How to Collect Data for RIA Session 12 Office of the Presidency
Transcription
How to Collect Data for RIA Session 12 Office of the Presidency
www.regulatoryreform.com Session 12 How to Collect Data for RIA Scott Jacobs Managing Director, Jacobs and Associates Regulatory Impact Analysis Training Course Office of the Presidency South Africa 1-5 September 2008 Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 1 www.regulatoryreform.com Data collection: indicator of good RIA You will usually need much highly specific data that is tailored to the questions raised by the specific regulation. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 2 www.regulatoryreform.com Plan ahead for data collection Good data collection strategies are essential. Plan in advance and develop an inventory of data sources. Much data needed is held by the regulated community. Data collection is a public-private task. You must develop working relations with private sector partners IN ADVANCE. Define standards of data acceptability IN ADVANCE, as well as the quality control process for data use Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 3 www.regulatoryreform.com Identifying data needs RIA must start as early as possible to leave time for identification and satisfaction of data needs. This can be a time-consuming part of the RIA process. EC RIA Guide: “The first step in the preparation of the Roadmap will be to determine what data are available, what complementary data are needed, and how they will be produced” But identification of data needs and collection of data will continue through much of the RIA process Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 4 www.regulatoryreform.com Data needs are defined and satisfied throughout RIA process Problem Definition and Risk Assessment 1. Definition and refinement of the problem to ensure the broadest possible range of potential solutions 2. Profiling the magnitude, risk levels, and distribution of the problem across Member states, demographic groups, economic sectors, and sizes of firms, with trends in a relevant time period (first data collection, risk assessment) 3. Establishment of a baseline Options Selection and Impact Assessment 4. Initial identification of categories of economic impacts, based on profile and baseline 5. Initial consultation with sectoral experts in business associations in high-impact Member states for validation, issue identification (second data collection) 6. Selection of regulatory options to be considered 7. Selection of method 8. Data collection on detailed benefits and costs of options through business surveys and other data sources (third data collection) Presentation of analysis and consultation 9. Analysis, comparison of options, and presentation of impact assessment to the stakeholders (fourth data collection) 10. Refinement of impact assessment after consultation Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 5 www.regulatoryreform.com Steps in identifying data needs 1. Define and refine the problem to ensure the broadest possible range of potential solutions Definition of the problem is the foundation of the analysis, since all options and scenarios developed in the analysis will be judged on how cost-efficiently they resolve the underlying problem. The scope of the problem definition will define the scope of data needs. – – Some perishable foods are not transported in refrigerated trucks (narrow data needs) OR Some perishable foods are not maintained at mandatory temperatures during transport (wider data needs) Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 6 www.regulatoryreform.com Steps in identifying data needs 2. Profile the risk level, magnitude and distribution of the problem across economic sectors and sizes of firms, with trends in a relevant time period A map of the distribution and extent of the problem across relevant dimensions can be assembled to determine risks, the scope and trends of the problem. Scope of profiling must be carefully selected to use limited resources to greatest effect. Profiling the problem can be done in terms of: – – – – – – – – – – – – Level and severity of risk Demographic distribution of risk Geographic distribution of risk Causal relationships between risk and economic activities Number of businesses and employees potentially affected by regulation, and trends over time; Value-added of sectors potentially affected by the regulation, and trends over time; Profitability of the sectors potentially affected by the regulation; Export performance of the sectors potentially affected by the regulation; Market share in the products or services affected by the regulation, and trends over time; Value-added of sectors potentially affected by the regulation, and trends over time; Comparison with other country performance in these dimensions, to provide a international benchmark to judge performance; Sizes of firms. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 7 www.regulatoryreform.com Steps in identifying data needs 3. Establish the baseline Get an initial view of trends across time Determine which baseline parameters are most important to these trends. Document the factors that could change the baseline, such as likely evolution of the market, changes in external factors affecting benefits and costs, and changes in other regulations Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 8 www.regulatoryreform.com Steps in identifying data needs 4. Identify likely categories of impacts, based on profile and baseline Economic impacts of regulations fall into several categories, each important under good RIA practice: – – – – – Benefits of regulations can be categorized as: – – Budget or fiscal impacts. Operating Costs. Capital Costs Dynamic Costs Distributional effects Direct (contributing to resolving the problem) Indirect (all other positive effects) This part of the assessment can conclude with a matrix mapping out the regulation against the categories of costs and benefits, and assigning each a priority level: Important, moderate, less important, not applicable. This mapping can drive the data needs assessment. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 9 www.regulatoryreform.com Mapping regulatory costs - reform of the sugar market (from EC IA guide 2005) Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 10 www.regulatoryreform.com Steps in identifying data needs 5. Initial and limited consultation with sectoral experts in business associations in high-impact area for validation and issue identification Use expert groups to validate the assumptions made with respect to the problem definition, the likely categories of economic impacts, the profiling of the problem, and the baseline projections; Collect information on data priorities and identify data sources; Collect preliminary information on possible regulatory options, and the potential impacts of each option. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 11 www.regulatoryreform.com Steps in identifying data needs 6. Select regulatory options to be considered Due to the exponential increase in the data needed as we expand options, we will generally limit the choice of options to 3-4 in the impact assessment, and explain why those were chosen. In general, consider, for inclusion in the cost assessment, the feasibility and potential cost implications of four kinds of options: – – – – changing the stringency of the regulation or moving to performance standards to estimate effects on costs per unit of benefit; information approaches, in which incentives are changed by correcting information failures; voluntary agreements and other forms of co-regulation; economic incentives. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 12 www.regulatoryreform.com Steps in identifying data needs 7. Selection of method Data needs differ according to the analytical method. The method encompasses choices about the scope of the analysis (what kinds of costs will be included), the time period of the analysis (and how time will be valued), the means of counting impacts, and the means of presenting impacts. The analysis should generate policy-relevant results that are meaningful to decision-makers. Costs should be compared to meaningful benchmarks, such as investments or profits, and to a metric of benefit, such as unit of abatement of the problem. Data collection should aim for such results. To assess compliance costs, you can use straightforward cost estimation techniques based on four kinds of data: – operational costs, over a relevant period of x years, of meeting various levels of regulatory stringency or complying with various regulatory options; – capital costs (depreciation and net opportunity cost of invested capital), over a relevant period of x years, of meeting various levels of regulatory stringency; – estimation of non-market values, such as foregone market opportunities, using expert assessment, comparison with other markets, and historical trends; – estimated effects of foreseeable technological innovation on these costs over a relevant future period. 13 Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. www.regulatoryreform.com Steps in identifying data needs 7. Selection of method (continued) Decide how you will use these data to generate the following kinds of indicators: – – – – – Net present value of total costs, per sector (using the cost of capital as the discount rate); Total sectoral (or activity-wide) annual compliance costs Annual per-establishment compliance cost, by size of firm Annual per-employee compliance costs, by size of firm Compliance costs as: ● ● ● a percentage of turn-over; a percentage of profits; a percentage of annual investment in the sector. Cost-effectiveness analysis to compare these costs to potential levels of risk reduction. This will allow us to obtain the costs per unit of abatement for sectors, firm size and regulatory options. Sectoral models that assess affects on sectoral output by using inputoutput analysis that incorporates the effects of regulation on cost variables. For economy-wide effects, use more synthetic methods that project intersectoral effects and impacts of higher production costs on business decisions about employment and investment. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 14 www.regulatoryreform.com Collect data 8. Collect data on detailed benefits and costs of options through a variety of means Data collection is the single most costly and timeconsuming step of the RIA Be opportunistic – use existing databases and research to the maximum extent Design new data gathering efforts on the margin to fill in data gaps Shift data costs to stakeholders through open consultation techniques Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 15 www.regulatoryreform.com Common data collection techniques (1) Technique Pros Cons Literature searches and existing databases Fast and cheap. Credible because it draws on scientific expertise. Unfocussed. Cannot usually answer questions specific to the regulation. Gaps in the literature increase uncertainties. Meta-studies (combining several studies into one big study) Can compensate for weaknesses in individual studies Limited in the range of information (cost data but little benefits data), reliability is suspect, costs can be high. Difficult to explore options. Experts from science committees, academia and industry (e.g. interviews) Fast and cheap, can provide good quality cost and benefit data in response to specific questions. Can explore alternative approaches. Vulnerable to bias and to existing knowledge which is not specific to the regulation. Must diversify sources. Passive consultation (publication for comments) Fast and cheap for collection of wide variety of data and ideas about better regulation. Vulnerable to bias and poor data. Not conducive to dialogue. Data gaps. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 16 www.regulatoryreform.com Common data collection techniques (2) Technique Pros Cons Business surveys Fast data collection, can be carried out for targeted groups, can collect information otherwise unavailable. Limited in the range of information (cost data but little benefits data), reliability is suspect, costs can be high. Difficult to explore options. Focus groups Business Test Panels can be fast and provide a wider range of cost and benefits data. Can explore alternatives and options easily. Data quality can be a problem. Requires upfront preparation and good relations with stakeholders. Model enterprises that “represent” the affected population Fast and cheap way to collect cost data. Simplistic and vulnerable to errors in assumptions. Must be widely consulted. Modeling: Econometric modeling (input-output, general equilibrium models, environmental impact assessment models, Microsimulation models). Best approach for estimating welfare Costly and vulnerable to changes for particular groups, and for assumptions. Macro models lack estimating second-order effects through detail on micro interventions. the economy. IA on reform of Common Unless existing model is available, Market for Sugar used modelling analysts have limited access to the analysis to determine macroeconomic tools and resources needed to effects of different reform scenarios, as adopt a modeling approach. well as qualitative multi-criteria Difficult to use economic models to evaluation of broader impacts and collect benefits data. 17 stakeholder views. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. www.regulatoryreform.com How can you compensate if you cannot find enough data? In the absence of adequate valid data, clearly identified assumptions are necessary for conducting the RIA. Transparency is even more essential to test the assumptions. Analysis of the risks, benefits, and costs associated with regulation must be guided by the principles of full disclosure and transparency. Shift data costs to the stakeholders by asking questions in the consultation period. Those affected by regulations have the incentives to provide the data necessary to complete RIA. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 18 www.regulatoryreform.com Other means of dealing with data uncertainty Sensitivity analysis: estimate a range of possible effects. High and low estimated benefits can be interpreted as a range of potential effects. When we lacked direct evidence on uncertain values, we can deal with the uncertainty by choosing values that generated lower-bound estimates of benefits.” Expert scientific judgement: present wide range of scientific studies. Try to find a scientific consensus by creating expert panels to review scientific evidence. Independent and external peer review of data and analytic results Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 19 www.regulatoryreform.com Guard against “data capture” by diversifying data sources and consulting widely Since stakeholders will provide much of the needed data, the risk is high that the RIA will be biased. This risk can be managed by diversifying data sources, a check and balance approach. Data biases can also be detected by being completely transparent. When data are weak, the more external review that RIA receives, the better it is likely to be. Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 20 www.regulatoryreform.com Set data quality standards • Defining standards of data acceptability in advance, as well as the quality control process for data use, can avoid “junk RIA” and boost RIA credibility and reliability. • The most common data quality standards: – – – – – Transparency in raw data and assumptions Use of “best available data” Reproducibility, Acceptance by independent experts Collected according to good statistical practices such as random sampling – Presentation of best estimates reflecting expected values (as – distinct from “worst case” or conservative estimates) Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 21 www.regulatoryreform.com Summary of data collection and presentation practices for high quality RIA 1. Plan ahead and create public-private relationships 2. Map out data needs and collect data throughout the RIA process in an iterative process 3. Consider a variety of methods to collect scarce data, and shift data costs through structured stakeholder consultation 4. Use good data quality techniques. Carefully document data. Leave a trail in the RIA that a careful reader can follow to connect the input data with the outputs (i.e., the estimated effects) 5. Make weaknesses transparent and deal with uncertainties openly 6. Use diverse sources to guard against “data capture” Copyright held by Jacobs and Associates. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 22