stats.gov.sa/statistical-calendar-releases

User access

One of GASTAT’s objectives is to better meet its clients' needs, so it immediately provides them with the publication's results once the Non-Profit Sector Organizations Statistics publication is published. 
It also receives questions and inquiries of the clients about the Publication and its results through various communication channels, such as:
•    GASTAT official website: www.stats.gov.sa
•    GASTAT official e-mail address: info@stats.gov.sa
•    Client support e-mail: info@stats.gov.sa
•    Official visits to GASTAT’s official head office in Riyadh or one of its branches in Saudi Arabia.
•    Official letters.
•    Statistical telephone: (199009).

Frequency of dissemination

Annual.

Accessibility and clarity

News release

The announcements of each publication are available on release calendar as mentioned in 7.2. Release calendar access. The news release can be viewed on the website of GASTAT through the following link:
https://stats.gov.sa/news

Publications

The General Authority for Statistics issues publications and reports on non-profit sector organizations' statistics regularly as part of a pre-prepared dissemination plan, and they are published on the Authority's website. GASTAT is keen to publish its publications in a way that serves all users of different types, including publications in different formats that contain (publication tables, data graphs, indicators, metadata, methodology, and questionnaires) in both English and Arabic.
Non-profit sector organizations statistics have been included in the statistical calendar:
https://www.stats.gov.sa/statistics

On-line database

Not available.

Micro-data access 

Not available.

Other

Not available.

Documentation on methodology

Non-profit Sector Organizations Statistics: The concepts, definitions, issues and classifications are based on international standards. 
•    The Satellite Account for the Non-Profit Sector, Related Institutions, and Volunteer Work 2018: 

https://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/docs/UN_TSE_HB_FNL_web.pdf
•    Non-profit organizations in the System of National Accounts 2003: 

https://unstats.un.org/unsd/publication/seriesf/seriesf_91e.pdf 
•    System of National Accounts 2008:
https://www.stats.gov.sa/ar/1467

Quality documentation

Quality documentation covers documentation on methods and standards for assessing, measuring, and monitoring the quality of statistical process and output. It is based on standard quality criteria such as relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability, and coherence.

Quality management

Quality assurance

GASTAT declares that it considers the following principles: impartiality, user orientated, quality of processes and output, effectiveness of statistical processes, reducing the workload for respondents. 
Quality controls and validation of data are actions carried out throughout the process in different stages such as the data input and data collection and other final controls.

Quality assessment

GASTAT performs all statistical activities according to a national model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality issues related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

Relevance 

User needs 

Internal users in the General Authority for Statistics of Non-profit sector organizations statistics:
•    National accounts.
External users and major beneficiaries for Non-profit sector organizations statistics data, include:
•    Government entities.
•    Regional and international organizations.
•    Research institutions.
The disseminated key variables that mostly used by key users:

User satisfaction

Not available.

Completeness 

Non-profit sector organizations statistics data is based on two main sources: the first is administrative record data from government entities. The second source is data collected through a field survey of establishments to provide comprehensive information on the indicators of non-profit sector organizations statistics, and the data is complete.

Accuracy and reliability

Overall accuracy

•    The data collected is improved through the researchers, that have been selected according to a set of practical and objective criteria and training program related to the field of work.
•    Alert, prevention, and correction rules are applied during the data collection process in order to improve data quality.
•    Data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
•    The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized.
•    The links between variables are checked and coherence between different data series is confirmed.

Timeliness and punctuality 

Timeliness 

GASTAT uses the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) issued by the International Monetary Fund. According to this Standard, all statistics agencies are required to publish data on an annual basis, and with a delay of not more than six months (180 days) after the end of the reference period. If the data are from different source, they may be published in a different frequency.

Punctuality

Publication takes place in accordance with published release dates for 
non-profit sector organizations statistics in GASTAT webpage.
The data are available at the expected time, as scheduled in the statistical release calendar, If the publication is delayed, reasons shall be provided.

Coherence and comparability

Comparability - geographical

Not applicable

Comparability - over time 

The survey started in 2018 as an annual survey. The major changes that have occurred in recent years:
•    2019,2020,2021:
It was not implemented due to the (Covid-19) pandemic.
•    2019,2020,2021: 
Transition to Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) and Computer-Assisted Web Interviews (CAWI) due to the pandemic.
•    2022:
The General Authority for Statistics has moved to use administrative records to update the framework and statistical community of the licensed entities of the National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit sector in accordance with international practices and to ensure that statistical frameworks can be updated annually.
•    2023:
Using data collection methods such as Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI), Computer-Assisted Web Interviews (CAWI), and Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI).

Coherence- cross domain 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics 

Not applicable. 

Coherence- National Accounts 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - internal 

The statistics of non-profit sector organizations for the reference period have complete internal consistency, as they are all based on the same precise dataset and are calculated using statistical methods.

Resources used 

Data revision

Data revision - policy

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

Data revision - practice

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

Statistical processing

Source data

The non-profit sector statistics publication relies on two main sources in its data, where the publication is based on:
First source: Through a comprehensive survey conducted annually by the General Authority for Statistics.
The main variables published for non-profit sector organizations statistics are:
•    Total number of employees
•    Total compensation of employees
•    Total expenditures
•    Total revenues
Second source: From administrative records of non-profit sector organizations statistics.
•    National Center for Non-Profit sector.
•    Ministry of Media.
•    Ministry of Sport.
•    Ministry of Education.
•    Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services.
•    Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
•    Quality of Life Program
The data framework consists of more than six thousand licensed organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from all the above-mentioned entities.

Frequency of data collection 

Annual.

Data collection

Data collection from the survey:

Data for the Structural Business Survey is collected through Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI), Computer-Assisted Web Interviews (CAWI), and Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI).
Data collection from administrative records:
In coordination with the relevant departments of the Authority responsible for conducting the survey and managing data collection, the administrative data for the Non-Profit Sector Organizations Statistics publication is obtained from the National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector, the King Khalid Foundation, and other supervisory entities. In addition to government entities that are part of the framework for non-profit sector organizations statistics. 
The data is stored in the authority's databases after undergoing auditing and review processes following approved statistical methods and recognized quality standards. If errors or discrepancies are discovered, the data is cross-referenced with the data source for correction or clarification.

Data validation

Data are reviewed and matched to ensure their accuracy and precision in a way that suits their nature with the aim of giving the presented statistics quality and accuracy. An example of this is the use of the IQR methodology (Interquartile Range), which is a widely applied and globally practiced method for identifying outliers.
The calculation is done:
•    First Quartile of the data (Q1/25%): The average of the lower half of the dataset.
•    Third Quartile of the data (Q3/75%): The average of the upper half of the dataset.
The interquartile range measures the spread of 50% of the data to highlight the values that significantly differ from the central tendency of the dataset.
The boundaries for outliers are determined as follows:
•    Lower Bound: First quartile - 1.5 * Interquartile range (IQR).
•    Upper Bound: Third quartile + 1.5 * Interquartile range (IQR).
Variables are identified as outliers if:
•    The variable is less than the minimum.
•    The variable is greater than the maximum.
After the step of identifying outliers, the Business, Investment, and International Trade Statistics team analyzes and evaluates the outliers in relation to the averages by comparing the mean and median for specific characteristics of the dataset. This is done using appropriate statistical measures and a critical assessment of the outliers.
The data of the current year publication are compared with the data of the previous year to ensure their integrity and consistency in preparation for processing data and extracting and reviewing results.
In addition to the data processing and tabulation to check their accuracy, all the outputs are stored and uploaded to the database after being calculated by GASTAT to be reviewed and processed by specialists in Business, Investment, and International Trade Statistics Department through modern technologies and software designed for this purpose.

Data compilation

Data Coding:
In the Structural Business Survey, researchers collect data from respondents and take a detailed description of the fields. This information is then coded in-house by an automated process, which is review by a dedicated technical team of coding experts using a series of consistency checks.
Data editing:
Specialists of business, investment, and international trade statistics department have processed and analyzed data in this stage, and this step was based on the following measures:
•    Sorting and arranging data in groups or different categories in a serial order.
•    Summarizing detailed data into key points or data.
•    Combining many data segments and ensuring their interconnection.
•    Processing incomplete or missing data.
•    Processing illogical data.
•    Converting data into statistically significant data.
•    Arranging, presenting, and interpreting data.
Compensation (for non-response cases or incomplete datasets): 
The approach used for compensation in non-profit sector organizations statistics, whether for establishments with incomplete response or missing data for specific variables. Reinterviews are allowed to obtain missing data from non-respondents. Subsequently, dealing with missing or non-response data involves assessing it by following a scientific approach to estimate the results based on considerations such as historical data series and an acceptable range of missing data, along with estimates built on class-level data.
Extrapolation and weighting: 
After processing the data collected from responding establishments, survey weights are generated to produce indicator tables by following two main steps in creating survey weights: 
•    Processing non-response.
•    Calculating the weighted average.
Methods for calculating the applied statistical indicators:  
GASTAT has relied on the formulas approved by the international standards in calculating non-profit sector organizations statistics indicators, as follows:
•    Total number of employees = total number of employees in the target year.
•     Total employee compensation = total employee compensation. 
•    Total expenditures = All expenses incurred by non-profit organizations as a result of conducting their economic activities in the target year.
•    Total revenues = All revenues generated as a result of non-profit organizations conducting their main activities or other secondary activities in the target year.

Adjustment

Not applicable, only final results will be published.