Evaluation of Spends and Trends 2004: a report to Scottish Enterprise Energy Team

The Spends and Trends 2004 project disseminated key market information to Scottish service companies in the oil and gas industry through a CD-Rom, with the aims of assisting them to plan for future activity and position themselves to capitalise on new opportunities. The evaluation aimed to: collate the inputs and outputs; quantify outcomes as well as short term economic benefits; assess the additionality (or net impact) associated with the intervention; assess whether the intervention met its objectives; assess how effectively it was project managed; and propose how future interventions of a similar nature can be made more effective.

The methodology included: a review of approval papers, background documentation and internal evaluation material; a review of management information on the performance of the programme to date; consultations with the Spends and Trends Project Manager; and a telephone survey of companies who had received the CD-Rom.

The evaluation found that overall the aims of the intervention were achieved: the main objective of assisting Scottish small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in understanding global market changes was achieved as awareness of opportunities in overseas markets was increased and a number of firms reported increases in turnover and employment; the activity target of assisting up to 200 companies through the provision of information was achieved as over 400 companies in total received the product; the output target of generating an increase in sales of £2m was achieved as it was calculated to have a had a net impact of £3.5m on turnover; and it was expected that 20 jobs would be created but 24 jobs were created, 2 of which were in the wider economy. The SE Energy Team has been successful in focusing the intervention at SMEs, however it has been less successful in getting SMEs to actually use it.

It was recommended that: Spends and Trends should continue, but with a number of modifications to its delivery; more detailed company information should be gathered from those receiving Spends and Trends directly from the Energy Team; more intensive intervention is required to help smaller companies start the strategic planning process; and moving the delivery of Spends and Trends to a website should be considered.