Data definition for statistical summary data or appearances can be deceiving
Fredric C. Gey · Statistical and Scientific Database Management · 1981
Numerous economists, analysts and bureaucrats now devote a large part of their time working with statistical summary data. Such data is produced from cross-tabulation or multi-level aggregation of unit-record or individual case data. When receiving summary data in machine-readable form the analyst is faced with finding a tool to manage it to his satisfaction, The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate, starting from an example, that standard Data Base Management Systems (DBMS) are inadequate to handle this task, and to suggest a few ways in which these deficiencies might be remedied.