The increasing challenges on the way of collecting information by using traditional methods have made a study for the transformation or updating of survey methods necessary due to the complexities of today’s statistical societies. Using other sources of data and modeling are among methods that can be employed as alternatives to survey methods or to increase the accuracy of estimates and inferences arising from traditional surveys. Usually, a selection of data is not able to meet all the needs of researchers for decision making and planning, and this issue makes the researcher use different types of available data, such as microdata and data collected in censuses. Census tables include information about the geographical distribution of the population; however, more detailed information on the characteristics of individuals or households is usually obtained from the micro-data of sample surveys. In most cases, data from these surveys are available at larger levels. One of the estimation methods that has been highly taken into account in recent years is the method of generating synthetic population, which can be used as an important statistical tool in such cases. In fact, in addition to providing data at geographical levels, the method of creating synthetic data produces a set of data that observes the principles of confidentiality and can be available to the public for use by researchers and training cases.
Accordingly, in order to meet the existing need for information on the employment and unemployment status of the population, the research project “the Feasibility Study on the Creation of a Simulated Population for the Labor Force Survey conducted by the Statistical Centre of Iran by using the Synthetic Method”" was included in the working programme of the Statistical Research and Training Centre (SRTC). This research attempts to introduce a method for estimating the unemployment rate in geographic regions, which the data produced through this method can be cited and referred and respect the principles of confidentiality. Among the cities of the country, four cities of Islamabad-e-Gharb, Gachsaran, Dehloran and Abhar have been considered as pilot cities. In order to compare the accuracy of the estimation of unemployment rate obtained from this method with its actual value, we used this method for 31 provinces of the country, through which favorable results were achieved.
This research was conducted by the Data Processing and Information Dissemination Group of the SRTC directed by Dr. Ashkan Shabak as the Project Implementer in collaboration with Mr. Hamed Lorand, Dr. Kaveh Kiani, Dr. Abbas Moradi, and Dr. Nader Hakipipour as the main contributors to the research project. Special thanks should go to them.