Conducting the Community Analysis

1. Conducting theCommunity Analysis

2. What is a Community Analysis? • Includes market research and broader analysis of community assets and challenges • Provides information for current and potential entrepreneurs to assess market opportunities and analyze community norms and shared beliefs • Useful for determining the quality of life offered by the community

3. The Community Analysis will draw on information from: • Community presentations • Entrepreneur interviews • Government and municipal sources • Personal observations

4. Primary and Secondary Data • Primary data: • Collected by the user for a specific purpose • May be collected via survey, interview, focus group or observation • Meets specific needs of a researcher; however it is expensive and time consuming to collect Secondary data: • Collected for a general information need • May originate from experts, trade or commercial information sources, government, community literature • Less costly and more quickly accessible; may not fit the researchers needs as well as primary data

5. Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data Qualitative data: Usually involves words or images Researcher subjectively seeks to understand and interpret data to reveal patterns and themes Quantitative data: Numerical data that can be analyzed using statistical methods Researcher behaves as an objective observer the qualitative Both qualitative and quantitative data are useful in the community analysis

6. Evaluating Data Sources Before relying on secondary data, ask: Who is the author? Is the author an expert on the topic? Has the information been reviewed by knowledgeable experts for accuracy and bias? How old is the information? Why was the information compiled (commercial, public use)? Who is the intended audience?

7. Ethics and Confidentiality Critical to follow ethical practices in collecting, recording, and reporting data Federal and university standards may apply when collecting data from human subjects Researcher is responsible for guarding against harm to participants

8. Guidelines for protecting human subjects Participants may not be forced into participating or sharing information Protect participants from harm, including loss of time, disclosing confidential information Protect identity of participants; carefully safeguard information collected from individuals participating in the research Take care not to discuss information in a public setting

9. Components of the Community Analysis

10. Community Overview Provides an introduction to the community and an overview of current conditions Presents significant issues facing the community that may affect residents in the next several years

11. Community Residents Describes characteristics of the population of the community Potential to identify underserved markets for new businesses Economic Stability Of the economic conditions in the community that impact consumers’ purchasing power Community Overview

12. Quality of Life Describes the community in terms of its attractiveness as a place to live and work Community Resiliency Does the community have the potential to bounce back from adversity? Community Values Community attitudes regarding change, support of local businesses Community Overview

13. Retail Sector Analysis Describes the location, mix and quality of the retail sector in the community Infrastructure Analysis Description of the physical qualities of the community that have the potential to impact businesses CommunityOverview

14. Getting Started Review the Community Analysis Guide included in the Community Analysis Project Description Be prepared to take good notes at the Community Leader presentation Arrange interview with entrepreneur Begin researching secondary data sources and collecting needed information

15. End Result Teams will prepare a Community Analysis Report. Report will summarize findings of research and offer recommendations for enhancing the downtown business district Brief oral presentation of results and recommendations to class and community representatives