Evaluation of Globalscot

The Globalscot network aims to harness the knowledge, expertise, skills, goodwill and contacts of Scots (and those with an affinity for Scotland) across the globe in support of Scottish companies and organisations. The evaluation aimed to examine whether there was evidence of cultural and attitudinal changes as a result of the initiative, and to identify any actual quantifiable impacts to date, projected future quantifiable impacts, and any softer outcomes that may ultimately lead to quantifiable impacts.

The research involved gathering a range of data – both quantifiable and soft – through e-surveys conducted with Globalscot users, Globalscot members, account managers and member support managers. Telephone interviews were also conducted to provide further detail. A categorisation framework was developed to group the impact data reported by respondents, based on how quantifiable and robust it was.

The Globalscot network is found to be generating a range of ‘soft’ outcomes that are in turn generating ‘hard’ impacts. The report suggests that there a significant ‘lag’ period between initially engaging with the network and achieving a quantified economic outcome. It reports that there is a lack of understanding about what Globalscot can do, how it can be accessed and who it is appropriate for, which is limiting the number of enquiries. It estimates that despite the low number of users who were able to provide quantified impact, the net annual GVA figure attributable to the Globalscot network for 2006 was £28,731,909, though if the highest net GVA value is removed, the net annual GVA figure is £2,792,889. Although the network is six years old (including a substantial set-up period), it is argued that it should still be considered a nascent network and therefore be expected to deliver only modest impacts at this stage.

The report recommends that Globalscot should be developed further; that continuing Scottish Enterprise (SE) engagement is necessary for the continuation of the system; that SE should have a more rigorous tracking process to ensure that these future benefits are quantified and credited to the Globalscot project as they emerge; that the targets for Globalscot’s future operations reflect the transformational nature of the Globalscot process; that intervention is needed by SE to help change the attitudes of their own staff in ways that accelerate use of Globalscot; and that concerns about the website need to be addressed.