Surveys

The FAI has long experience of undertaking surveys on the Scottish economy and is involved in the production of a number of leading surveys of the Scottish economy, including the Royal Bank of Scotland Business Monitor, the Scottish Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Economic Indicator and the Aberdeen and Grampian Oil and Gas Survey. 

Business surveys have immense value in providing a snapshot of current activity levels and can act as a leading indicator of performance, often many months before officials statistics are available. Our surveys play a crucial role in monitoring Scotland’s private sector economy and reporting on business conditions. They provide regular indicators of both current and expected business trends, market conditions, financial factors, business conditions and concerns. 

Information collected from business surveys provide some of the data needed for constructing official statistics. The rapid rate of change in economic data creates a demand for quick estimators/indicators of these changes ideally ‘as they are happening’. Survey data have the advantages of essentially being instantaneously accessible, never being revised and furthermore having little or no measurement errors. 

Scottish Business Monitor

The Scottish Business Monitor is one of Scotland’s leading surveys of business activity and sentiment. It was first published in 1998 – with this year marking the 21st year of consistent results. It is one of the largest Scottish business surveys with over 400 businesses – from across Scotland – contributing each quarter.  The Business Monitor, sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland is a definitive monitor of Scottish business trends, market conditions, exports, financial factors and business conditions in the Scottish economy.  It provides an important indication of current economic and business trading conditions well in advance of official data.

See the latest Scottish Business Monitor.

Oil and Gas survey

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce is independently conducted by the Fraser of Allander Institute.  It is produced in partnership with the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce and KPMG. 

The survey was established in 1996 and is published bi-annually.  It provides an authoritative overview of trends in activity, investment, employment and optimism in the UKCS and internationally. It also explores key policy questions of the day and the implications for business. Its findings are used by both Scottish Chambers of Commerce and British Chambers of Commerce to develop national energy policy.

The Quarterly Economic Indicator

The Scottish Chambers of Commerce Economic Development Intelligence Unit produce the Quarterly Economic Indicator in conjunction with the Fraser of Allander Institute. It is Scotland’s longest running business survey of its kind and regularly provides an accurate and authoritative picture of the health of the Scottish economy and the issues facing businesses across various sectors.