Case Studies

• responsiveness to customer needs and good communication at all times
• a passion for accuracy – we have strict quality control systems in place for all projects, large and small, to ensure that you can rely on the analysis we give you
• a commitment to clarity – all the expertise in the world is useless if we cannot communicate our message clearly to the customer

This approach ensures that we provide the client with the service that they want and the maximum possible value added.

Follow the links below to find out about how we work in more detail.

• SLIMS Labour Market Statements
• Researching the Dunbartonshire care sector
• Jobs and skills growth in Glasgow
• Ayrshire economic, industry and topic factsheets
• Glasgow Economic Audit 2007
• Glasgow Community Planning Baseline Study

 
SLIMS’ Labour Market Statements

The company’s biggest undertaking each year is the production of around 20 comprehensive Labour Market Statements for all of the LEC and council areas covered by the membership.

Stage 1 of the work involves looking at the previous year’s Statements to see how the content and presentation can be improved.  Our aim is continually to provide greater value added for members.  Over the years, the analytical and policy content of the Statements has increased considerably, while the presentation is regularly updated and improved.

Stage 2 involves the gathering of vast quantities of data, which we then format into hundreds of charts and tables that are placed on the website.  All figures will be checked and re-checked to ensure that we provide accurate and reliable information to our members.

The final stage is the writing of the Statements.  Each report is proof-read twice.  Firstly, this ensures that the analysis is as accurate and relevant as possible.  Secondly, we pride ourselves on the clarity of the English we use – jargon is eliminated and the standards of the Plain English Campaign are adhered to.

We are aware that our Statements are an important reference work for our members.  Our thorough approach ensures that the members can rely on the figures and independent analysis they contain, and that our company reputation is maintained as a result.
“SLIMS Labour Market Statements are the best source of local labour market analysis as they bring together all the available data in an easily accessible format.”
Steve Morley, Team Leader (Economic Development), Development & Promotion, North Ayrshire Council.

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Researching the Dunbartonshire Care Sector

The key to the success of this project was the remarkably high response rate of over 50% that we achieved from our postal survey of local employers.  This was the result of a good deal of effort on our part:  

• speaking to every organisation on the list of employers provided by the client to ensure that our contact list was relevant and up to date
• ensuring that a letter endorsing the survey was sent out by the client a few days prior to the questionnaire itself
• pursuing non-respondents to persuade them to complete the survey

Our willingness to put in the time at the start of the project ensured that the survey results for the project were as representative as possible.  As a result, we were able to identify very clearly the main issues raised by local employers.  These were then used as the basis for workshops and focus groups and enabled us to produce a very clear set of final recommendations for the client.

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Jobs and Skills Growth in Glasgow

SLIMS’ partnership approach does not just extend to our work for members and clients.  We are always willing to collaborate with other consultants whenever we feel that this approach will produce a better project for the customer.

For example, SLIMS worked collaboratively with GEN Consulting on a review of SE Glasgow’s Workforce Development Framework.  While either company could have produced a creditable report working alone, we agreed to submit a joint bid that proved to be the winning proposal.

The nature of the project meant that each company was able to focus on its particular specialisation – in our case, analysis and forecasting of the key growth sectors in the Glasgow economy.  But crucially, the fact that two companies worked together on all aspects of the project meant that we were able to produce a better final report than either could have done alone.  The report can be obtained by clicking here.

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 Ayrshire Economic, Industry and Topic Factsheets

The brief from Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire was to provide a wide range of factsheets, aimed at different audiences:

• the topics covered ranged from profiles of the three largest towns in the area, the quality of life in Ayrshire, transport links and infrastructure, the availability of business property and housing, to key economic and labour market facts and studies of specified industries
• some of the factsheets were as short as a single page; most were several pages long, but some of the key industry analyses – covering the contact centre industry, aerospace and tourism – stretched to over 20 pages each
• most of the factsheets were to be used to help the staff of SE Ayrshire – to provide them with handy summaries of key aspects of the local economy and labour market.  Some of the work had a different target audience, namely potential inward investors into the area

As a result, SLIMS staff worked closely with the client throughout the project to ensure that the style and tone of the output was in line with the needs of the target audience for each factsheet and report.  The range of outputs that we were able to produce is testament to the high value that we place on report writing skills.

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 Glasgow Economic Audit 2007

SLIMS have recently been commissioned by Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise Glasgow to conduct an economic audit for the city. 

This is a high profile piece of work, the principal aims of which are:

• to provide a baseline position against which progress of the city's economic development strategy can be measured
• to develop a framework of indicators for the themes of A Step Change for Glasgow that can be used to assess progress over the next few years
• to make an assessment of the city's position and performance against other areas, both those that are similar to Glasgow and those with which the city would aspire to compete
• to discuss Glasgow's future prospects, looking at both the internal and external influences that might shape the city

The first output from this project will be a summary report to be distributed to attendees at the annual State of the City conference in November 2007.  This conference is an important event in the city's calendar and the audience on the day will include many of the leaders of the private and public sectors in the city region and beyond.  The final report will also be distributed widely and used to help inform future economic development policy in Glasgow.

This piece of work combines our experience and analystical skills with partnership working.  The reports are being produced in close consultation with our clients.  The expected completion date for this project will be early 2008.

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Glasgow Community Planning Baseline Study

SLIMS were recently commissioned by the Initative and CEDA, two of Glasgow's local development companies (now known as the Glasgow South East Regeneration Agency), to benchmark the socio-economic performance of their respective policy areas against Glasgow.  The research required the collection of very large quantities of local area economic and labour market data, which was presented in both formatted spreadsheets and via GIS analysis.  The final report included a summary of the most salient performance indicators and our assessment of the policy priorities for the area.  The work highlights SLIMS key strengths in GIS and small area data analysis.

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Testimonials

From start to finish, the work that SLIMS undertook on the review of SE Lanarkshires Skills & Learning Programme was of an excellent standard. The SLIMS team are very easy to work with and can be relied upon to deliver top quality research on time.
Dr Iain Inglis
Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire

The factsheets provided detailed analysis and interpretation of complex data in plain English to support our staff and customers. The factsheets are invaluable and help establish good labour supply side information to support growth opportunities in Ayrshire labour market.
Maryse McMaster
Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire