The Quarterly Survey of Small Business in Britain
Are you interested in the performance of Britain's population of small and medium-sized firms, and the experiences of business owners and managers? Would you like to find out more about a particular topic, examine regional differences, or track changes in business attitudes and performance over an extended period? The Quarterly Survey of Small Business in Britain provides an authoritative and independent insight into these issues for the benefit of researchers, policy-makers and practitioners.
Latest report
Download the 2013 Q2 report and associated case studies or read the case studies online.
Free access to the Quarterly Survey
You can now get a free PDF download of the latest survey report in our extensive archive of previous reports dating back to 1990.
Free release notifications by email!
Send us your contact details (name, organisation, email address) and we will notify you by email when the latest report is released.
Printed reports – subscriptions and single issue
Subscribe to the full printed report, delivered to your door by first class post for just £200 (annual subscription) or £55 (single issue). Contact Julie Sullivan, Quarterly Survey Administrator for further details.
Research and sponsorship opportunities
Contact Richard Blundel to discuss potential options, including sponsorship of topical questions in a Quarterly Survey report, corporate sponsorship, and commissioned reports.
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Background
The Quarterly Survey has been monitoring small business attitudes and performance since 1984 when it was created by Graham Bannock, research director of the pioneering Bolton Report on small firms. Survey findings have been used by government departments, major business corporations and academic researchers. They also feature in business and general media stories and are reported at a European level as part of the UEAPME's EU Craft and SME Barometer. Each quarterly report represents the views and experiences of more than 1,000 owners and managers. The data is gathered from a national structured sample conducted by telephone, and through a parallel online survey to reflect the complexity and richness of business life in Britain today. The Quarterly Survey report is edited by Dr Richard Blundel working with Emeritus Professor Colin Gray, Dr Jackie Fry, Dr Björn Claes and other open University Business School academics including Dr Matthew Hinton and Dr Anja Schaefer. The survey is supported by Barclays Business, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), and the sponsors of special questions. The Quarterly Survey is editorially independent and any opinions expressed in its reports are not necessarily those of The Open University or of any sponsoring organisations.
Richard Blundel talked about the Quarterly Survey during an interview recorded during a virtual summit on the role of small business in the 'Big Society' (14-18 November 2011). Other speakers included: Dr Vince Cable MP, Nick Hurd MP, Professor Dame Carol Black, Andrew Cave of the Federation of Small Businesses, Carry Somers, founder of fairtrade company, Parachuti, entrepreneurial restaurateur Iqbal Wahhab, and Jim Dinnage, co-owner of Seacourt Ltd.
Business owners: we want to hear from you!
The Quarterly Survey is a regular barometer, reporting on the views and concerns of small and medium-sized businesses in Britain. By becoming a regular participant in the survey, you can engage in this debate and ensure that your voice is heard by decision-makers in government and elsewhere. All participants receive an electronic summary of the findings as they are published.
The online survey takes just a few minutes to complete.
Research student testimonials
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