What target population does the KFS data represent?
The target population is the population on which conclusions are drawn. For the Kauffman Firm Survey (KFS), the target population was all new businesses that were started in the 2004 calendar year in the United States (the 50 states plus the District of Columbia). This population excludes any branch or subsidiary owned by an existing business or a business inherited from someone else. The issue that arose immediately with this target definition is the meaning of started. For the study population, a business started in 2004 was defined as a new, independent business that was created by a single person or a team of people, the purchase of an existing business, or the purchase of a franchise. Businesses were excluded if they had an EIN, Schedule C income, or a legal form or had paid state unemployment insurance or federal Social Security taxes prior to or after 2004.
