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National Expert Interviews: Review of Changes for 2004 Propositions for 2005. Erkko Autio HEC Lausanne & Helsinki University of Technology. Major Changes from 2004. The factor structures continue to demonstrate astonishing stability and reliability
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National Expert Interviews: Review of Changes for 2004 Propositions for 2005 Erkko Autio HEC Lausanne & Helsinki University of Technology
Major Changes from 2004 • The factor structures continue to demonstrate astonishing stability and reliability • All changes made for 2004 turned out to be improvements • Significant improvement on KI04DSU2 • Significant improvement on KI04KSUM • Virtually all internal reliability coefficients either remained stable or improved
Changes and Improvements for 2005 • Radically modify B07 • Modify L01 • Tweak P05
Other Considerations • Drop adult population survey attitude and activity questions? • Add 1 category? (e.g., specific emphasis on growth entrepreneurship) • Rotate categories?
Focus on High-Growth Entrepreneurship • In my country, there are many support initiatives that are specially tailored for high-growth entrepreneurial activity. • In my country, policy-makers are aware of the importance of high-growth entrepreneurial activity. • In my country, government programs have sufficient skills and competence to support high-growth firms. • In my country, high-growth potential is often used as a selection criterion in entrepreneurship support initiatives. • In my country, government programs are highly selective when choosing recipients of entrepreneurship support.
Plans for Key Informant Data • One person worked for 4 months on KI dataset consolidation and construct validation in 2004 • Compliments by Helsinki University of Technology • Multi-level analysis to validate factor structures • Consolidate dataset and put it on the GEM-internal domain with validation reports • Put the key informant dataset on the public domain?
Face-to-Face Interviews • New teams should do face-to-face interviews: they provide an excellent source of information on country-specific policy conditions • In addition, it might be valuable for established teams to interview a sample of policy-makers every two or three years • But, it is doubtful if it adds value to code interview discussion issues and categorize the data
How to Add Value with F2F Interviews • One idea: collect information on successful policy initiatives in selected policy domains (e.g., ”name the most successful initiative in your country”) • E.g., public initiatives to provide funding for high-growth entrepreneurs • E.g., initiatives to encourage women entrepreneurship • E.g., initiatives to encourage university-industry technology transfer • The successful initiatives are documented, using standard format, with emphasis on distinctive features • Would require 4-10 interviews per country per theme • A ”theme owner” would compile the reports and produce a report
Elaborating Policy Themes with F2Fs • Problem 1: after a while, teams start to view F2Fs as a waste of time, because of information saturation • Problem 2: no one ever uses the category data (Issue Summary Sheet data) that is collected in F2F interviews • Dilemma: F2Fs represent tremendous potential value • Promoting the team and GEM amongst key decision makers • Refreshing and updating one’s ’feel’ about current policy issues in one’s national context • Enhancing face and name recognition • F2Fs provide a source of rich data • GEM’s global network of national teams represents [potentially] uniquely valuable global interface with key policy deicsionmakers
What We Propose, Therefore, • An approach to re-invigorating F2Fs as an integral element of GEM • Leverage F2Fs globally to compile and process rich, policy-relevant data on selected themes (e.g., education, access to finance, etc) • Idea: • Several countries (at least 10, preferably 15-20) would carry 4-8 interviews on the given topic with selected experts • Focus on relevant policy issues on that theme, current trends, modes of thinking, examples of successful and innovative initiatives • Write a 5-10 –page summary report, complemented with documents, web links etc • Summary reports would be used to construct a broader framework and compile a global summary • Individual teams could then elaborate policy implications for their national contexts and publish their own report together with the compilation report
Benefits and Catches • Benefit: globally unique compilation report that would really resonate with policy-makers’ needs • Enable comparisons between low-medium-high income countries • Enable peer-to-peer comparisons • Benefit: the national team would establish for itself a reputation as a leading source of policy-relevant expertise in the domain • Catch: processing qualitative data is resource-consuming – dedicated champions are needed • Catch: national teams cannot be told to go out and do the interviews, they must see sufficient value-added for themselves
How Many Themes? • One proposition: 1 generic theme (e.g., access to finance) • Benefit: likely more countries per theme, more focus • Drawback: one theme per annum would mean long delays between themes • Another proposition: 2-3 themes, provided that champions and sufficient interest can be mobilized • Benefit: more themes for national teams to draw on, more rapid rotation of themes • Drawback: potential for confusion, loss of momentum