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Skip Navigation LinksLabour Market Statistics and Publications > Concepts > Distribution Uses
Distribution Uses
PERCENTAGES
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Using Mean, Median or Mode Mean Median ModeA Measure Enabling Comparison Absolute vs Relative Change Annualized Percentage Growth Distribution Incidence From Sample to PopulationSample Reliability Seasonal Adjustment Percentiles Quantitative vs Qualitative Range Ratios Stock and Flow

Uses

Percentage distribution helps us better understand the profile of our target group.

For example, data on the distribution of unemployed residents by educational attainment can help employment agencies better customise their services, such as sourcing for job openings that more closely match the education profile of unemployed residents for inclusion in their job banks and designing skills training programmes that are more aligned to the qualification levels of the job seekers.


Percentage distribution figures facilitate the comparison of the profile of different groups.

For example:
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comparing the age profile of the labour force in a big country with that in a small country

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comparing changes in the occupational profile of employed persons over time

To illustrate the second point above, suppose we are interested in understanding how the distribution of employed residents by occupation has changed from 1999 to 2010.

Reflecting population growth, there were more employed residents in all three broad occupational groups in 2010 than in 1999.  This by itself may not present a clear picture of how the occupational profile of Singapore's employed pool has changed.
 
Number of Employed Residents by Occupation, 1999 and 2010 (June)
 

However, if we compute the percentage distribution of employed residents by occupation for the respective years, we can clearly see that the occupational profile of the employed pool has shifted towards higher-skilled professional, managerial, executive & technician (PMET) jobs, as the share of employed residents in this occupational group has increased while that for the other two groups have decreased.
 
Distribution of Employed Residents by Occupation, 1999 and 2010 (June)