The Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Aberdeen is set to launch the largest ever survey of small and medium sized (SMEs) businesses in Scotland, and the north of England.
The Survey of Enterprise is being sent out to 13,000 separate businesses in manufacturing and service sectors in a bid to find out more about the dynamics of SMEs in Scotland and the various constraints on development that they face.
The research will generate benchmark information on the characteristics and dynamics of the sector, which will provide the basis for policy development by the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise and local economic development bodies and councils and will contribute to improving business performance.
The key issues to be addressed in the research are:
- the use of business advice, from public sector agencies, private sector
- advisors and informal sources, including family and friends
- investment in training for employees, and the use of non-executive directors
- innovation, research and development activity
- information technology and e-commerce
- sources of finance used to fund the development of the business
Professor Richard Harrison Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, said SMEs are central to the entrepreneurial process and are responsible for creating sustained competitive advantage.
“New and growing competitive firms contribute greatly to the development of national, regional and local economies,” he said.
“Despite their importance, however, there is little in the way of systematic evidence on the constraints on the development of small and medium sized businesses in Scotland, or on the issues which face them. We anticipate that this survey will provide a major contribution to understanding how this section of the economy works.”