Global Connections Survey: guidance

Other guidance

Guidance on international sales (question 7)

If you answered that you have customers based outside the UK in question 6, you should answer question 7. Sales to these customers are counted as international exports. The percentage refers to the total sales provided in question 5.

Guidance for barriers to international business

In question 9, World Aid Funded Business includes opportunities offered by the various multilateral development agencies including the World Bank Group, European Commission, United Nations agencies and various regional development banks, also known as aid-funding agencies.

Guidance for overseas relationships

In question 12, the following descriptions cover the types of overseas relationships/operations we are interested in:

Subsidiary: wholly or partly owned by a parent company, where the parent company would hold a controlling interest. For example, the parent company holds more than 50% of the stock, shares or other equity.

Sales office: the work address of the representative or agent.

Joint venture: the establishment of a new independent enterprise, with or without equity share. Typically a joint venture has its own distinct identity and separate operation procedures. Strategic Alliances and Franchises should be included in this category.

Other: This includes technology licensing (a contract between independent firms to transfer novel technologies, rights or resources); R&D Alliances (agreements to undertake specific tasks which are generally terminated at the completion of these tasks); Outsourcing (generally involves a firm(s) agreeing that other firm(s) should carry out the production of its innovative goods or services); Value Chain Partnerships (are generally long-term contracts, transfer of skills, managerial techniques and joint R&D).

Time and cost of completing the survey

In question 13, we ask about the time and cost of completing the survey to assess the burden that this has had on your business. Under the principles of the National Statistics Code of Practice, which is a statutory requirement covering all UK organisations that are responsible for official statistics, we must balance the needs of the users against the burden on providers. We have a duty to report on respondent burden, and this question is an attempt to measure this burden.