Data Collection and Economic Analysis in Contemporary China

The Economic Research Institute of the Shanghai Social Science Academy deals mainly with the study, research, and data collection of prices, costs, and profits of various goods produced in the Shanghai region. The research subjects or investigations (about 20-30 each year) are assigned by the central government in Beijing. The Economic Research Institute not only reports the results of its research but also submits to the policymaker in Beijing feasible suggestions to solve the regional economic problems. It has a complex task as a research institute. Each month (usually on the tenth of the month) the Economic Research Institute receives the data collected by the Shanghai Statistics Bureau, which sends its data before the tenth of the month directly to the central government by a special airplane. With the development of the computer, computerized data banks and data collection centers have been set up throughout the country. This makes the process easier and quicker than before.