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Research, evaluation and insight

Search our publicly accessible collection of evaluation and research reports. These reports cover all aspects of Scottish Enterprise's economic development activities and are available for download at no cost.

  • The role of acquisitions in company growth (2014)

    The aim of the research was to understand the role acquisition can play in the growth of Scottish companies.
    Scottish Enterprise
    Research
    Support to existing/growth businesses
  • Critical materials: examining the materials that are critical to our sectors and economy (2014)

    The aim of the report is to provide an understanding of the experiences that companies have in relation to the issue of critical raw materials supply compared to other supply chain issues.
    Oakdene Hollins
    Research
    Chemical sciences
    Construction
    Energy
    Food and drink
    Forest industries
    Life Sciences
    Textiles
    Sector-level support
  • Leadership talent attraction, retention and development in Scotland: final report (2013)

    The objectives of the review were to: understand the current image of Scotland to leaders and decision makers; identify Scotland’s strengths and weaknesses in this area; understand how Scotland’s approach to talent attraction compares, nationally and internationally; examine if the existence of headquarters or head offices are important in attracting/retaining/building talent; examine the importance of strong/vibrant clusters and ‘global brand companies’ in attracting ta…
    O’Herlihy & Co. Ltd
    Research
    People/talent attraction
    Leadership/management development
  • Dundee City Region tourism labour market study (2013)

    Dundee City Region’s tourism sector is set to benefit from the establishment of a new tourist attraction, the V&A (Victoria and Albert museum of art and design) at Dundee City Centre’s waterfront.
    Susan Mackay, SQW
    Research
    Supporting key sectors
    Skills Development
    Leadership/management development
    Tourism
  • Evaluation of Enterprise Europe Network Scotland (2013)

    Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is Europe’s largest technology and business network which brings together 600 business support organisations from 50 countries.
    SQW Consulting
    Evaluation
    Support to existing/growth businesses
    Commercialisation
    Internationalisation of Scottish businesses
  • Putting Scotland's high growth firms in their place (2012)

    The presentation summarises the results of an ongoing work programme into high growth firms (HGFs).
    Michael Anyadike-Danes; Karen Bonner; Mark Hart
    Research
    High growth entrepreneurship
  • Evaluation of tourism destinations: final report to Scottish Enterprise (2013)

    In 2008, SE produced a Tourism Destination Development Strategy which set out how the six priority destinations – Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews, Loch Lomond, Royal Deeside and Highland Perthshire – would contribute to what was then the national strategy of growing the tourism sector by 50% between 2005 and 2015.
    SQW
    Evaluation
    Supporting key sectors
    Tourism
  • Evaluation of Scottish Enterprise Engagement with Account Managed Companies (2013)

    The aim of account management is to generate additional economic impact by helping supported companies to achieve growth aspirations, generate and safeguard employment and improve efficiency and productivity.
    Upper Quartile; Additional Research; Research Resource
    Evaluation
    Support to existing/growth businesses
  • Evaluation of Enterprise Fellowships: final report (2013)

    Scottish Enterprise (SE) and the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s (RSE’s) Enterprise Fellowships programme aims to target researchers and innovators with entrepreneurial potential and a promising science and technology based business idea, by helping awardees grow their business via a year’s salary, business training, business development funding and access to mentors, business experts and professional advisers.
    Frontline
    Evaluation
    Chemical sciences
    Digital markets and enabling technologies
    Life Sciences
    Entrepreneurship/new firm formation
    Commercialisation
    Business innovation
  • The economic impact of the UK maritime services sector in Scotland (2013)

    The research aims to evaluate the economic contribution of the UK maritime services sector, including the contribution of the ports, shipping and maritime business services industries, in Scotland in 2011.
    Oxford Economics
    Research
  • A review of current international business and international entrepreneurship research and its policy-making implications (2013)

    The report aimed to provide a holistic review of the existing literature on international business (IB) and international entrepreneurship (IE).
    Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
    Research
    Support to existing/growth businesses
    Internationalisation of Scottish businesses
  • How “export-able” are you? A review of the export readiness literature (2013)

    The review aimed to provide a holistic review of the existing academic literature on export readiness.
    Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
    Research
    Exporting
    Internationalisation of Scottish businesses
  • The growth of employee owned businesses in Scotland (2013)

    The report examines the growth performance and growth dynamics of 12 Scottish employee owned businesses (EOBs) compared to a peer group of companies which have conventional ownership structures.
    Employment Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University
    Research
    Support to existing/growth businesses
  • Golf tourism in Perth and Kinross: an assessment of its growth potential to 2020: final report (2013)

    The golf tourism sector in Perth and Kinross is set to benefit from new investment in golf resorts over the coming years, as well as the hosting of the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014.
    SQW
    Evaluation
    Supporting key sectors
    Tourism
  • The value of golf to Scotland’s economy (2013)

    The research aimed to highlight the importance of Scotland to the golfing industry, and the value that Scotland’s golf economy contributes to the country’s wider economy.
    KPMG
    Research
    Supporting key sectors
    Tourism
  • Building/site search for data centre opportunities: preliminary proposals for data centre options in Scotland (2013)

    The aim of the report was to identify a range of potential sites in Scotland that may be suitable for the development of large data centres.
    Hurley Palmer Flatt
    Research
    Digital markets and enabling technologies
  • Offshore Wind Future Development (Supply Chain) Programme: interim evaluation (2013)

    Scottish Enterprise (SE) has established a Supply Chain Development Programme to exploit the opportunities for Scottish businesses to supply the Offshore Wind (OSW) sector.
    Bellerby Economics Consortium
    Evaluation
    Energy
    Support to existing/growth businesses
  • Business product review: General Strategy Workshop (2013)

    The General Strategic Workshop (GSW) Product is delivered to both direct relationship managed (DRM) and non-DRM businesses within the Scottish Enterprise Strategy Development (SD) Intervention Framework.
    Malcolm Watson Consulting
    Research
    Support to existing/growth businesses
  • Business product review: International Strategy Workshop (2013)

    The International Strategic Workshop (ISW) product is delivered to both direct relationship managed (DRM) and non-DRM businesses within the Scottish Enterprise Strategy Development (SD) Intervention Framework.
    Malcolm Watson Consulting
    Research
    Support to existing/growth businesses
  • Food and Drink Fellowship review (2012)

    The Food and Drink Fellowship training course was launched in September 2010 in response to the perceived demand for formal accredited training for future highly skilled leaders in the Scottish food and drink industry.
    EKOS
    Research
    Food and drink
    Leadership/management development
  • Economic impact of the Scottish Enterprise Seed Fund: final report (2013)

    The Scottish Seed Fund (SSF) aims to address the equity gap for businesses in the £20,000-£100,000 range for start-up and very early stage companies that seek to grow.
    PACEC
    Evaluation
    Support to existing/growth businesses
    Equity investment
  • Economic impact of the Scottish Venture Fund: final report (2013)

    The Scottish Venture Fund (SVF) aims to address the equity gap for businesses in the £2 million - £10 million range for high growth companies at development and expansion stage by investing £500,000 - £2 million on a £ for £ pari passu basis with private sector deal promoting partners.
    PACEC
    Evaluation
    Support to existing/growth businesses
    Equity investment
  • Scottish Development International: inward investment research (2013)

    Scottish Enterprise (SE) and Scottish Development International (SDI) commissioned a literature review of current and emerging trends in the academic literature related to inward investment.
    RSM Tenon
    Research
    Inward investment
  • Scottish Technology Showcase evaluation (2012)

    The Scottish Technology Showcase (STS) is an event held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) designed to showcase Scottish technology capabilities to a broad audience and provide a supportive environment for technology providers in Scotland to collaborate, seize new opportunities and grow their business.
    Scottish Enterprise Appraisal and Evaluation Team
    Evaluation
    Digital markets and enabling technologies
    Support to existing/growth businesses
  • Review of expert support products (2012)

    Scottish Enterprise (SE) currently offers assistance to companies in the form of 10 expert support products (expert advice including: Innovation; ICT; Business Improvement) covering the following areas: ICT; business; innovation; design; collaboration; consortium; employee ownership; life sciences; offshore wind; and marketing.
    EKOS
    Evaluation
    Sector-level support
    Support to existing/growth businesses

Impact appraisal and evaluation guidance

Read our impact appraisal and evaluation guidance to learn more about how we create these reports.

This guidance helps us ensure that any impact assessment for our projects and programmes uses consistent methodologies and is undertaken in a transparent way.

The full guidance is available as a PDF.