Small Business Framework - Research - The Legal Services Board

jurisdictions,"or"in"the"UK"and"abroad,"clear"guidance"will"be"necessary"to"limit"
information"obtained"to"that"of"relevance"to"the"survey"objectives."For"example,"
the"experiences"of"a"business"site"outside"the"jurisdiction"of"the"survey"may"be"
relevant" if" the" business" within" the" survey" jurisdiction" controls," or" has" need" to"
understand" the" legal" issues" of," the" extra]jurisdictional" site." No" guidelines" are"
presented"here"or"in"the"model"questionnaire,"as"this"is"a"matter"that"would"need"
to"be"considered"in"the"particular"context"of"any"given"survey"implementation."
To" quicken" progress" from" the" O" to" K" module," non]essential" questions"
could"be"moved"to"the"D"module"(at"the"end"of"the"questionnaire)."
" The" K" module" is" aimed" at" identifying" respondents’" understanding" of"
adviser"types."It"could"be"augmented"to"include"questions"to"test"knowledge"of"
the"law,"or"even"to"include"hypothetical"scenarios"(such"as"those"used"in"Wave"1"
of"the"CSJPS)"to"establish"understanding"of"both"law"and"appropriate"responses"
to"problem"situations.""
" The" R" module" provides" an" overview" of" respondent" businesses’" use" of"
legal" and" related" services" over" the" survey" reference" period," which" is" 1" year"
within" the" model" questionnaire." There" are" methodological" and" political"
considerations"to"be"had"in"finalising"the"list"of"services"in"R1,"and"organisations"
in" R11" (trade" organisations)" and" R19" (government" organisations)." The" critical"
question" is" R1," the" drafting" of" which" is" complicated" by" potential" respondent"
confusion"around"what"types"of"service"fall"within"each"heading"set"out,"and"the"
need"to"balance"detail"and"coverage.""
" Cognitive"testing 36 "indicated"that"the"current"formulation"was"reasonably"
well" comprehended," that" appropriate" organisations" were" considered" to" fall"
within"headings"and"that"the"mix"provided"a"reasonable"balance"between"detail"
and"coverage."The"list"could"be"reduced"by"removing"licensed"conveyancers"(in"
particular)"and"patent/trademark"attorneys"and"agents,"and"relying"on"the"‘other"
legal"advice"service’"category"to"catch"these."However,"cognitive"testing"suggests"
there" is" no" need" to" trim" the" list" further." Alternatively," the" patent/trademark"
attorney"and"agent"category"could"be"split"to"reflect"the"regulatory"framework."
However," unless" piloting" indicates" good" usage," this" may" be" impractical."
Furthermore," it" is" questionable" whether" many" respondents" will" appreciate" the"
difference."Again,"this"was"evident"from"cognitive"testing."
" Where"use"of"services"is"identified,"then"the"number"of"services"of"each"
type"is"established,"along"with"the"details"of"‘other’"service"types."Questions"R3"
and" R4" establish" (in" aggregate" for" each" category" (accountant," legal" services,"
other"independent"advice"services,"specialist"support"service))"whether"there"is"
a"retainer"type"agreement"and,"separately,"whether"there"is"an"intention"to"use"
the"same"service(s)"in"the"future.""
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
36"Details"are"set"out"in"Appendix"A2."
! 59!