The OECD Structural and Demographic Business Statistics database (SDBS) is an essential tool for providing information on the industrial structure of OECD economies. It provides a wealth of information at a very detailed sectoral level including: turnover, value-added, production, operating surplus, employment, labour costs and investment to name but a few, broken down by sector and business size classes.

The two major additions to this publication are the introduction of the size class dimension and the inclusion of data on business demography statistics (business birth, death and survival rates). These two innovations provide an invaluable tool to inform policy areas such as entrepreneurship.

The OECD Structural and Demographic Business Statistics publication, 2006 edition, which replaces the earlier Structural Statistics for Industry and Services publication, provides only a summary of the information available on the database, which covers more variables and all ISIC Rev. 3 sectors. The ‘reader’s guide’, included in this publication explains how the database can be used and compared with other datasets such as the national accounts.

The OECD Structural and Demographic Business Statistics publication, as well as the SDBS database, is available online as part of www.SourceOECD.org, the service which delivers online OECD books, periodicals and statistical databases.