In economics, statistical disciplines are in priority positions. This is due to various reasons. First of all, within the framework of general economic speci alties, statistical research acts as the basis for the development and improvement of analytical methods. In addition, they are an independent direction that has its own subject.
Absolute and relative values
These concepts act as key elements in statistical science. They are used to determine the quantitative characteristics, the dynamics of their change. Absolute and relative values reflect different characteristics, but without one, others cannot exist. The former express the quantitative dimensions of this or that phenomenon, regardless of others. It is impossible to assess the ongoing changes and deviations from them. They express the volume and level of a process or phenomenon. Absolute values are always named numbers. They have a dimension or unit of measure. They can be natural, labor, monetary and so on. For example, standard hours, pieces, thousand rubles. etc. Average and Relativequantities, on the contrary, express the ratio of several exact dimensions. It can be established for several phenomena or for one, but taken in a different volume and in a different period. These elements act as a quotient of statistical numbers, which characterizes their quantitative ratio. To determine the relative values, you need to divide one size by another, taken as the base. The latter may be planned data, actual data from previous years or another enterprise, and so on. The relative value of the comparison can be expressed as a percentage (if the base is taken as 100) or coefficients (if the base is one).
Classification of statistical numbers
Absolute values are presented in two types:
- Customized. They characterize the size of the trait in specific units. For example, it can be the amount of an employee's salary, a bank deposit, and so on. These dimensions are found directly in the course of statistical observation. They are recorded in the primary accounting documentation.
- Total. Values of this type reflect the total indicator of the attribute for the totality of objects. These sizes act as the sum of the number of units (population size) or the volume of the varying characteristic.
Units of measure
Natural absolute values can be simple. These are, for example, tons, liters, rubles, pieces, kilometers. They can be complex, characterizing a combination of several quantities. For example, statistics use ton-kilometers forestablishing the freight turnover of railway transport, kilowatt-hours - to assess the production of electricity, and so on. Conditionally natural units are also used in research. For example, the tractor park can be converted into reference machines. Value units are used to characterize a heterogeneous product in terms of money. This form, in particular, is used in assessing the income of the population, gross output. Using value units, extras take into account the dynamics of prices over time, and overcome the disadvantage due to "comparable" or "constant" prices for the same period. Labor values take into account the total cost of work, the complexity of certain operations that make up the technological cycle. They are expressed in man-days, man-hours, etc.
Relative values
The main condition for their calculation is the comparability of units and the presence of a real connection between the phenomena under study. The value with which the comparison is carried out (the denominator in a fraction) acts, as a rule, as the base or base of the ratio. Depending on its choice, the result can be expressed in different fractions of a unit. It can be tenths, hundredths (percent), thousandths (10th part of% - ppm), ten thousandths (hundredth of% - decimille). Comparable units can be either the same or different. In the second case, their names are formed from the units used (c/ha, rub./person, etc.).
Types of relative values
Bstatistics uses several types of these units. So, there is a relative value:
- Structures.
- Scheduled task.
- Intensities.
- Speakers.
- Coordination.
- Comparisons.
- Degrees of economic development.
The relative value of the task expresses the ratio of what is planned for the upcoming period to what has actually developed for the current period. The plan unit is calculated in the same way. The relative size of the structure is a characteristic of the share of specific parts of the population under study in its total volume. Their calculation is carried out by dividing the number in individual parts by their total number (or volume). These units are expressed as percentages or simple multiples. For example, this is how the proportion of the urban population is calculated.
Dynamics
In this case, the relative value reflects the ratio of the level of the object in a specific period to its status in the past tense. In other words, it is characterized by a change in a phenomenon over a period of time. The relative value characterizing the dynamics is called the growth rate. The choice of base in the calculation is carried out depending on the purpose of the study.
Intensity
A relative value can reflect the degree of development of a phenomenon in a particular environment. In this case, we talk about intensity. Their calculation is carried out by comparing opposite quantities that are related to each other. They are set, as a rule, per 1000,100 and so on units of the studied population. For example, per 100 hectares of land, per thousand people, and so on. These indicators of relative values are named numbers. For example, this is how population density is calculated. It is expressed as the average number of citizens per square meter. km of territory. The characteristics of the degree of economic development serve as a subtype of such units. These, for example, include such types of relative values as the level of GNP, GDP, VID, and so on. per capita. These characteristics play an important role in the analysis of the economic situation in the country.
Coordination
The value of relative values can characterize the proportionality of individual elements of the whole to each other. The calculation is carried out by dividing one part by another. Relative quantities in this case act as a subtype of units of intensity. The difference lies in the fact that they reflect the level of distribution of heterogeneous parts of the same population. The base can be one or another sign, depending on the goal. In this regard, several relative coordination values can be calculated for the same whole.
Matching
Relative values of comparison are units that are partial divisions of similar statistical features that act as characteristics for different objects, but refer to the same moment or period. For example, the ratio of the cost of a particular type of product produced by two enterprises is calculated, labor productivity fordifferent industries and so on.
Economic valuation
This study makes extensive use of absolute and relative units. The former are used to establish the ratio of reserves and expenses with sources of financing and evaluate the enterprise in terms of financial stability. Relative indicators reflect the structure of funds with the state of fixed and working capital. Economic evaluation uses horizontal analysis. The most generalizing absolute value that characterizes the financial stability of the company is the lack or excess of sources of financing costs and reserves. The calculation is made by subtraction. The result is the difference in the size of the sources (minus non-current assets), the means of which stocks are formed, and their number. The key elements in this are the following statistical units:
- Own current assets.
- Total indicator of planned sources.
- Long-term debt and equity.
Deterministic factorial research
This analysis is a specific methodology for studying the impact of factors whose interaction with the results has a functional nature. This research is carried out by the creation and evaluation of deterministic models. In this analysis, relative indicators are widely used. In most cases, factor analysis uses multiplicative models. For example, profit can be expressed as the product of the quantitygoods per unit cost. Part of the analysis in this case is carried out in 2 ways:
- The method of absolute differences assumes a chain substitution. The change in the result due to the factor is calculated as the product of the deviation of the studied trait by the base of another according to the selected sequence.
- The method of relative differences is used to measure the impact of factors on the growth of the result. It is used when there are previously calculated percentage deviations in the source data.
Dynamic series
They represent a change in the numerical indicators of social phenomena over time. One of the most important directions in this analysis is the study of the development of events for specific periods. Among them:
- Growth rates. This is a relative indicator, which is calculated by dividing two levels in one row by each other. They can be calculated as chain or as basic. In the first case, each level of the series is compared with the previous one. In the second case, the base is selected. All levels in the row are mapped to one that acts as the base. Growth rates are expressed as ratios or percentages.
- Absolute increase. It represents the difference between the two levels of the time series. Depending on the method of choosing the base, it can be basic and chain. This indicator has the same dimension as the levels of the series.
- Growth rates. This ratio reflects the percentageby which one level of the dynamic series is more/less than another, which is taken as the base.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, relative values have a high scientific value. However, in practice they cannot be used in isolation. They are always in relationship with absolute indicators, expressing the ratio of the latter. If this is not taken into account, then it is impossible to accurately characterize the phenomena under study. Using relative values, you need to show what specific absolute units are hidden behind them. Otherwise, you can draw wrong conclusions. Only the complex use of relative and absolute values can act as the most important means of information and analysis in the study of various phenomena occurring in socio-economic life. In general, the transition to the calculation of deviations makes it possible to compare the economic potential and the result of the activities of enterprises that differ significantly in terms of the amount of resources used or other characteristics. Relative values, in addition, can smooth out some processes (force majeure, inflation, and others) that can distort absolute units in financial statements.
