Keyword search

This guide presents information of interest to users of data from the Survey of Household Spending. Data are collected via paper questionnaires and personal interviews conducted in January, February and March after the reference year. Information is gathered about the spending habits, dwelling characteristics and household equipment of Canadian households during the reference year. The survey covers private households in the 10 provinces and the 3 territories. (The territories are surveyed every second year, starting in 2001.) This guide includes definitions of survey terms and variables, as well as descriptions of survey methodology and data quality. There is also a section describing the various statistics that can be created using expenditure data (e.g., budget share, market share and aggregates).

This paper examines the factors contributing to the adoption of advanced technologies in the Canadian food-processing sector. The numbers of technologies used by a plant is found to be highly correlated with expected gains in firm performance. The benefits of enhanced food safety and quality, as well as productivity improvements, are closely associated with technology use. Impediments that negatively affect technology use include software costs, problems with external financing, lack of cash flow for financing, and internal management problems. Even after accounting for the different benefits and costs associated with technology adoption, the numbers of advanced technologies that are adopted are found to be greater in larger plants, in foreign-controlled plants, in plants that engage in both primary and secondary processing, and in the dairy, fruit and vegetable and "other" food product industries.

Using survey data, this paper investigates problems that firms in the Canadian manufacturing sector face in their decision to adopt advanced technology. The data show that while the use of advanced technology is relatively important (users account for over 80% of all shipments), it is not widespread among firms (users represent only about one-third of all establishments). One explanation lies in the fact that while advanced technologies provide a wide range of benefits, firms also face a series of problems that impede them from adopting advanced technology. These impediments fall into five groups: cost-related, institution-related, labour-related, organization-related, and information-related.

While it might be expected that impediments would be higher for non-users than users of technologies, the opposite occurs. We posit that the reason for this is that innovation involves a learning process. Innovators and technology users face problems that they have to solve and the more innovative firms have greater problems. We test this by examining the factors that are related to whether a firm reports that it faced impediments. Our multivariate analysis reveals that impediments are reported more frequently among technology users than non-users; and more frequently among innovating firms than non-innovating ones. We conclude that the information on impediments in technology and other related surveys (innovation) should not be interpreted as impenetrable barriers that prevent technology adoption. Rather, these surveys indicate areas where successful firms face and solve problems.

This online publication presents annual, detailed financial statistics on the Canadian telephone industry by province. Also included are operational data such as wire mileage, number of telephone calls and number of access lines in service. There is a textual analysis of the data with comments on methodology, a data quality and a glossary of terms.

This report describes the basic characteristics of the firms using biotechnologies, the type of use of biotechnologies, the stage of use and future use, the obstacles to acquisition and implementation of biotechnologies, the advantages obtained, and internal and external sources of information leading to biotechnology use.

The analysis of NLSCY school data presented in this article begins by exploring principals' evaluations of the adequacy of their schools' resources. Next, the presence, activity and influence of school advisory committees are examined. Following this, the article looks at the levels of regular staff and special resource staff are considered. The paper ends by describing a few features associated with students attending NLSCY schools.

This online publication presents annual, detailed financial statistics on the Canadian telephone industry by province. Also included are operational data such as wire mileage, number of telephone calls and number of access lines in service. There is a textual analysis of the data with comments on methodology, a data quality and a glossary of terms.

This paper examines the factors contributing to the adoption of advanced technologies in the Canadian food-processing sector. The numbers of technologies used by a plant is found to be highly correlated with expected gains in firm performance. The benefits of enhanced food safety and quality, as well as productivity improvements, are closely associated with technology use. Impediments that negatively affect technology use include software costs, problems with external financing, lack of cash flow for financing, and internal management problems. Even after accounting for the different benefits and costs associated with technology adoption, the numbers of advanced technologies that are adopted are found to be greater in larger plants, in foreign-controlled plants, in plants that engage in both primary and secondary processing, and in the dairy, fruit and vegetable and "other" food product industries.

Using survey data, this paper investigates problems that firms in the Canadian manufacturing sector face in their decision to adopt advanced technology. The data show that while the use of advanced technology is relatively important (users account for over 80% of all shipments), it is not widespread among firms (users represent only about one-third of all establishments). One explanation lies in the fact that while advanced technologies provide a wide range of benefits, firms also face a series of problems that impede them from adopting advanced technology. These impediments fall into five groups: cost-related, institution-related, labour-related, organization-related, and information-related.

While it might be expected that impediments would be higher for non-users than users of technologies, the opposite occurs. We posit that the reason for this is that innovation involves a learning process. Innovators and technology users face problems that they have to solve and the more innovative firms have greater problems. We test this by examining the factors that are related to whether a firm reports that it faced impediments. Our multivariate analysis reveals that impediments are reported more frequently among technology users than non-users; and more frequently among innovating firms than non-innovating ones. We conclude that the information on impediments in technology and other related surveys (innovation) should not be interpreted as impenetrable barriers that prevent technology adoption. Rather, these surveys indicate areas where successful firms face and solve problems.

This report describes the basic characteristics of the firms using biotechnologies, the type of use of biotechnologies, the stage of use and future use, the obstacles to acquisition and implementation of biotechnologies, the advantages obtained, and internal and external sources of information leading to biotechnology use.

The analysis of NLSCY school data presented in this article begins by exploring principals' evaluations of the adequacy of their schools' resources. Next, the presence, activity and influence of school advisory committees are examined. Following this, the article looks at the levels of regular staff and special resource staff are considered. The paper ends by describing a few features associated with students attending NLSCY schools.

This guide presents information of interest to users of data from the Survey of Household Spending. Data are collected via paper questionnaires and personal interviews conducted in January, February and March after the reference year. Information is gathered about the spending habits, dwelling characteristics and household equipment of Canadian households during the reference year. The survey covers private households in the 10 provinces and the 3 territories. (The territories are surveyed every second year, starting in 2001.) This guide includes definitions of survey terms and variables, as well as descriptions of survey methodology and data quality. There is also a section describing the various statistics that can be created using expenditure data (e.g., budget share, market share and aggregates).