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Purpose — This chapter provides an overview of the sampling outcomes of the field surveys. This includes a description of the samples from the VISTA Follow-On survey and the Special survey covering both Metropolitan Melbourne and the Latrobe Regional Samples. Analysis includes an assessment of the coverage of the samples plus a discussion of the rationale and outcomes for improved sample coverage from the Special survey.

Methodology — The methodology adopted concerns the quantitative statistical analysis of survey sample coverage and cross tabulation of these findings from statistics on the population being sampled.

Findings — The Vista Follow-On survey approach was an effective means of targeting households for survey and also reduced the number of questions required. However, the resulting sample had low coverage of extremely disadvantaged groups. An adjustment to the survey quotas and a new recruitment method termed the Special survey were implemented to address this issue. This proved effective in obtaining a more balanced sample.

Gig microentrepreneurs are individuals who have embraced short-term gigs as an entrepreneurial agency for both financial and social livelihood. Based on surveys in 2020 and 2023, the research reported here presents a comprehensive, empirical portrait of two cohorts of gig microentrepreneurs. This portrait captures the similarities and differences of gig microentrepreneurs in terms of offline and online business models and the nature of gig work. Recognizing that there is not a “typical” gig microentrepreneur will help ensure that this gig business model continues to evolve without boundaries in terms of demographics, motivations and behavior and will enable marketing and entrepreneurship scholars to better assist in entrepreneurial growth and development. The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the gig microentrepreneur regardless of the nature of the gig work.

The research involved two separate surveys in the USA. The first survey took place in July 2020, and the second survey took place in April 2023 after major changes had taken place in the economy and in society (e.g. the COVID pandemic). Both surveys used samples generated by Dynata, an online consumer panel company with access to more than 70 million consumers worldwide who have agreed to participate as panel members.

The surveys provided answers to questions about the demographic and behavioral aspects of gig microentrepreneurs, including who they are, the number and type of gig activities in which they participate, the financial livelihood generated from gig income, the social livelihood inherent in gig work and dissatisfaction with being a microentrepreneur in the gig economy. These findings produced insights into why individuals engage in gig activities and the positive and negative impacts of that engagement. Based on the findings, nuances and trends within the gig economy and among gig microentrepreneurs are identified and discussed.

The research limitations include lack of generalizability outside of the USA, use of panel data and survivor bias.

Consumers, gig microentrepreneurs, companies and government agencies can benefit from the growth in the gig economy. The vast array of gig activities in which gig microentrepreneurs engage clearly shows the need for an on-demand workforce. There are both economic and societal benefits to having a labor-force that can meet a breadth of demands with varying timeframes.

Whether gig microentrepreneurs are engaging in gig work to augment their income because of economic insecurity or for intrinsic reasons, the motivations and behaviors of the gig microentrepreneurs are indicative of the talent and resources needed to keep the US economy moving forward positively.

As noted by several scholars conducting research on the gig economy, little is known about gig microentrepreneurs – who they are, what they do and why they do it. Current research on the gig economy tends to focus on online platform companies. This research offers an exploratory look at microentrepreneurs who engage in gig activities both online and offline without geographic or technological boundaries.

The research enterprise within higher education is becoming more competitive as funding agencies require more collaborative research projects, higher-level of accountability and competition for limited resources. As a result, research analytics has emerged as a field, like many other areas within higher education to act as a data-informed unit to better understand how research institutions can effectively grow their research strategy. This is a new and emerging field within higher education.

As businesses and other industries are embracing recent advances in data technologies such as cloud computing and big data analytic tools to inform decision making, research administration in higher education is seeing a potential in incorporating advanced data analytics to improve day-to-day operations and strategic advancement in institutional research. This paper documents the development of a survey measuring research administrators’ perspectives on how higher education and other research institutions perceive the use of data and analytics within the research administration functions. The survey development process started with composing a literature review on recent developments in data analytics within the research administration in the higher education domain, from which major components of data analytics in research administration were conceptualized and identified. This was followed by an item matrix mapping the evidence from literature with corresponding, newly drafted survey items. After revising the initial survey based on suggestions from a panel of subject matter experts to review, a pilot study was conducted using the revised survey instrument and validated by employing the Rasch measurement analysis.

After revising the survey based on suggestions from the subject matter experts, a pilot study was conducted using the revised survey instrument. The resultant survey instrument consists of six dimensions and 36 survey items with an establishment of reasonable item fit, item separation and reliability. This survey protocol is useful for higher educational institutions to gauge research administrators’ perceptions of the culture of data analytics use in the workplace. Suggestions for future revisions and potential use of the survey were made.

Very limited scholarly work has been published on this topic. The use of data-informed and data-driven approaches with in research strategy within higher education is an emerging field of study and practice.

Business research often requires use of survey‐based techniques for data acquisition. In the past, researchers had to rely on manual methodologies for survey distribution, data entry, and analysis. These approaches were generally characterized by uncertain (often low) response rates; batch processing of collected data; protracted time periods spanning survey distribution to processed statistical results; and inability to make “mid‐course corrections”. These deficiencies are exacerbated for research on global competitiveness issues which requires international data gathering activities; however, they can be mitigated, if not completely eliminated, by the use of dynamic web‐based survey methods. This paper discusses the advantages of web‐based survey technologies with direct back‐end database interfaces and analytical frameworks, and presents illustrative results from development and use of such a tool.

Many facilities management professionals originally graduated from a building surveying course. The high referral rate of the professional body pre‐qualification assessment process for building surveyors and other criticisms of graduates have led many to question whether building surveying education is fit for purpose. This paper seeks to address these issues.

Previous research on this subject has concentrated on obtaining the views of course providers and employers. The approach adopted for this study has been an on‐line survey of recent UK building surveying graduates. A 30 per cent response rate resulted in 806 graduates undertaking the survey.

Most graduates had studied a full‐time undergraduate course, three‐quarters had gained some form of placement or work‐experience during their studies, the mode of the year of graduation was 2004 and 65 per cent of the sample work in private practice. The survey reveals concerns over non‐coverage of some of the professional body's pre‐qualification competencies. The most useful subjects studied by graduates were construction technology and building pathology and the least useful was economics. The top two omitted subjects from courses were contract administration and dilapidations – both core areas of work. Skills development was weaker on postgraduate than undergraduate courses.

Those designing HE building surveying courses can refer to the results of this study to ensure that their curricula remain relevant and current to the needs of industry.

This study into building surveying education has been undertaken at a time when many UK universities are reviewing their course provision to ensure that they are well placed to survive the massive upheaval imposed by government funding cuts and changes in student finance. This study with its large sample size will be of assistance to those reviewing building surveying courses.

Ordnance Survey was established in 1791 as a paper map maker for Britain's Armed Forces. Two hundred and nineteen years on, it has evolved to a high‐tech geographic data specialist, and the impact of this on its culture, identity and vision has been massive. In 2008 Ordnance Survey found itself struggling to recruit and retain in technology and commercial fields. It also saw great challenges in motivating staff and bringing together a number of subcultures that had developed over time. This paper aims to investigate this issue.

It was critical to understand the current employer brand strengths and weaknesses, how Ordnance Survey is perceived externally, what it is like in reality, and its vision. This was achieved through solid research conducted internally and externally, including focus groups with existing staff, depth interviews with senior management and consultation with recruitment consultants, short‐service leavers and recent joiners.

The research highlighted some widely known strengths of Ordnance Survey, including its strong proud history, its flexibility and adaptability as an employer and the supportive working environment it offers. Some less well‐known attributes were also drawn out, including the innovative nature of the organization, its dynamic technology and the opportunity for staff to really make a difference.

This research led to the development of a compelling set of values which will inform how Ordnance Survey markets itself externally and interacts with employees, leading to better retention of skills, greater alignment with the vision and a strong reputation as a great employer.