Export Statistics Scotland: methodology

Global Connections Survey: sample

To maximise the chances of getting useful data, we identify businesses that are likely to be exporters using a range of sources. These include previous GCS data, ONS' Monthly Business Survey, ONS' International Trade In Services survey, and HMRC’s exporters list. If a business has been identified as an exporter, we include them in the sample.  

We also include all businesses with 100 or more employees, that have not already been excluded as described in Global Connections Survey: population.

The GCS is a voluntary survey, which means that not all of the businesses we invite to take part will complete the survey. To improve the response rate, if a business has taken part in the GCS in the past 6 years, then we will include them in the sample and invite them to take part again. Since GCS 2020, we have also included businesses that have recently responded to the export question in the Business Insights and Conditions Survey.  

Since 2020, we have sought to increase representation of businesses in industries that were identified in Scotland's Economic Strategy (2015) as sectors where Scotland performs well compared to other countries. More information is available in the Scottish Government's Industry Statistics. We included relevant companies from the Life Sciences and Technology sectors. We also increased representation in Renewables and FinTech. To increase the sample size, we also targeted SIC codes that were underrepresented.