Micro and Small Enterprises Survey, MSEs 2004 - Egypt

Abstract --------------------------- The re-listing and follow-up phases of the Micro and Small Enterprises survey in Egypt (MSEs) 2004 ============================================================ One year after the first wide-scale data collection of the 5000 enterprises (phase 1) , a re-listing of all the enterprises in the selected Shiakhas was conducted. Subsequent to the re-listing, a follow-up survey was conducted.The main objective of these two phases was to study the dynamics of MSEs. Are the MSEs sustainable in their operations, or do they grow or shrink and disappear with time? Do they remain functioning in the same economic activity or is there a movement and change in economic activities and/or scope of operations? If there is change, what are the features of change? If there is growth, which factors of production are the most likely to expand? The primary objective of the follow up study was to update the information of the initial sample survey. A modified smaller version of the MSE questionnaire was developed to be used in the follow up. The modified version collected information on: 1) Main activity of the MSE, main products, and secondary activities. 2) Other locations of the MSE. 3) Working system including number of working hours per day, number of working days per week, number of working weeks per month, and number of working months per year. 4) The gender of owner (manager). 5) The performance level (in the current and previous years) measured by: 6) Number of workers. 7) Area (space) of the project. 8) Value of assets. 9) Value of final production (average per month). 10) Wages (average per month). 11) Raw materials and intermediate products (average per month). 12) Cost of consumed energy (average per month). 13) Other expenses such as rent, taxes, etc. (average per month). 14) Revenue (average per month). 15) Exports (average per month). Future expectations in the next year for: 1) Number of workers. 2) Area (space) of the unit. 3) Products. 4) Assets. 5) Technology. 6) Revenue. 7) Sales. 8) Exports. Geographic coverage --------------------------- Covering a sample of 3 major administrative regions (Metropolitan areas, Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt). Analysis unit --------------------------- Enterprises. Universe --------------------------- The survey covered a national sample of Micro and Small Enterprises. Kind of data --------------------------- Sample survey data [ssd] Sampling procedure --------------------------- The re-listing phase ================ All the enterprises in the 120 Shiakhas and villages, which were listed during the listing phase (2003), were re-listed (2004). The interviewers in the re-listing phase were given some information (name of the enterprise, address, name of owner) on the listed MSEs in the first phase. They were instructed to pass by each listed MSE and record in a sheet the following characteristics: 1) Name of the enterprise (if changed to record the new name). 2) Name and gender of the owner of the enterprise (if changed to record the new name and gender). 3) Activity of the enterprise (if changed to record the new activity). 4) Number of workers. 5) Year of establishment. The Follow-up phase ============ The selected MSEs in the baseline survey. Mode of data collection --------------------------- Face-to-face [f2f] Cleaning operations --------------------------- The re-listing phase ============ Fieldwork and data processing activities overlapped. After a week of re-listing, and after field editing of re-listing sheets for completeness and consistency, the re-listing sheets for each PSU (Shiakha or village) were packaged together. Special editors were recruited to carry out office editing and coding. Data entry and verification started after one week of office data processing. The process of data entry, including one hundred percent re-entry, editing and cleaning, was done using PCs and a computer database program developed specially for thess surveys. Data processing operations for the re-listing phase were completed by the mid April, 2004. The Follow-up phase ============ Office editors reviewed questionnaires for consistency and completeness. Coding was conducted at the office prior to data entry. Office editors were instructed to report any problems detected while editing the questionnaires, which were reviewed by a senior staff, an assistant and 5 office editors recruited for these purposes. Computer entry and editing began while interviewing teams were still in the field. Data were entered on PCs using a software program developed for the survey. Around 4 data entry personnel were recruited and trained to process the follow-up data. During data entry, 100 percent of the questionnaires were re-entered for verification. Data processing was completed by the last week of May 2004. Response rate --------------------------- The Follow-up phase =========== The number of completed interviews reached 4590 out of 4958 units in the base survey (with 93 percent response rate). Data appraisal --------------------------- Quality Control Measures ================ Quality of data was assured using several measures such as: 1) Selecting and training qualified field staff, 2) Field editing (by supervisors), 3) Field checking (by general supervisors), 4) Office editing, and 5) Re-entry of 100 percent of questionnaires.