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CPS2259 Florabela Carausu et al.
analyses. The most appropriate set of areas will depend on the purpose of the
11
analysis concerned . It is important to emphasise that location and place are
vital components of effective decision making. Actually, the spatial / territorial
level which is chosen for describing a phenomenon plays the role of a filter.
12
The change of zoning leads automatically to a change in the results .
Reliable data are the cornerstone of evidence-based decision making, but
at the same time making proper use of the data is critical as well, especially
given that data is not ‘neutral’. Evidence-based decision making would not
deliver either the anticipated results, even though quality data would be
available, if not accompanied by a sound decision-making approach or
mechanism.
Recently it has been argued (Radermacher, 2018) that “just as the map is
not the territory, so (official) statistics will never be as accurate and complete
as the reality they represent. There will always be more or less significant
differences, omissions, generalisations and distortions between statistics (the
map) and the field in question (the territory). Indeed,
statistics are only a partial representation at a given moment in time of a
reality which is not static, but in constant motion and of a complexity which is
impossible to portray precisely and exhaustively”. As emphasised by the
author, the distinction between ‘map’ and ‘territory’ is needed for explaining
and attempting to draw the boundaries between objective truths and
subjective reality.
The need for more disaggregated data becomes of utmost importance,
but not the final aim. Though, the production or access to lower level data can
be assigned as a priority, improving its quality should go in parallel with
offering the support for evidence-based policy making. The high demand for
disaggregated data may not be in most of the cases satisfied by the official
statistics producers, the data at local level not being collected through most
frequent surveys, but only through census. Nevertheless, the official statistics
producers can substantially contribute by controlling or advising on the
quality of data coming from other sources (e.g. administrative data, Big Data)
or by supporting specialised statistical analyses for estimating data at lower
levels.
BigData, administrative data, and Small Area Estimation (SAE), but also the
upcoming census round offer opportunities supporting the definition of
functional areas and following up on the implementation of policies at their
level.

11 Coombes M., Wymer C., Casado J.M., Martinez L., Carausu F. (2012): ‘Study on comparable
Labour Market Areas’ prepared for Eurostat
12 For more details, see ESPON (2006): The Modifiable Areas Unit Problems

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