Economic frameworks for policy-relevant analysis of the software industry in Scotland

This report is the outcome of a study undertaken for Scottish Enterprise, to explore the feasibility of constructing a Software Satellite Account for Scotland. The project was directed by Professor Iain McNicoll working with Ursula Kelly of the University of Strathclyde and ran from March - May 2003. The study was undertaken to assist Scottish Enterprise in the formulation of a new vision for the Scottish Softwareindustry, by providing a new approach to ways of measuring the economic significance of the Scottish Software industry

Higher education means business: a summary of the economic impact of Scottish higher educaton institutions

This study examined key economic features of the Scottish higher education institutions (HEIs) in the academic and financial year 2004 -2005 together with those aspects of their contribution to the economy that can be readily measured. The Scottish HEIs included in the study are the 20 institutions for which data is provided by the Higher Education Statistics Agency. Major economic characteristics of the HEIs were examined, including their revenue, expenditure and employment. The study also included modelled analysis of the economic activity generated in other sectors of the economy through the secondary or 'knock-on' effects of the expenditure of the institution, its staff and international students. Overall this summary presents an up-to-date examination of the quantifiable contribution of Scottish HEIs to the economy

Towards the estimation of the economic value of the outputs of Scottish Higher Education Institutions

This report is the outcome of a preliminary scoping study undertaken for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and Universities Scotland Knowledge Transfer Taskforce during the three month period April - June 2005. The study focussed on the feasibility of developing an economically meaningful approach to measurement of Scottish higher education institutional outputs in monetary terms. The growing policy emphasis on higher education's role in the economy has led to an increasing need for quantitative analysis of the value to the economy of what a HEI does (that is, as a producer of specifically educational goods) - over and above the economic benefits that arise from the mere fact of the HEI doing something (that is, as a producer of general unspecified goods)

The impact of the University of Strathclyde on the economy of Scotland and the City of Glasgow

The interest in the economic impact of higher education has led to the early studies of both Scottish and UK Higher Education being updated and extended. However it is now 12 years since the very first study of Strathclyde University (which arguably set the core policy agenda for subsequent work)10 was undertaken. It is timely to take a fresh look at the University of Strathclyde's impact on Scotland. The current study was undertaken in Spring 2004 and focuses primarily on those aspects of the University of Strathclyde's contribution to the economy that can currently be quantified and measured in conventional economic terms such as output, employment and export earnings. Modelled estimates are made of the economic activity generated in other sectors of the economy, both throughout Scotland and also within the City of Glasgow, through the secondary or 'knock-on' effects of the expenditure of the University, its staff and its students. Overall the study presents an up-to-date and detailed examination of the University of Strathclyde's quantifiable economic contribution to both the City of Glasgow and to Scotland as a whole. The study was conducted by Ursula Kelly and Donald McLellan of the Information Resources Directorate of the University of Strathclyde working with Emeritus Professor Iain McNicoll, who served as Technical Adviser on the study

Towards the estimation of the economic value of the outputs of Scottish higher education institutions : Next Steps Summary Report

This paper represents a summary of the 'Next Steps Project' which piloted the practical application of a new methodological approach applying welfare economic principles to estimate the value of non-market outputs of higher education institutions. 3 areas of non-market activity of Scottish higher education institutions were studied, namely community engagement, cultural outreach and public policy advisory activity. The aim of the study was to use real world higher education data to test the new methodological framework's potential to identify areas of high value and where metrics could be devised to support public resource allocation decisions

Towards the estimation of the economic value of the outputs of Scottish Higher Education Institutions: an overview of the content of the main report

This is an overview and discussion of the key issues and findings from the project 'Towards the estimation of the economic value of the outputs of Scottish HEIs', which was undertaken in Spring 2005 by Ursula Kelly, Iain McNicoll and Donald McLellan for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) and Universities Scotland (US) Knowledge Transfer Taskforce. The project aimed to assess the feasibility of developing an economically meaningful approach to measuring the outputs of Scottish higher education institutions in monetary terms. The project was essentially a three month scoping study to determine: how far an economically valid approach could be developed to cover all of the work of Scottish higher education institutions; whether it would be feasible in practice for the approach to be used for a full-scale assessment of the economic value of the outputs of Scottish HEIs; and whether such a full-scale assessment would yield additional insights to assist the SHEFC in resource allocation issues, particularly in relation to knowledge transfer

The impact of higher education institutions on the UK economy

This study presents an up-to-date analysis of the impact of UK higher education institutions on the economy of the United Kingdom during the academic and financial year 1999/2000. It examines the role of higher education as a conventional industry and the economic activity generated in the UK as a result of higher education activity.The UK higher education institutions (HEIs) included in this study are the 170 institutions returned to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in the academic and financial year 1999/2000. The higher education sector is defined as comprising the UK HEIs plus all overseas students and overseas visitors to UK HEIs in the study year.Key economic aspects of UK higher education institutions, in terms of income, expenditure and employment, are examined together with the secondary or 'knock-on' effects of UKHEI activity and that of the expenditure of overseas students and overseas visitors attracted to the UK by HEIs. The study additionally highlights the skills profile of employment generated by UK HEIs and by overseas student and visitor expenditure. The overall impact of the higher education sector on the economy was estimated using aspecially constructed type 11 UK input-output model, with data derived from the 1998 UK input-output tables together with 1998 Labour Force Survey data

Some Aspects of the Impact of Oil on the Shetland Economy

This study analyses the impact of oil-related developments on output, incomes and employment in Shetland. An Input-Output approach is adopted based on a Shetland transactions table constructed by the author. Using this, the pre-oil Shetland economy is analysed as base for assessing oil impact. Three major oil activities are identified and their local effects estimated: Supply Bases, the Sullom Voe Tanker Terminal, and Oil-related Construction. Estimates of the impact of these on local activity are given in aggregate and on an individual industry basis. Appropriate oil sector 'multipliers' are derived. Attempts are made to modify the basic estimates by allowing for 'negative multiplier' effects, induced investment and other elements of impact excluded in the basic model. Finally, the possibility of oil-induced changes in local technology is considered and its implications for the preceding impact estimates discussed. In the conclusions the results of the previous analysis are drawn together and some policy implications suggested by them are considered briefly

Defining and identifying the knowledge economy in Scotland: a regional perspective on a global phenomenon

The development and growth of a knowledge economy has become a key policy aim forgovernments in all advanced economies. This is based on recognition that technologicalchange, the swift growth of global communications, and the ease of mobility of capital across national borders has dramatically changed the patterns of international trade and investment. The economic fate of individual nations is now inseparably integrated into the ebb and flow of the global economy. When companies can quickly move capital to those geographical locations which offer the best return, a country's long term prosperity is now heavily dependent on its abilityto retain the essential factors of production that are least mobile. This has led to apremium being placed on the knowledge and skills embodied in a country's labourforce, as it has become a widely accepted view that a country which possesses a high level of knowledge and skills in its workforce will have a competitive advantage overothers with a lower domestic skill base. Knowledge and skills are thought to be thebasis for the development of a knowledge economy

The economic impact of UK higher education institutions

The economic importance of higher education is now well recognised and the contribution that it can make to the development of both national and regional economies is attracting significant policy attention in the UK. Higher education is seen as being of key importance in the creation and transfer of knowledge to the UK economy through its teaching, research and other activities. Both the White Paper on 'The Future of Higher Education' (2003) and the Lambert Review of University-Business Collaboration (2003) envisaged the sector as playing a pivotal role in ensuring the country's economic competitiveness. Higher education can impact on the economy in a very wide range of ways. Increasing attention is being paid to the contribution of higher education to the stock of human capital, with continuing analysis of both private and social rates of return to graduates. Higher education is also considered to have an important impact on the social and cultural environment, and this in turn has an impact on the economic environment within which business operates. However higher education institutions are also independent business entities and the economic activity generated by institutional expenditure (the aspect of sector's economic contribution which is most readily quantifiable) is substantial. The extensive scale of higher education institutional activity across the UK also means that this can be of significant importance at the macroeconomic level. This study presents key economic features of UK higher education in the academic and financial year 2003/04 and those aspects of its contribution to the economy that can be readily measured. Analysis is made of the sector as a conventional industry, highlighting major economic characteristics of higher education institutions including their sources of revenue, employment created, output generated and export earnings attracted. Modelled estimates are made of the economic activity generated in other sectors of the economy through the secondary or 'knock-on' multiplier effects of the expenditure of the higher education institutions, their staff and that of international students and visitors attracted to the UK by the higher education institutions