Scottish Government

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

The research project

1.1 The Scottish Executive has developed an International Strategy which aims to promote Scotland and Scottish devolved policy interests internationally. The strategy provides a broad framework to guide the work of the Scottish Executive, its agencies and NDPBs on international issues, bringing together international work already set out in existing documents such as the Global Connections Strategy, A Framework for Higher Education in Scotland and the Tourism Framework for Action 2002-2005.

1.2 The strategy acts as a broad foundation document and a series of companion documents have been produced, including strategies for three countries, Germany, China and the USA. Their purpose is to guide Scotland's engagement with these countries; improve co-ordination of activities undertaken by government and others; encourage collaboration and add focus and momentum to Scotland's efforts in those countries.

1.3 The development of the strategy for Scotland's stronger engagement with the USA (referred to throughout this report as the USA Strategy) reflects the continued economic, political, cultural and scientific importance of the country over the coming decades. The strategy focuses on opportunities within 7 States: California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina and Texas and, additionally the Washington DC metropolitan area. This regional prioritisation is designed to make best use of Scotland's limited resources, although it does not preclude activity in other regions as opportunities arise.

1.4 The framework includes 7 objectives and associated targets, which will be used to monitor progress on achieving the objectives up to 2010. Each of the objectives is underpinned by a specific target or indicator. Table 1.1 shows the objectives and associated targets:

Table 1.1: Strategy framework for Scotland's stronger engagement with the USA: Objectives and Targets

1.5 Appropriate data already exists that will enable progress against most of the targets to be monitored. The Scottish Executive commissioned TNS System Three to conduct a research project to provide additional information where gaps were identified. An initial desk-based review determined that new research was required to establish baseline data, for future progress monitoring, for objectives 1 and 2. Research was also required to investigate decision-making among key target groups, specifically businesses, students and their academic advisers. While carrying out the research among the different groups of interest, the opportunity was taken to investigate suitable communications for use in promoting Scotland in the future.

1.6 The aim of the research project was to provide:

• baseline data relating to the profile and understanding of Scotland among the general public and business people;
• an understanding of decision making in relation to studying in and forming business links with Scotland;
• information on perceptions of Scotland and specific marketing materials.

Research Elements and Issues

1.7 The research project involved:

• scoping phase including preliminary desk research and discussions with key stakeholders, to identify the existing evidence base and define the extent of the primary research;
• primary research:
• online panel survey research among the general public;
• online survey research among business people;
• two focus group discussions among the general public;
• seven focus group discussions among students;
• seven depth interviews with academics;
• seven depth interviews with business people.

1.8 An important part of the initial phase was to scope the primary research and establish the sample definition for each element of the research, as described above. In particular decisions were taken, in consultation with the Research Advisory Group ( RAG) supporting the project, on the extent to which, and how, elements of the research should be narrowly focused or broadly defined. An overview of all of the research audiences is appended to this report. Given the numbers of different research audiences and the range of topics covered, the budget for each element was relatively limited. This inevitably constrained the sample sizes and methods used.

1.9 For the survey among the general public, the agreed sample definition was adults aged 16+ who have travelled abroad in the past five years or intend to travel abroad in the next two years. This was intended to target those who may be more likely to engage with Scotland and therefore to provide important information about baseline awareness and perceptions amongst this group. The disadvantage of targeting respondents in this way was that it did not enable current levels of awareness of Scotland throughout a broad sample to be measured. However, the RAG acknowledged that it may be difficult to detect changes over time on measures such as awareness, should a broad sample definition be used.

1.10 The research was specifically conducted in the 8 target regions in the USA. There is considerable variation in population size between the regions involved (from 36.5m for California and 0.5m for Washington, DC). However, despite this the sample was not designed to be proportionate to the population and instead even numbers of respondents were sought in each area. The reason for this was that, if using proportionate sampling, in order to achieve a reasonable number of interviews for analysis in the smallest region, an extremely large number of interviews would have been required in the largest region. As this was a large scale research project, the budget available for this element limited the overall sample size, and therefore proportionate sampling was not possible. The ability to compare across geography is therefore limited. Further details of the sample and method used appear in chapter 2.

1.11 The business survey was conducted using an online methodology across the USA, rather than within the target regions. This is because the activities of Scottish Development International ( SDI), the lead organisation for international business activity, are determined by business sector rather than geographic area. SDI specifically targets relatively senior individuals within companies who have involvement in decision making about international activity. As a result, and due to the online method used, the response rate was low. A telephone survey would have been expected to achieve a higher response rate, but was not used due to cost.

1.12 Two databases were used to provide the sample for this survey, both supplied by SDI: one consisting of target businesses for SDI and a second that consisted of companies previously in receipt of SDI promotional material being used in the survey. The numbers of useable contact details in the initial database of target businesses and the numbers of responses achieved led to the additional promotional database being used in the survey. The questionnaire was sent to all names included in the two databases, although not all named respondents could be contacted and not all of those who were contacted considered they were eligible to take part. Further details of the sample and method used in the business survey appear in chapter 3.

1.13 The sample for the qualitative elements in consisted of those who had at least heard of Scotland, although respondents were not required to have current or previous engagement with Scotland ( e.g. doing business with Scotland or sending students to Scotland). Thus, although respondents did have existing views of Scotland, at the same time, their knowledge was usually very limited. The results therefore represent a range of views from those who are in the broad marketplace for some form of engagement with Scotland rather than those who might be the most likely to engage.

1.14 Only two focus groups were conducted with the general public, concentrating on the specific communications being tested in the research. This was partly because considerable information already exists on decision making amongst the general public, particularly in relation to visiting other countries and also due to the budget available.

1.15 For business people, telephone depth interviews were carried out and more emphasis was placed on decision making, rather than on testing communications (specifically the images were not tested).

1.16 Further details of the sample and method used in the qualitative research with the general public are in chapter 2, the business qualitative research in chapter 3 and the qualitative research with academics and students in chapter 4.

Research Report

1.17 The report that follows is intended to provide an update to the strategic framework for Scotland's stronger engagement with the USA.

1.18 Chapter 2 provides information of relevance to the objective 'raise the profile and understanding of Scotland in the USA.' It includes baseline results from the survey conducted with the general public and limited information from focus groups about existing perceptions of Scotland.

1.19 In chapter 3 we present results from the business survey and in-depth interviews. These were designed to provide baseline measures of awareness and perception about Scotland, and explore the decision making of businesses engaging internationally.

1.20 The results of the group discussions with students and in depth interviews with academics, specifically those relating to decision making associated with studying abroad, are covered in chapter 4.

1.21 Qualitative communications research, exploring specific directional themes, supporting facts and images was also undertaken as part of this research project and the results will be made available through a marketing report USA Strategy Communications Report.

Change in Government

1.22 It should be noted that since this research was commissioned a new Scottish government has been formed, which means that the report reflects commitments and strategic objectives conceived under the previous administration. The strategies, objectives and commitments referred to in this report should not therefore be treated as current Government policy.