1997 BUSINESS EXPENSES SURVEY
(previously the BUSINESS EXPENDITURES SURVEY)
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PURPOSE
To provide periodic estimates on operating expenses for retail,
merchant wholesale, and selected service firms. The United States
Code, Title 13, authorizes this survey and provides for mandatory
responses.
COVERAGE
Firms and legal entities classified as wholesale merchants,
retail trade, or selected service industries. For 2002, the scope was
expanded to include transportation, finance, insurance and real estate industries.
CONTENT
Data are collected on operating expenses including payroll and
fringe benefits, contract labor costs, taxes and license fees,
depreciation and amortization charges, software and other computer
expenses, office supplies, repair and maintenanace expenses, lease
and rental payments, utilities, advertising, accounting, and legal
services.
FREQUENCY
Every 5 years since 1958, for years ending in "2" and " 7." Firms are
contacted early in the year following the reporting period. Data are
requested for activities taking place during the census calendar year.
METHODS
A mail-out/mail-back survey of firms and Employer
Identification Numbers (EINs)selected in samples for the Service
Annual Survey; the Annual Trade Survey; and the Annual Retail Trade
Survey. EINs may represent one or more establishments and firms may
have one or more EINs. Samples for each of the component programs are
stratified probability samples of employer businesses drawn after the
preceding 5-year censuses, supplemented by administrative records for
nonemployers in retail trade and selected service industries. Samples
are revised to reflect known changes in business and organization structure.
National estimates are developed to supplement 5-year census data.
Estimates are developed from the summation of weighted information
adjusted by a process that benchmarks them to the corresponding annual
surveys. The weights are the inverse of the probability of selection
(or sampling rate) of sampling units in the survey.
PRODUCTS
Data are published 3 to 4 years after the census year with various levels of
industry detail. For 1997, the Company Statistics Series of the Economic
Census included the report Business Expenses, covering expenses data
compiled in the Business Expenditures Survey and other Census Bureau
programs. Prior to 1997, wholesale and retail reports were published in
the wholesale and retail Subject Series, Measures of Value Produced, Capital
Expenditures, Depreciable Assets, and Operating Expenses; the service report
was published in the census of service industries Subject Series, Capital
Expenditures, Depreciable Assets, and Operating Expenses. Measures of value
produced are estimated only for retail trade and merchant wholesale trade.
For 1997, data covering manufacturing, mining,and construction are presented on a NAICS
basis, and all other covered industries on an SIC basis. All data for the 2002
Business Expenses report will be presented on a NAICS basis.
USES
The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses the estimates for benchmarking the
national income and product accounts, and input-output tables. The Department
of Health and Human Services uses the expense estimates to forecast medical costs.
Market research firms use the estimates for market research and analysis.
Trade and professional associations use the estimates for trade analysis.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The most comprehensive source of periodic industry statistics on
major economic inputs by type.
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