Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board
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interview" containing" only" those" modules" or" series" of" questions" of" relevance"<br />
should"be"used.""<br />
Where" an" initial" respondent" is" not" able" to" answer" detailed" questions"<br />
around"legal"issues"faced"by"the"business,"either"in"general"(O3)"or"in"relation"to"<br />
specific" problem" types" within" the" P" module" (P5/P6)," then," following"<br />
determination"of"this"fact,"further"questioning"should"be"limited"as"appropriate."<br />
'<br />
Cognitive'Testing'<br />
<strong>The</strong>" main" service" use" and" problem" identification" questions" were" subject" to"<br />
cognitive"testing"with"a"small"purposive"sample"of"SMEs"drawn"from"a"range"of"<br />
sectors"and"ranging"in"size"from"single]person"businesses"to"one"business"with"<br />
100" staff." This" testing" highlighted" a" number" of" issues" that" we" have" tried" to"<br />
address"in"the"draft"questionnaire"set"out"below."<br />
" With" regard" to" service" use," the" R1" (professional" services)" showcard" list"<br />
was"generally"regarded"as"easy"to"navigate,"with"the"items"being"reasonably"well"<br />
understood."<strong>The</strong>re"was"some"uncertainty"as"to"the"technical"distinction"between"<br />
some"entries,"such"as"patent"attorneys"and"patent"agents,"suggesting"there"may"<br />
be"relatively"little"scope"for"effective"further"disaggregation."In"any"event,"there"<br />
is"a"careful"balance"to"be"struck"between"the"inclusion"of"specific"service"types"<br />
and"the"maintenance"of"an"easily"accessible"(i.e."relatively"short)"list."Comments"<br />
were" made" about" the" level" of" detail" in" showcards," with" a" clear" preference" for"<br />
short"lists"that"can"be"quickly"scanned."A"key"issue"to"consider"will"be"the"level"of"<br />
usage" of" different" types" of" legal" service," and" here" piloting" will" provide" critical"<br />
information.""<br />
" Also" evident" (even)" from" cognitive" testing" was" that" there" are" types" of"<br />
legal"service"that"may"be"used"relatively"little"in"general,"but"quite"frequently"in"<br />
specific"business"sectors"or"locations."<br />
It"is"recommended"that"further"developmental"work"be"undertaken"in"this"<br />
area," and" that" further" and" clear" guidance" be" made" available" to" interviewers" to"<br />
ensure"consistency"of"respondent"understanding.""<br />
" With" regard" to" problem" identification," as" with" surveys" of" individuals,"<br />
there" is" an" issue" around" what" constitutes" a" ‘problem’." Linking" to" the" fact" that"<br />
what"is"anomalous"for"one"business"may"be"routine"for"another,"what"is"regarded"<br />
as"problematic"for"one"business"will"not"necessarily"be"problematic"for"another."<br />
In"light"of"cognitive"testing,"additional"guidance"was"incorporated"into"the"draft"<br />
questionnaire" to" ensure" that" the" idea" of" a" ‘problem’" is" understood" to" require"<br />
some"cost"(not"necessarily"monetary)"to"a"business."In"particular,"the"phrase"“By"<br />
a" problem" I" mean" something" that" diverted" or" distracted" you" [or" anybody" else"<br />
within" your" business]," in" a" significant" way," from" your" everyday" work”" was"<br />
introduced,"to"provide"an"indication"of"a"cost"requirement"and"also"act"as"a"basic"<br />
triviality"threshold.""<br />
However," it" should" be" recognised" that" no" definition" of," or" guidance" on,"<br />
what" constitutes" a" problem" will" eliminate" the" fact" that" there" is" a" substantial"<br />
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