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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Recommendation!6!<br />
Sector"specific"surveys"could"use"sample"frames"sourced"from"regulatory"or"<br />
business"organisations’"data,"provided"that"data"coverage"is"high.!<br />
"<br />
Recommendation!7!<br />
Owner]managers/managing" directors" should" be" interviewed" to" ensure" data"<br />
quality."<br />
" !<br />
A"survey’s"sample"size"should"permit"conclusions"to"be"made"with"a"level"<br />
of" uncertainty" tolerable" for" key" survey" statistics" within" the" cost" constraints" of"<br />
the"survey."It"is"not"an"arbitrary"choice"based"on"what"other"surveys"have"done,"<br />
nor" should" it" be" calculated" as" a" particular" proportion" of" the" frame" population"<br />
size." One" common" method" of" determining" an" appropriate" sample" size" is" to"<br />
determine"the"sample"size"required"to"provide"a"predetermined"standard"error"<br />
for"a"specific"key"statistic."However,"relatively"few"surveys"(including"this"one)"<br />
can" be" reduced" to" a" single" key" statistic." Compromises" are" likely" to" need" to" be"<br />
made" on" the" sample" design" and" sample" size" required" to" address" research"<br />
questions"within"budgetary"constraints."In"the"context"of"multi]purpose"surveys,"<br />
sample"size"is"a"matter"of"art"as"well"as"science."<strong>The</strong>"Hong"Hong"SME"legal"need"<br />
survey"had"a"sample"size"of"1,813,"and"the"Dutch"surveys"around"2,000."<strong>The</strong>"BIS"<br />
<strong>Small</strong>" <strong>Business</strong>" Survey" has" a" sample" of" 4,000." Experience" with" the" CSJS/CSJPS"<br />
suggests" that" while" a" sample" size" of" 2,000" can" provide" a" range" of" high]level"<br />
estimates"and"illustrate"some"patterns"of"experience,"a"sample"size"of"4,000"can"<br />
yield" reasonably" reliable" and" detailed" results" across" a" broad" range" of" areas."<br />
However," if" survey" data" is" to" be" used" to" monitor" change" over" time" for" key"<br />
statistics," then" further" considerations" come" into" play." Again," though," a" sample"<br />
size" of" around" 4,000" would" be" adequate" to" identify" modest" changes" in" key"<br />
statistics"(e.g."4,300"per"survey"for"two"surveys"would"identify"a"change"in"the"<br />
percentage"using"legal"advice"from"40"per"cent"to"43"per"cent"with"an"alpha"of"<br />
0.05"(two]tailed)"and"80"per"cent"power)."<br />
"<br />
Recommendation!8!<br />
A"sample"size" of" 4,000"would"provide" reasonable"power"to"observe"modest"<br />
(though" not" small)" changes" in" time" for" high]level" estimates." It" would" also"<br />
enable"analysis"at"a"reasonable"level"of"detail."<br />
! "<br />
In"the"context"of"the"CSJS,"a"small"sample"survey"was"undertaken"in"2001"<br />
to" demonstrate" the" profound" difference" of" experience" of" those" living" in"<br />
temporary" accommodation," as" compared" to" the" general" population." In" the"<br />
context" of" a" business]focused" survey," a" similar" approach" might" be" taken" to"<br />
explore"the"experience"of"medium"sized"businesses,"which"make"up"just"0.6%"of"<br />
SMEs," yet" account" for" 20%" of" employment" and" 29%" of" turnover" in" the" SME"<br />
! 75!