Welcome!

Note: please now go to our newest 2021 survey which is phase two of this project, available for business via:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Phoenix21
And for employees via:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HappyAtWork21

What is this? An invitation to be part of the leading-edge research project "Knowledge is Power - Business and the New Unknown" helping businesses like yours through the pandemic at most uncertain times & informing policymakers about best decisions.
Why is the project needed?  So much is unknown about the impact of this pandemic, the underlying post-Brexit uncertainty and other challenges for UK businesses. New data is urgently needed. 

How can this project make a difference to you? It will provide you and policy-makers timely information on vital business aspects to find out what works for business, for whom and how to support you.
How is this research different than others? This is not just a one-time research project; this is a scientific, in-depth and longer-term project. We are with you for the long haul, collecting data three times: (1) now during the pandemic, (2) shortly after lockdown eases and (3) when things settle down hopefully to normal. Only this long-term design can give businesses and policymakers the best, most relevant and timely knowledge.
Who designed this science-driven project? A team of experts (Professors, Research Fellows) in economics, business and management, with extensive business-related research expertise and internationally-significant research knowledge.

Who is invited to take part? Businesses in the UK, all sizes are welcome - yes, sole traders too.
How many participants are needed? Minimum 500 fully filled-in questionnaires, which is very hard to achieve. So we are inviting thousands of businesses. Please actively share your invitation with as many businesses as you know, to enable precise, useful research outcomes.

What are you invited to do? Fill in the following on-line questionnaire, designed to take no longer than 10 minutes, open online now until 30 July 2020.
Who in your business should fill it in? The Manager / Owner mainly involved with the performance or strategy side

All responses are kept strictly confidential, shall be stored in a GDPR compliant way, and shall be anonymised so that no business can be identified in any reporting. If you have further questions or queries about this survey, please contact the team's research fellow via APetrescu@uclan.ac.uk (e-mail monitored daily).

Thank you in advance for completing this survey.
The Research Team
Professor Sue Smith, Professor in Innovation and Enterprise, Chair of the Centre for SME Development
Professor Philip B. Whyman, Professor of Economics, Director of the Lancashire Institute for Economic and Business Research (LIEBR)
Dr. Adrian Wright, Director of the Institute for Research into Organisations, Work and Employment (iROWE)
Dr. Alina I. Petrescu, Research Fellow in Labour Economics
Val Moon, SME Practice and Impact Analyst
Alison Hitchen, Interim Head of SME Development

Question Title

* To check that you give us your consent to take part, please read below and tick accordingly:

What sort of information do we need? About your current and past workforce, turnover, support you need and general business activity. Some questions invite you to write freely, specifically to make your voice heard - so do express your concerns and/or share successes. It is extremely helpful if you answer all questions.
We hope very much that you join the project and stay with us for the three phases of this research - so we need the name and postcode of your business and we shall keep these on our records indefinitely as strictly confidential. ALL reporting will be anonymous. We need this information to follow how the business community has coped with the pandemic and its ramifications, and to see whether additional support might be required at different points over the next year or so.

Participation is voluntary - you can opt out without any consequences.

What if you don't know how to answer?  If unsure please fill in rough estimates or averages. Every piece of information is helpful, especially if the whole survey is filled in. If you can't complete the questionnaire in one sitting, you can save and return at a later stage.

What will we do with your information?  We shall write reports which you can retrieve from our website for FREE. We shall inform policymakers in most influential ways we can. Anonymized results will published to help academics and practitioners shape a better future for business and the community.  

Our contacts are:
E-mail: APetrescu@uclan.ac.uk
Postal Address: Centre for SME Development, Greenbank Building, UCLan, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2 HE. Telephone: 01772 894321.
Follow us at: @UCLanBusiness 
Webpage: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/business_at_uclan/centre-sme-development.php

I confirm that I have read the above information and I AGREE TO TAKE PART in this research:

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