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Background
As part of the economic regeneration programme being implemented by Bedfordshire County Council, England Marketing were commissioned to carry out some research into the perceptions of UK businesses, exploring their views of Bedfordshire as a county and the factors that would be important to them when considering where to locate/relocate an office. The study was a repeat of an exercise carried out last year, with the aim to compare and contrast the two sets of findings to identify trends.
Methodology
From a database supplied by Bedfordshire County Council, England Marketing carried out over 400 in-depth telephone interviews with Senior Managers and/or owners of companies across the UK. The respondents were selected from different sectors and from different company sizes to provide a representative sample of UK industry.
Following the completion of the research, the results were compared with those received last year to identify key trends and to highlight specific areas for improvement.
Outcomes
Both the 2006/07 and 2007/08 studies have been incorporated into action plans with the aim of formulating a strategy to improve Bedfordshire's image which in turn would then be implemented and monitored to support economic growth. The economic regeneration programme is a long-term objective for the Council and it is expected that the research will be carried out again next year to provide further benchmarks to support the regeneration of the county.
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