The Micro Data Linking-Panel: A Combined Firm Dataset

Abstract

Abstract The following article informs about the Micro Data Linking-Panel (hereafter MDL-Panel), a new firm In German business statistics the statistical unit, or firm, is currently referred to as the smallest legally independent unit which keeps accounts for commercial and/or tax purposes. dataset, available since May 2018 via the Research Data Centre of the Federal Statistical Office and the Research Data Centre of the Statistical Offices of the Federal States (RDC) (Forschungsdatenzentren der Statistischen Ämter des Bundes und der Länder (2018a, 2018b). The dataset originates from two projects funded by Eurostat over the period 2014 to 2016 with the title “Micro data linking of structural business statistics and other business statistics” (MDL). The projects combined data of various business statistics for the reference years 2008 to 2013 and were aimed at offering new perspectives on business statistics topics, which are not addressed in the ordinary publication program. Furthermore, MDL served to gain insights about the involved methodological challenges of linked data in Official Statistics. The first chapter provides background information on the projects funded by Eurostat. Chapter 2 contrasts the contents of the MDL-Panel to other products available via the RDC. The third chapter describes the scope of the dataset and its content in more detail. The article closes with future prospects for the MDL-Panel.