Micro data is accessible through the BIRD remote processing system, which is subject to the release of a user license. Authorized users receive detailed instructions on how to submit programs for processing.
Authors who refer in their publications to results obtained with the BIRD system are required to cite the source (e.g. "Source: Banca d'Italia, Survey of Industrial and Service Firms"); however, they may not involve the Bank of Italy in any way since they are entirely and exclusively responsible for the use of the data.
To help users test their codes we have created a fake dataset that replicates the internal structure of the original data from the Survey of Industrial and Service Firms but contains randomly generated data. The dataset is provided in semicolon-delimited ASCII format.
In order to permit the collection of bibliographic material on the Survey of Industrial and Service Firms, authors are kindly to send a copy of the research work carried out using the BIRD system to the following e-mail address: bird_assist@bancaditalia.it.
Requests for additional information may also be sent to the same address.