Strategy Survival Guide

World Bank Data Sets: the World Bank site contains a vast database of economic, social and other
development statistics for all countries of the world. Data can be accessed by country, by topic or by using a
data query (from 54 indicators, 5 years and over 200 countries.) The World Bank also publishes its annual
World Development Report.
There are also a number of specialist social science databases including: Policyfile, Psyclit, Sociofile, and
Social Science Abstracts. Online social science data sources include Econlit, PAIS, EPPI-Centre Library,
the Campbell Library, the Cochraine Library, the National Electronic Library of Health, and the ESRC
Evidence Network. Further detail on these sources can be found in The Magenta Book.
Other sources include departmental websites and libraries, which can provide departmental specific data
and links to other useful sites. It can also be beneficial to search relevant academic and trade journals or
magazines and visit specialist libraries.
References
Research Design, Catherine Hakim
Approaches to Social Science Research, Royce Singleton, Bruce C Straits & Margaret Miller Straits
For details of both major longitudinal and cross-sectional surveys in the UK see the UK Data Archive list of
Major Studies.
Collecting data - Data types & sources
In Practice: SU Benchmarking Exercise
The SU undertook an exercise to benchmark UK performance against other developed countries across
a broad spectrum of economic and social indicators. A key task in this was data collection and analysis.
Our approach was to break down the exercise into several thematic, though related, strands, which
each began with a somewhat informal wish list of data and evidence. One of the lessons we learnt
early on, however, was that some of the desired data simply did not exist, and much of what was
available needed a good deal of reconfiguring and interpretation.
For the broad range of the issues we were considering, an obvious source of national and international
data was the Office of National Statistics. Alongside the ONS, we found data and information from
several other Government Departments available on their web sites - some better than others, but all
providing clues and leads to other potential sources.
The team also made use of a number of other sources. In particular, we found the OECD an excellent
source for a broad range of international data, and similarly the European Commission. Both offered
fast access to data over the internet, though a slight drawback is that much of the more detailed data
and analysis produced by these organisations remains limited to subscribers only. Other sources such
as the UK based National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), the World Bank, and the
International Monetary Fund also proved to be good sources for comparative international data.
Alongside these sources, we found web-based searches threw up a wide variety of useful data and
evidence, particularly recent academic studies, which in some cases prompted us to contact authors
directly for more. Wading through internet search returns, however, proved a frustrating and timeconsuming
exercise at times, highlighting the importance of thinking carefully about the key words and
phrases used.
Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Skills
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