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The Quarterly Survey of Small Business in Britain (1984-2014)

Front covers of quarterly surveys

The Open University Business School was part of The Quarterly Survey of Small Business in Britain, which monitored small business attitudes and performance from 1984 to 2014. Downloadable copies of the reports, ensures that these authoritative and independent insights remain available for the benefit of researchers, policy makers and practitioners.

In addition to the surveys, a set of in-depth commissioned reports is available covering topics of interest to SMEs, such as the impact of government regulations on small firms, the role of asset finance, and the use of professional accounting services.

Some of the surveys are available on the link below, with a more complete set of reports due to be collated for public use in due course.

Download reports free of charge

About the survey

The Quarterly Survey was created in 1984 by Graham Bannock, research director of the pioneering Bolton Report on small firms. Each report represented the views and experiences of more than 1,000 business owners and managers. The data was gathered from a national structured sample, conducted by telephone, and through a parallel online survey that reflects the complexity and richness of business life in Britain in recent times. From 1989 The Open University hosted The Quarterly Survey, and formally adopted it in 2009. Read a short history of the survey.

Research and sponsorship opportunities

The Open University Business School continues to host an active group of researchers working on SMEs and entrepreneurship. Today’s researchers have an international scope and a particular focus on social and sustainable enterprise.  We also have researchers working in related fields such as family business, impact investment, voluntary organisations, and collaborative leadership.  Please get in touch if you are interested in discussing potential business opportunities, such as commissioned research studies and reports.