An Evaluation of the Targeted Export Support Scheme (TESS)
The Brief: To what extent is TESS, one the region’s important exporting programmes, helping businesses achieve a ‘step-change’ in their international trade activity? To answer this question, Yorkshire Forward asked us to undertake a review of the programme.
The review combined the company’s core skills in documentary analysis and quantitative and qualitative data collection. On the quantitative side, the study administered two telephone surveys: one targeted at TESS beneficiaries and the other at businesses who had not participated in the scheme. On the qualitative side, interviews were undertaken with a range of stakeholders, including those with international tread team managers and leaders, as well as representatives from Yorkshire Forward and UK Trade & Invest.
The results of the review provided evidence of the wide ranging benefits that the Programme brings to regional businesses and, in this way, supported its continuation. It also enabled Yorkshire Forward to refine key aspects of TESS and to standardize its delivery across the four sub regions.
This study adds to the company’s portfolio of work around business competitiveness and support. It provides an example of the company’s key strengths in identifying business needs and supporting policy-makers and funders to meet these.
Sheffield