INTRODUCTION__________________________________________ENTERPRISE STATISTICS =>GENERAL The 1992 Enterprise Statistics, Company Summary report is based on data collected in the 1992 Censuses of Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, Service Industries, Manufactures, Mineral Industries, Construction Industries, Transportation, Communication, and Utilities, and Finance, Insurance and Real Estate. The 1992 Company Summary includes: Company summary tables; Auxiliary establishment tables; and Large company tables. In 1987 these were three separate publications; Prior to 1987 the Company Summary was called the General Report on Industrial Organization. Table 1. "Company Statistics--United States" provides general non-employer data. Only employer (employing) firms were included for all other tables. Company summary tables are based on responses from the many different 1992 Economic Censuses report forms. Each of the economic census questionnaires includes several general questions such as kind-of-business classification, dollar volume of business, number of employees, amount of payroll, and company affiliation. This report presents census data collected for establishments (i.e., individual stores, factories, mines, etc.) aggregated to the company level, using the company affiliation information obtained from each business and industrial firm covered in the 1992 Economic Censuses. Virtually all economic census publications present information only for establishments. This publication, however, is unique among census reports in that it provides data for entire companies and their owned establishments. An establishment is defined as a business or industrial unit as a single physical location which produces or distributes goods or performs services. A company is a business organization consisting of all establishments under common ownership or control. The resulting tables furnish comprehensive data on the industrial organization, size structure, and legal form of organization of all census reporting firms and the establishments they own or control. Auxiliary establishment tables present data on separately reported auxiliary units of multiestablishment firms. The primary functions of these establishments are to manage, administer, service, or support the activities of the other establishments of the company. The table furnishes statistics of auxiliaries by industry classification of the owning company and the type of management or supporting service function they provide. The large company data is based on responses from a separate 1992 economic census report form sent to companies with 500 employees or more. The resulting table shows selected financial statistics of large companies. =>CENSUS DISCLOSURE RULES In accordance with Federal law governing census reports, no data are published that would disclose the operations of an individual establishment or business. However, the number of establishments in a classification is not considered a disclosure, so this information may be released even though other information is withheld. =>GEOGRAPHIC AREAS COVERED Data are provided at the National level only, except table 3 which provide company statistics by State. =>DOLLAR VALUES Monetary values provided in electronic files are presented in thousands. (Monetary values provided in printed publications are in millions.) All dollar values presented are expressed in current dollars. Consequently, when making comparisons to prior years, inflation of values should be considered. =>RELIABILITY OF DATA All data compiled in this report originated from either census questionnaires or administrative records of other Federal agencies and, therefore, are not subject to sampling errors. However, the data are subject to nonsampling errors. Nonsampling errors can be attributed to many sources: inability to identify all cases in the actual universe; definition and classification difficulties; differences in the interpretation of questions; errors in recording or coding the data obtained; and other errors of collection, response, coverage, and estimation for missing or misreported data. The accuracy of these tabulated data is determined by the joint effects of the various nonsampling errors. No direct measurement of these effects has been obtained except for estimation for missing or misreported data; however, precautionary steps were taken in all phases of the collection, processing, and tabulation of the data in an effort to minimize the effects of nonsampling errors. The Bureau of the Census obtains electronic files with limited information extracted from administrative records of other Federal agencies. This information is used in conjunction with other information available to the Census Bureau to develop estimates for small employers, and other establishments for which responses were not received in time for publication. =>SPECIAL TABULATIONS Special tabulations of data collected in the 1992 Economic Census may be obtained, depending on availability of time and personnel, on diskette, computer tape, or in tabular form. The data will be in summary form and subject to the same rules prohibiting disclosure of confidential information (including name, address, kind of business, or other data for individual business establishments or companies) as are the regular publications. Special tabulations are prepared on a cost basis. To discuss a special tabulation before submitting specifications, call 1-301-763-3321.