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ENTERPRISE IN EDUCATION: SME SURVEY

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

SAMPLE AND METHOD

1.1 In 2002, the Scottish Executive produced the report 'Determined to succeed'. This report assessed 'education for work and enterprise' (now known as 'Enterprise in Education'). In 2003, the strategy 'Determined to succeed' (DtS) was set up as a response to the report.

1.2 DtS identified the need for all pupils in primary and secondary schools to enjoy enterprise activities that encourage a sense of responsibility, recognise strengths and achievements and contribute to their development. The Scottish Executive's goal is for all pupils to have access to a range of vocational and entrepreneurial experiences so that they can go on to be successful employees, employers and entrepreneurs later in life.

1.3 It is envisaged that introducing Enterprise in Education (EinE) into schools at an early age will give pupils the wide range of experiences needed to increase their self-confidence, to motivate them and provide them with an understanding of the world of work and the opportunities that are open to them.

1.4 DtS involves all local authority education departments in Scotland and schools at both primary and secondary levels as well as special schools. There is however a need for business engagement in the scheme. Indeed, DtS recommends that 'there must be a major expansion in the involvement of businesses in our schools'. Although many businesses are already involved in education, a significant increase in the numbers of SMEs committed to supporting this agenda is required across Scotland.

1.5 A requirement for survey research amongst businesses that would help the Scottish Executive and Local Authorities to develop policies to increase the levels of business engagement in EinE was therefore identified. In particular it was intended that the research evidence be used to develop solutions to any perceived barriers to EinE and to communicate accurate and appropriate information to the business community in relation to their potential role within the scheme. A further aim was to use the insight gained from the research to feed into the methods and materials being developed to stimulate understanding and awareness of EinE.

OBJECTIVES

1.6 The specific objectives of the research were defined as follows:

• To examine perceptions and knowledge of EinE and other related topics;
• To determine attitudes towards engagement in EinE;
• To assess the perceived benefits and/or difficulties experienced by the business community;
• To measure the nature and level of engagement that businesses already have with schools;
• To understand the reasons why organisations do/do not participate in EinE or similar activities;
• To identify the barriers to participation amongst those not currently involved.

1.7 The key target audience for the research was SMEs (the category into which most Scottish companies fall). There was also a requirement to include both those businesses that currently participate in EinE or similar activities and those which do not.

1.8 A quantitative telephone survey of 500 businesses supported by a number of qualitative depth interviews was decided to be the optimum approach to meet the project objectives. TNS System Three was commissioned to conduct this project by the Scottish Executive.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

1.9 Prior to the main telephone survey, we undertook an initial stage of research involving a number of telephone depth interviews with participating and non-participating businesses (contact names were selected randomly from the main databases mentioned below). The first set of interviews was designed to inform the development of the main quantitative questionnaire and therefore took place prior to the main quantitative stage, from 3-7 September 2004. A second set of depth interviews was then conducted, face-to-face, during the period 16 September - 4 October, with the aim of providing additional insight into perceptions of EinE. The table below provides a summary of the depth interviews achieved.

Table 1.1: In-depth interviews conducted

1.10 All interviews were conducted, in confidence, by experienced researchers from TNS System Three.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

1.11 The total sample size was set at 500: 300 non-participating businesses and 200 participating. 498 interviews were achieved. A separate sample list was used for each group. However, if a firm from the non-participating sample indicated that they were participating or had participated then they migrated into the participating sample, and likewise firms from the participating database that claimed not to be participating were able to migrate into the non-participating sample.

1.12 To undertake interviews with participating firms, several databases from across Scotland were made available to TNS System Three. These databases covered most geographic areas and included businesses involved in a range of different types of activity. In the absence of any accurate profile information on participating companies, firms from the participating databases were primarily selected at random, with broad quotas applied to ensure a spread across the different lists provided. Only those organisations in the private sector were considered eligible for the survey to ensure a better match between the participating and non-participating samples, and the very largest of companies were removed - again to ensure better comparability.

1.13 For the non-participating sample the first step involved the purchase of a representative sample of SMEs in Scotland from the D & B database. Whilst experience proved that some of these firms were involved in EinE it was only possible at the outset to remove those that were named on our participating lists. Thereafter the actual definition was not sample driven but dependent upon the answer to an early recruitment question on EinE, when respondents were asked to indicate which of a number of community related activities they were involved in. Those claiming not to be involved in any activity related to work experience, career talks, helping pupils to set up a business, teacher placements, etc. were then categorised and included in the non-participating sample. To ensure that our non-participating sample broadly matched that of the SME population, quotas were set according to size and sector. Details of achieved and target quotas are shown in the table overleaf.

Table1.2: Non-participants target and achieved profile

Base: all non-participants

1.14 The achieved sample of non-participating companies (298 in total) therefore closely matches that of SMEs across Scotland. However, it should be noted that more than half of the non-participating sample includes companies that were originally named in the participating sample lists. The reasons why so many companies 'migrated' from one sample to another is not clear from the quantitative data but the qualitative research would certainly seem to suggest that the length and scope of the involvement for some businesses is fairly minor and hence it is easily overlooked. Moreover, the way in which involvement is described and referred to differs greatly, with little appreciation that connections between pupils and schools fall under a strategy such as EinE or DtS. Further analysis of this particular issue is outlined in Chapter 2 and Chapter 6, and further background details on the businesses are provided in Appendix 2.

1.15 Migration from the non-participating sample to the participating sample was less in evidence although still substantial, with some 16% of those originally sampled as non-participants claiming that they were involved.

1.16 In total 498 interviews were undertaken during the period 16 - 30 September. All interviews were conducted using CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) from the TNS telephone unit in Wembley, London. In businesses of less than 10 employees, interviews were undertaken with the owner or managing director and in those with more than 10 employees, the person responsible for training/human resources was sought. Where there was no such individual at a business site only those with the authority to speak on behalf of the business were interviewed, such as the local manager.

1.17 A copy of the questionnaire used in the main survey is provided in Appendix 3.

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