Workshop: "Sample surveys in central banking"Rome, 8-9 October 2018

Central banks conduct periodical sample surveys on households, businesses and selected intermediaries to 1) compile aggregate statistics and 2) periodically collect cross-sectional information which allows them to examine economic agents’ heterogeneity and the distributional effects of shocks, policies and institutional changes. Although national statistical institutes are in charge of data collection and sample surveys, the need for timely and specific information to be used for monetary policy purposes calls for surveys directly managed by central banks. The workshop reviews the Bank of Italy’s long experience with sample surveys and highlights the critical issues arising in practice: questionnaire design, sample selection and weighting, treatment of non-responses, data imputation, analysis and publication.