Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board

courts."So,"in"the"same"way"that"data"collected"from"legal"services"providers"can"
shed" light" on" businesses’" legal" needs" and" use" of" legal" services," so" too" can" data"
collected"from"tribunals"and"courts."However,"again"as"with"data"collected"from"
legal"services,"such"data"is"restricted"to"those"issues"that"involve"formal"process."
This"is"a"substantial"limitation."
"
"
A'Note'on'Administrative'Data/File'review'
The" Administrative" Data" Liaison" Service" (http://www.adls.ac.uk)" set" up" to"
support" administrative" data" research" in" the" UK" sets" out" some" of" the" main"
advantages" and" disadvantages" of" using" administrative" data," with" Smith" et" al."
(2004)"making"the"generalisations"set"out"in"Table"5.1."
"
Table'5.1.'Advantages'and'Disadvantages'of'Using'Administrative'Data'in'Research.'
Advantages!of!administrative!data"!""
Already"collected"for"operational"
purposes"and"therefore"no"additional"
costs"of"collection"(though"costs"of"
extraction"and"cleaning)"
Collection"process"not"intrusive"to"target"
population"
Regularly"(sometimes"continuously)"
updated"
Can"provide"historical"information"and"
allow"consistent"time]series"to"be"built"
up"
Collected"in"a"consistent"way"(if"part"of"
national"system)"
Subject"to"rigorous"quality"checks"
Near"100%"coverage"of"population"of"
interest"
Reliable"at"the"small"area"level"
Counterfactuals"and"controls"can"be"
selected"post"hoc"
Captures"individuals"who"may"not"
respond"to"surveys"
Potential"for"datasets"to"be"linked"to"
produce"powerful"research"resources"
(see"below)."
"
Disadvantages!of!administrative!data"
Information"collected"is"restricted"to"data"
required"for"administrative"purposes"–"
limited"to"users"of"services"and"
administrative"definitions"
Lack"of"researcher"control"over"content."
Proxy"indicators"sometimes"have"to"be"
used"
May"lack"contextual/background"
information"
Changes"to"administrative"procedures"
could"change"definitions"and"make"
comparison"over"time"problematic"
Missing"or"erroneous"data"
Quality"issues"with"variables"less"
important"to"the"administrator"e.g."
address"details"may"well"not"be"updated"
Metadata"issues"(may"be"lacking"or"of"
poor"quality)"
Data"protection"issues"
Access"for"researchers"is"dependent"on"
support"of"data"providers"
Underdeveloped"theory"and"methods."
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