Comparisons between small business data base (USEEM) and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employment data: 1978–1986

Summary and conclusion The BLS versus USEEM comparison generally points out some major classification differences in the data sets particularly in the classification and growth of larger establishments. USEEM and BLS data generally agree as to the direction of employment growth over the 1978 to 1986 period. Differences occur in 7 of the 63 comparisons of employment growth — but BLS attributes a greater proportion of growth to larger reporting units, USEEM to smaller establishments. BLS and USEEM data have concurring positive or negative growth rates for all size classes in the construction, wholesale trade, services, and finance, insurance, and real estate industries.The fundamental question — in which size classes or units did employment growth primarily occur between 1978 and 1986 — has only indirectly been answered. Some industries — such as construction — produced similar results. Other sectors — such as wholesale trade — produced differences by size category. Clearly some combination of industry restructuring and different classification and collection procedures have affected the results.Researchers, once aware of procedural differences between the data sets, can cite USEEM data for a variety of dynamic uses, particularly in light of these new comparative tabulations available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For comparative static analysis, the BLS dataset is more comprehensive and better maintained.