Statistical Terms Glossary

Is a method of conversing on half-duplex communication lines, including two-way radio, using a momentary button to switch from voice reception mode to transmit mode.

A right to redeem a debt instrument before maturity at par under specific circumstances outlined in the original agreement.

A contract which entitles one party to it, at his option, to sell a specified amount of securities or commodities to the other party, at the price fixed in the contract, during the life of the contract.

Bond that allows it holder to redeem the issue at specified intervals before maturity and receive full face value. The emprunt à fenêtre is a long-term loan, usually of about 18 years, which has six options for early repayment, three for the borrower, three for the lender, normally around the 7th, 10th and 14th year of the loan.

Population Vulnerability Assessment.

Official confirmation, usually in the form of a document certifying the successful completion of an educational programme or of a stage of a programme. Qualifications can be obtained through: i) successful completion of a full programme; ii) successful completion of a stage of a programme (intermediate qualifications); or iii) validation of acquired knowledge, skills and competencies, independent of participation in such programmes. This may also be referred to as a ‘credential’.

Originally, borrowings by IBRD after July 1, 1982 (i.e., based on the pool-based variable lending rate), using proxy borrowings. Under the new system (May 1989), they would be defined to exclude borrowings that are determined by the Bank to fund investments and any new differentiated loan product should the Bank wish to offer one in the future. The extraction of borrowings that fund investments would be made separately for each currency. The term Qualified Borrowings 1982 is used to describe the old system. See also pool of qualified borrowings.

See: Waiting period

Qualitative competition covers the case where changes in the type of species or substances cause changes to other possible uses such as physiological functioning and habitat for other species.

Quality is viewed as a multi-faceted concept. The quality characteristics of most importance depend on user perspectives, needs and priorities, which vary across groups of users. Thus quality is viewed in terms of seven dimensions, with reference to four criteria:
1. Relevance: an inquiry is relevant if it meets users' needs. The identification of users and their expectations is therefore necessary. In the European context, domains for which statistics are available should reflect the needs and priorities expressed by the users of the European Statistical System (completeness).
2. Accuracy: accuracy is defined as the closeness between the estimated value and the (unknown) true value.
3. Timeliness and punctuality in disseminating results: most users want up-to-date figures which are published frequently and on time at pre-established dates.
4. Accessibility and clarity of the information: statistical data have most value when they are easily accessible by users, are available in the forms users desire and are adequately documented.

Eurostat defines the quality of statistics with reference to six criteria:
1. Relevance: an inquiry is relevant if it meets users' needs. The identification of users and their expectations is therefore necessary. In the European context, domains for which statistics are available should reflect the needs and priorities expressed by the users of the European Statistical System (completeness).
2. Accuracy: accuracy is defined as the closeness between the estimated value and the (unknown) true value.
3. Timeliness and punctuality in disseminating results: most users want up-to-date figures which are published frequently and on time at pre-established dates.
4. Accessibility and clarity of the information: statistical data have most value when they are easily accessible by users, are available in the forms users desire and are adequately documented.
5. Comparability: statistics for a given characteristic have the greatest usefulness when they enable reliable comparisons of values taken by the characteristic across space and time. The comparability component stresses the comparison of the same statistics between countries in order to evaluate the meaning of aggregated statistics at the European level.
6. Coherence: when originating from a single source, statistics are coherent in that elementary concepts can be combined reliably in more complex ways. When originating from different sources, and in particular from statistical surveys of different frequencies, statistics are coherent in so far as they are based on common definitions, classifications and methodological standards.

The dimensions of the IMF definition of "data quality" are:
- integrity;- methodological soundness;
- accuracy and reliability;
- serviceability;
- accessibility.
There are a number of prerequisites for quality. These comprise:
- legal and institutional environment;
- resources;
- quality awareness.

The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.

Quality is viewed as a multi-faceted concept. The quality characteristics of most importance depend on user perspectives, needs and priorities, which vary across groups of users. Given the work already done in the area of quality by several organisations, notably, Eurostat, IMF and Statistics Canada, the OECD was able to draw on their work and adapt it to the OECD. Thus quality is viewed in terms of seven dimensions, namely:
- relevance
- accuracy
- credibility
- timeliness
- accessibility
- interpretability
- coherence

The process - or the result of the process - of estimating what the market price of a replacement product would be if it had the characteristics of the product it replaces and with whose price its price is to be compared.
The process requires estimating the market value of any differences in the price-determining characteristics of the two products and adjusting - by addition, subtraction or multiplication by a coefficient - the observed price of the replacement product.
The adjustment is made in order that the price comparison between the two products reflects “pure” price change only.
Context: In a CPI context, the adjustment is needed when the price of a replacement product has to be compared with the price of the product it replaces. In practice, the required adjustment can only be estimated. Different methods of estimation, including hedonic methods, may be used in different circumstances.

Quantitative objectives and requirements for product quality, service quality, and process performance. Quantitative process performance objectives include quality; however, to emphasize the importance of quality in the CMMI Product Suite, the phrase “quality and process performance objectives” is used. “Process performance objectives” are referenced in maturity level 3; the term “quality and process performance objectives” implies the use of quantitative data and is only used in maturity levels 4 and 5.

A concept refers to the overall assessment of data quality, based on standard quality criteria. This may include the result of a scoring or grading process for quality. Scoring may be quantitative or qualitative.

A planned system of review procedures conducted by personnel not involved in the inventory development process.; All the planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality system and demonstrated as needed, to provide adequate confidence that an entity will fulfil requirements for quality.

Refers to a program for the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service, or facility to ensure that standards of quality are being met.

A concept refers to all the planned and systematic activities implemented that can be demonstrated to provide confidence that the processes will fulfil the requirements for the statistical output. This includes the design of programmes for quality management, the description of planning process, scheduling of work, frequency of plan updates, and other organizational arrangements to support and maintain planning function.

(ITIL) The Process responsible for ensuring that the Quality of a product, Service or Process will provide its intended Value.
(CMMI) A planned and systematic means for assuring management that the defined standards, practices, procedures, and methods of the process are applied.
(ISACA) A planned and systematic pattern of all actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that an item or product conforms to established technical requirements. (ISO/IEC 24765)

A property of a product or service by which its quality will be judged by relevant stakeholders. Quality attributes are characterizable by some appropriate measure. Quality attributes are non-functional, such as timeliness, throughput, responsiveness, security, modifiability, reliability, and usability. They have a significant influence on the architecture.

An intensive study of a small sample (relative to the size of the survey) where every effort is made to attain the highest level of accuracy possible.