National Accounts Survey
Purpose
The purpose of this survey is to obtain and consolidate data on developments with regard to the operational activities of financial and non-financial companies, government corporations (NVs), foundations and sole proprietorships.
Sample
The National Accounts Survey is a study carried out among all businesses having 10 employees or more, as well as a sample of companies with fewer than 10 employees. The term “business” here includes open corporations (NVs), closed corporations (BVs), sole proprietorships, foundations, firms (in Dutch, “maatschappen”), associations and other legal forms. The National Accounts questionnaire covers the business’ personnel and financial information, among other things.
Most businesses are visited by a survey taker who leaves behind the questionnaire with a contact person, returning to retrieve it after some time, once it has been filled out. The rest of the businesses are contacted by e-mail. The latter group is growing year by year as more businesses indicate a preference for this method instead of visits by a survey taker.
In total, more than 1300 businesses are approached for this survey, some 500 of which are contacted by e-mail and the rest by survey takers.
The fieldwork for the National Accounts Survey will start during the third week of June and continue until the end of January of the next year. There is a 2-month term for turning in the forms. In September, written reminders are sent to businesses that have not yet responded and if still nothing is turned in, a second written reminder follows in November, this time mentioning that an official report may be drawn up against the business concerned.