Labor Force Survey 2003, Economic Research Forum (ERF) Harmonization Data
West Bank and Gaza, 2003
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WBG_2003_LFS_v01_M_v01_A_ERF
Labor Force Survey 2003, Economic Research Forum (ERF) Harmonization Data
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| West Bank and Gaza | WBG |
Labor Force Survey [hh/lfs]
The Palestinian Labour Force Survey Programme consists of an integrated series of labour force surveys, the first of which was issued in October 1995. This programme conducts surveys quarterly.
The main objective of collecting data on the Palestinian labour force including components of employment, unemployment and underemployment, is to provide basic information on the relative size and structure of the Palestinian labour force. Data collected at different points in time provide a basis for monitoring current trends and changes in the labour market and in employment. These data supported with information on other aspects of the economy provide a basis for the evaluation and analysis of macro-economic policies.
<p style="border:solid thin black;"> THE CLEANED AND HARMONIZED VERSION OF THE SURVEY DATA PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY THE ECONOMIC RESEARCH FORUM REPRESENTS 100% OF THE ORIGINAL SURVEY DATA COLLECTED BY THE PALESTINIAN CENTRAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS</p>
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) carried out four rounds of the Labor Force Survey 2003(LFS).
The importance of this survey lies in that it focuses mainly on labour force key indicators, main characteristics of the employed, unemployed, underemployed and persons outside labour force, labour force according to level of education, distribution of the employed population by occupation, economic activity, place of work, employment status, hours and days worked and average daily wage in NIS for the employees.
The survey main objectives are:
- To estimate the labor force and its percentage to the population.
- To estimate the number of employed individuals.
- To analyze labour force according to gender, employment status, educational level , occupation and economic activity.
- To provide information about the main changes in the labour market structure and its socio economic characteristics.
- To estimate the numbers of unemployed individuals and analyze their general characteristics.
- To estimate the rate of working hours and wages for employed individuals in addition to analyze of other characteristics.
The raw survey data provided by the Statistical Agency were cleaned and harmonized by the Economic Research Forum, in the context of a major project that started in 2009. During which extensive efforts have been exerted to acquire, clean, harmonize, preserve and disseminate micro data of existing labor force surveys in several Arab countries.
Sample survey data [ssd]
1- Household/family.
2- Individual/person.
Version
V1.0: A cleaned and a harmonized version of the survey dataset, produced by the Economic Research Forum for dissemination.
2016-01
All documentation available for the original survey provided by the Statistical Agency, and for the harmonized datasets produced by the Economic Research Forum, are published, along with a copy of all occupation and economic activity classifications used during the harmonization process.
However, as far as the datasets are concerned, the Economic Research Forum produces and releases only the harmonized versions in both SPSS and STATA formats.
Scope
Household: Includes geographical characteristics, household composition, LFS classification of household members, head's and spouse's characteristics, dwelling characteristics and ownership of durables.
Individual: Includes demographics, nationality and immigration, education, current labor status, main, secondary and last held job characteristics, wages and incomes, unemployment characteristics and inactivity reason(s).
| Topic | Vocabulary |
|---|---|
| Demographics | ERF |
| Education | ERF |
| Nationality and immigration | ERF |
| Labor Force | ERF |
| Employment | ERF |
| Unemployment | ERF |
| Wages and incomes | ERF |
Coverage
Covering a representative sample on the region level (West Bank, Gaza Strip), the locality type (urban, rural, camp) and the governorates.
The survey covered all Palestinian households who are a usual residence of the Palestinian Territory.
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Economic Research Forum | |
| Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics | Palestinian National Authority |
Sampling
<p style="border:solid thin black;"> THE CLEANED AND HARMONIZED VERSION OF THE SURVEY DATA PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY THE ECONOMIC RESEARCH FORUM REPRESENTS 100% OF THE ORIGINAL SURVEY DATA COLLECTED BY THE PALESTINIAN CENTRAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS</p>
The methodology was designed according to the context of the survey, international standards, data processing requirements and comparability of outputs with other related surveys.
Target Population:
All Palestinians aged 10 years or older living in the Palestinian Territory, excluding those living in institutions such as prisons or shelters.
Sampling Frame:
The sampling frame consisted of a master sample of Enumeration Areas (EAs) selected from the population housing and establishment census 1997. The master sample consists of area units of relatively equal size (number of households), these units have been used as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs).
Sample Design:
The sample is a two-stage stratified cluster random sample.
Stratification:
Four levels of stratification were made:
- Stratification by Governorates.
- Stratification by type of locality which comprises: (a) Urban, (b) Rural, and (c) Refugee Camps
- Stratification by classifying localities, excluding governorate centers, into three strata based on the ownership of households of durable goods within these localities.
- Stratification by size of locality (number of households).
Sample Size:
The sample size in the first round consisted of 7,559 households, which amounts to a sample of around 29,149 persons aged 10 years and over (including 22,742 aged 15 years and over). In the second round the sample consisted of 7,563 households, which amounts to a sample of around 29,486 persons aged 10 years and over (including 22,916 aged 15 years and over), in the third round the sample consisted of 7,563 households, which amounts to a sample of around 29,268 persons aged 10 years and over (including 22,653 aged 15 years and over). In the fourth round the sample consisted of 7,563 households; which amounts to a sample of around 28,250 persons aged 10 years and over (including 21,926 aged 15 years and over).
The sample size allowed for non-response and related losses. In addition, the average number of households selected in each cell was 16.
Sample Rotation:
Each round of the Labor Force Survey covers all the 481 master sample areas. Basically, the areas remain fixed over time, but households in 50% of the EAs are replaced each round. The same household remains in the sample over 2 consecutive rounds, rests for the next two rounds and represented again in the sample for another and last two consecutive rounds before it is dropped from the sample. A 50 % overlap is then achieved between both consecutive rounds and between consecutive years (making the sample efficient for monitoring purposes).
In earlier applications of the LFS (rounds 1 to 11); the rotation pattern used was different; requiring a household to remain in the sample for six consecutive rounds, then dropped. The objective of such a pattern was to increase the overlap between consecutive rounds. The new rotation pattern was introduced to reduce the burden on the households resulting from visiting the same household for six consecutive times.
The overall response rate for the survey was 84.3%
More information on the distribution of response rates by different survey rounds is available in Page 11 of the data user guide provided among the disseminated survey materials under a file named "Palestine 2003- Data User Guide (English).pdf".
The weight of the statistical units (sampling units) in the sample is defined as the mathematical inverse of the selection probability where the sample of the survey is a two-stage stratified cluster sample. Thus, in the first stage we calculate the weight of enumeration areas depending on the probability of each enumeration area (a systematic random sample). In the second stage we calculate the weight of households in each enumeration area. Initial household weights resulted from the product of the weight of the first stage and the weight of the second stage. Final household weights were obtained after adjustment of initial weights with the household estimates of the middle of each quarter of 2003 with regard to design strata (governorate, locality type).
For individuals aged 10 years or older, we added the final household weight for each person, then adjusted the initial individual weight with the estimates of individuals of the middle of each quarter of 2003 according to region (West Bank, Gaza Strip), sex ( male, female), five -year age groups (14 groups), then we obtained the final adjusted individual weight.
Survey instrument
One of the main survey tools is the questionnaire, the survey questionnaire was designed according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) recommendations. The
questionnaire includes four main parts:
-
Identification Data:
The main objective for this part is to record the necessary information to identify the household, such as, cluster code, sector, type of locality, cell, housing number and the cell code.
-
Quality Control:
This part involves groups of controlling standards to monitor the field and office operation, to keep in order the sequence of questionnaire stages (data collection, field and office coding, data entry, editing after entry and store the data.
-
Household Roster:
This part involves demographic characteristics about the household, like number of persons in the household, date of birth, sex, educational level…etc.
-
Employment Part:
This part involves the major research indicators, where one questionnaire had been answered by every 15 years and over household member, to be able to explore their labour force status and recognize their major characteristics toward employment status, economic activity, occupation, place of work, and other employment indicators.
Data collection
| Start | End | Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| 2003-01-01 | 2003-12-31 | - |
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics | Palestinian National Authority |
Training and Recruitment:
The purpose of the training courses was to teach participants the main skills needed to conduct interviews. Two training courses were held, one in Ramallah for the West Bank
trainees, and one in Gaza City for Gaza Strip trainees. Each course consisted of two parts: one on survey methodology including survey design, questionnaire design, interviewing
techniques, and field operations; and one part on specifications of the labour force survey, including concepts and definitions, fieldwork procedures, data collection, editing, coding, tips for asking questions and recording answers, as well as field team organization and field supervision.
Fieldwork:
The preparation phase for the LFS included recruiting and training of interviewers and supervisors. The staff on this project participated in previous survey projects at PCBS, and are highly qualified.
The West Bank was divided into three areas (North, Middle and South), each of which was supervised by one field supervisor. Each region consists of a number of districts, and the fieldwork was carried out by one fieldwork team, consisting of 2-3 interviewers.
Gaza Strip was also divided into three areas (North, Middle and South). Fieldwork activities were carried out by one fieldwork team, each consisting of a supervisor, an editor and 3 interviewers.
Special procedures were followed in order to ensure quality control and efficient organization of fieldwork. Such procedures are important for supervising work, as well as for receiving and delivering questionnaires, maps, sample lists in addition to other forms used for management and quality control.
Field operations were conducted in the Palestinian Territory from 04/01/2003 to 31/12/2003. Fieldwork teams were distributed to each area on the basis of the sample size. The number of LFS’ fieldwork team was 22, including the fieldwork coordinator, 4 supervisors, 3 editors, and 10 interviewers including coders.
Data processing
Raw Data
The data processing stage consisted of the following operations:
-
Editing Before Data Entry
All questionnaires were then edited in the main office using the same instructions adopted for editing in the field. -
Coding
At this stage, the Economic Activity variable underwent coding according to West Bank and Gaza Strip Standard Commodities Classification, based on the United Nations ISIC-3. The Economic Activity for all employed and ever employed individuals was classified at the fourth-digit-level. The occupations were coded on the basis of the International Standard Occupational Classification of 1988 at the third-digit-level (ISCO-88). -
Data Entry
In this stage data were entered into the computer, using a data entry template BLAISE.
The data entry program was prepared in order to satisfy the following requirements:
-Duplication of the questionnaire on the computer screen.
-Logical and consistency checks of data entered.
-Possibility for internal editing of questionnaire answers.
-Maintaining a minimum of errors in digital data entry and fieldwork.
-User- friendly handling.
Accordingly, data editing took place at a number of stages through the processing including:
- office editing and coding
- during data entry
- structure checking and completeness
- structural checking of SPSS data filesData editing took place at a number of stages through the processing including:
- office editing and coding
- during data entry
- structure checking and completeness
- structural checking of SPSS data files
Harmonized Data
- The SPSS package is used to clean and harmonize the datasets.
- The harmonization process starts with a cleaning process for all raw data files received from the Statistical Agency.
- All cleaned data files are then merged to produce one data file on the individual level containing all variables subject to harmonization.
- A country-specific program is generated for each dataset to generate/ compute/ recode/ rename/ format/ label harmonized variables.
- A post-harmonization cleaning process is then conducted on the data.
- Harmonized data is saved on the household as well as the individual level, in SPSS and then converted to STATA, to be disseminated.
Data appraisal
Since the data reported here are based on a sample survey and not on a complete enumeration, they are subjected to sampling errors as well as non-sampling errors.
Sampling errors are random outcomes of the sample design, and are, therefore, in principle measurable by the statistical concept of standard error.
A description of the estimated standard errors and the effects of the sample design on sampling errors are provided in the annual report provided among the disseminated survey materials under a file named "Palestine 2003- LFS Annual Report (Arabic-English).pdf".
Non-sampling errors can occur at the various stages of survey implementation whether in data collection or in data processing. They are generally difficult to be evaluated statistically.
They cover a wide range of errors, including errors resulting from non-response, sampling frame coverage, coding and classification, data processing, and survey response (both
respondent and interviewer-related). The use of effective training and supervision and the careful design of questions have direct bearing on limiting the magnitude of non-sampling
errors, and hence enhancing the quality of the resulting data. The following are possible sources of non-sampling errors:
• Errors due to non-response because households were away from home or refused to participate. The overall non response rate amounted to almost 15.7% which is relatively low; a much higher rates is rather common in an international perspective. The refusal rate was only 0.6%. It is difficult however to assess the amount of bias resulting from non response. The PCBS has not yet undertaken any non-response study. Such a study may indicate, that non-response is more frequent in some population groups than in others. This is rather normal and such information is necessary to be able to compensate for bias resulting from non-response errors.
• Households interviewed in a week different than the reference week. All households were interviewed in the reference week in this survey.
• Errors in data processing, such as coding and punching. The data underwent checking and completion of missing information in the office and logical checks
were computerized as well as manually, including call-backs if needed.
• Response errors which resulted from misunderstanding of the questions, interviewers’ bias in asking the questions and in probing. Thorough training, supervision, and various quality control checks were used to minimize bias resulting from these kinds of errors.
The demographic data, including the sex ratio by age were computed and found generally reasonable and consistent with those found from other sources. These results and the various checks for external validity indicate that the survey data are of a high quality.
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Data Access
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Research Forum | Economic Research Forum (ERF) | www.erf.org.eg | erfdataportal@erf.org.eg |
| Is signing of a confidentiality declaration required? | Confidentiality declaration text |
|---|---|
| yes | To access the micro data, researchers are required to register on the ERF website and comply with the data access agreement. The data will be used only for scholarly research, or educational purposes. Users are prohibited from using data acquired from the Economic Research Forum in the pursuit of any commercial or private ventures. |
Licensed datasets, accessible under conditions.
The users should cite the Economic Research Forum and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics as follows:
OAMDI, 2016. Harmonized Labor Force Surveys (HLFS), http://erf.org.eg/data-portal/. Version 1.0 of Licensed Data Files; LFS 2003 - Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). Egypt: Economic Research Forum (ERF).
Disclaimer and copyrights
The Economic Research Forum and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics have granted the researcher access to relevant data following exhaustive efforts to protect the confidentiality of individual data. The researcher is solely responsible for any analysis or conclusions drawn from available data.
(c) 2016, Economic Research Forum | (c) 2003, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
Contacts
| Name | URL | |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Research Forum (ERF) - 21 Al-Sad Al-Aaly St., Dokki, Giza, Egypt | erfdataportal@erf.org.eg | www.erf.org.eg |