DOI: 10.18712/nsd-nsd0608-v2
title: Labour Force Survey 1988-89, 1st quarter 1988-2nd quarter 1989

description: As of the 1st quarter of 1972, SSB has conducted official quarterly labour force surveys (AKU). These surveys aim to give the labour force authorities (and other people interested) knowledge of the occupational structure of the population and how it develops over time. The surveys are meant to give a foundation and statistical material for occupational prognoses and labour research. AKU respondents were interviewed in two consecutive quarters of a year, followed by a pause of two quarters, and then another two quarters of interviews. The sample was approximately 10-11.000 respondents in each quarter up until 1988. Originally, AKU was intended to be an analytical supplement to the monthly occupational statistics that was based on the social security membership index file. However, the social security-based statistics disappeared when the sickness benefit was included in the National Insurance as of 1st of January 1971, and AKU has gradually developed into the most significant source of knowledge of the state of the labour market and its development.   

Overview of AKU panels with detailed explanation for the panel:
The data collection for AKU was started somewhat experimental in 1971, but the data is first published in 1972. It may be helpful to look at the following section of the detailed view:


Pool   |1980|1981|1982|1983 |1984|1985|1986|1987|1988 |1989|1990
Quarter  1234 |1234|1234|1234 |1234|1234 |1234|1234|1234|1234|1234
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 60         |____|____|____|____|____|___X|X__X|X___|____|____|                      601_1 = 1987,1
 61         |____|____|____|____|____|____|XX__|XX__|____|____|                      601_2 = 1987,2
 62         |____|____|____|____|____|____|_XX_|_XX_|____|____|                      601_3 = 1987,3
 63         |____|____|____|____|____|____|__XX|__XX|____|____|                      601_4 = 1987,4
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 64         |____|____|____|____|____|____|___X|X__X|X___|____|                      603_1 = 1988,1
 65         |____|____|____|____|____|____|____|XX__|XX__|____|                      603_2 = 1988,2
 66         |____|____|____|____|____|____|____|_XX_|_XX_|____|                      603_3 = 1988,3
 67         |____|____|____|____|____|____|____|__XX|__XX|____|                      603_4 = 1988,4
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 68         |____|____|____|____|____|____|____|___X|X__X|X___|____|             605_1 = 1989,1
 69         |____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|XX__|XX__|____|             605_2 = 1989,2
 70         |____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|_XX_|_XX_|____|             605_3 = 1989,3
 71         |____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|__XX|__XX|____|             605_4 = 1989,4
 
The panel is made by linking four interviews from an ordinary interview round in AKU. In the table above it means that one could link all the groups (lines) marked X. The 4th participation is used as a criterion to select. In 1975 there was a rupture in the panel systematic, and one returned to the original six-quarter rotation plan, which has been stable since then. 
In 1975 there was a rupture in the systematic of the panel, see 1975. In the  labour force surveys (AKU) 1976 it was taken into use a slightly modified questionnaire and one returned to the original six-quarter rotation plan, which has been stable since.

Looking at a particular column, for example at 1st quarter 1988, one can see that 1/4 of the IO is responding for the 4th time, 3rd time and so on. Together they sum up the total of one quarter. If one takes 4 quarters and sums them up annually the quarter weight must be divided by 4 to give the correct weighted figures for the annual volume. 

The panel goes in the other direction (horizontal) and each panel will have 4 weights, one for each quarter. Although they do not differ much they will be prepared independently and each weight should be used only for data from the quarterly the weight is made. Weighted numbers is for one group, circa 25% of the total quarterly sample, and one must therefore multiply by 4 to get the approximately national quarterly. 
With "approximate national quarterly" means that since the panel linking involves a certain selection process, so it may cause minor differences from the weighted national numbers one gets for each quarter. 

This panel includes pool 69 in the table. The weights in the original panel is prepared to be used as monthly quarter weights by dividing the monthly quarter weight by 3. It appears that there have been problems with the link to the 2nd quarter 1988. The share of IO links constitute only circa 50% of the normal sample size in this quarter: 

Valid N in the panel: 2592 - 1351 - 2723 - 2670

Between the 1st and 2nd quarter of 1988 there was a change in AKU which resulted in a new file description, and also the status code for the status on the labor market changed. The present file overlap with this change, but still follows essentially the file description that was prepared for the change. This has practical reasons, the nine panels that has the last interview from the 1st quarter 1987 to 1st quarter 1989 was prepared and transferred simultaneous from SSB to NSD. However, it is made two versions of these panels: because V009, V036 and V073 (status labor market) changed, data is also encoded to obtain comparable data before and after the adjustments between 1st and 2nd quarter 1988. 
NSD0605 provides data with original codes. NSD0606 provides encoded data. This file therefore have the codes for the variables V009,V036 and V073  who are direct comparable with NSD603 and NSD0601.
This file (NSD0608_2 is a recoded panel).