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Publication - Research and analysis

Rural Scotland Business Panel survey: report

Published
8 February 2022
Directorate
Environment and Forestry Directorate
ISBN
9781802019728

This report presents findings from the first Rural Scotland Business Panel survey carried out in October/November 2021.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Appendix A: Additional variation

Priorities

Table A.1: 12 month priorities by growth aspiration
  Growth aspiration
Priority over the next 12 months Striving for growth Content Aiming to downsize Total
Keeping pace with new technology 64* 49 42 54
Innovating or evolving what we do 63* 40 26 47
Reaching new markets 57* 27 16 37
Reskilling staff 47* 24 14 31
Moving to low carbon ways of working 32* 23 25 26
Base 1,069 1,337 291 2,726

(figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Table A.2: 12 month priorities by operating level
  Operating level compared with pre-COVID-19
Priority over the next 12 months Over and above Same Below Total
Keeping pace with new technology 64* 52 51 54
Innovating or evolving what we do 55* 43 47 47
Reaching new markets 37 30 45* 37
Reskilling staff 42* 28 29 31
Moving to low carbon ways of working 30* 23 26 26
Base 583 1,105 1,001 2,726

(figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Table A.3: 12 month priorities by markets imported from
  Markets goods are sourced from
Priority over the next 12 months England and Wales Northern Ireland The EU Outside the EU Total
Keeping pace with new technology 56 58 59* 63* 54
Innovating or evolving what we do 50* 53* 56* 60* 47
Reaching new markets 40* 42* 44* 45* 37
Reskilling staff 34* 36* 36* 38* 31
Moving to low carbon ways of working 27 26 28 29 26
Base 1,936 501 951 573 2,726

(figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Table A.4: 12 month priorities by markets exported to
  Markets goods are sold to
Priority over the next 12 months England and Wales Northern Ireland The EU Outside the EU Total
Keeping pace with new technology 61* 63* 62* 62* 54
Innovating or evolving what we do 56* 62* 64* 64* 47
Reaching new markets 47* 53* 53* 55* 37
Reskilling staff 35* 38* 35* 37* 31
Moving to low carbon ways of working 30* 29 30* 28 26
Base 1,324 659 621 566 2,726

(figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Other businesses that were more likely to say some of these factors were priorities in the next 12 months were:

  • Creative industries - keeping pace with new technology (64%), innovating or evolving (60%), reaching new markets (45%) and moving to low carbon ways of working (36%)
  • Tourism - innovating or evolving (56%) and reaching new markets (53%).
  • Financial and business services - keeping pace with new technology (64%).
  • Large businesses (25+ staff) - innovating (60%), reskilling staff (50%) and reaching new markets (48%).

Concerns

  • Food and drink - increased costs (91%), economic uncertainty (76%), changing regulations (71%), supply chain issues (70%), transport (57%), net zero (48%), increased competition (33%) and export markets (26%).
  • Tourism - economic uncertainty (76%), retaining customers (62%), changing regulations (62%), and recruiting or retaining staff (46%).
  • Remote rural businesses - increased costs (84%), changing regulations (59%), transport (46%) and net zero (38%).
  • Island businesses – increased costs (85%), supply chain issues (64%) and transport (56%)
  • Those importing from international markets - economic uncertainty (75%), supply chain issues (70%), changing regulations (62%) and transport (47%).
  • Those exporting to international markets - economic uncertainty (71%), changing regulations (60%) and export markets (27%).

Increased costs

By location:

  • Highlands and Islands - increased costs of exporting goods (78%), labour (67%), and premises (28%).
  • Remote rural locations – increase costs of exporting goods (79%)
  • Island locations – increase costs of exporting goods (85%)
  • Accessible rural locations - increased costs of goods sourced within the UK (88%) and business rates (26%).

By sector:

  • Food and drink - increased costs of goods sourced in the UK (92%), utilities (other than electricity/gas) (72%), labour (70%), business rates (34%), and premises (30%).

Financial and business services - decreased cost of premises (5%) and stability in a range of other areas.

Impacts of supply chain issues

By sector:

  • Tourism - increased costs (83%), changing suppliers (48%), amending or diversifying offer (42%), postponing investment plans (42%), scaling back production or services (37%), and changing market focus (34%).
  • Food and drink - increased costs (88%) and postponing investment plans (38%).

By import markets:

  • England and Wales and international markets - difficulties delivering services/ fulfilling orders (49% and 53% respectively), amending or diversifying offer (33% and 37%), changing supplier (38% and 39%), and changing market focus (28% and 30%).

By export markets:

  • England and Wales - amending or diversifying offer (35%) and changing market focus (32%).
  • Northern Ireland - amending or diversifying offer (36%) and changing market focus (34%).
  • Outside the EU - amending or diversifying offer (40%) and changing market focus (37%).

Contact

Email: socialresearch@gov.scot

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