The ECER – Banque Populaire 2010 study aims to be an innovative survey of major economic topics such as Entrepreneurship. The experience and the knowledge of the territories gained during the three previous editions now enable longer term analyses to be carried out. In order to reply to the needs of local government agencies, and  to make increasingly better adapted recommendations to needs of entrepreneur's established in their territories, the study has maintained the methodology used in  the previous editions.

This third edition of the ECER – Banque Populaire study combines the dynamics of an annual barometer with a focus on themes that reflect the current situation. This year, a specific focus was carried out in the ECER global report on Sustainable Development and quality of life offered to entrepreneurs in the different cities. The economic, environment as well as ecological and social considerations, has become more and more pressing issues and their perception by businessmen needs to be taken into account in each territory.   

Key points of the study

1. 37 cities studied in 18 European countries
2. The study  was  made using telephone market research techniques of  perceptions  by business managers  and was carried out between December 2009 and January 2010
3. Businesses created 5 years ago (between 2005 and 2006)
4. Businesses established in the  most dynamic  European cities
5. Businesses  selected according to specific profiles (innovative, traditional,  single owners)
6. 5  themes: promotion, pre-creation, post-creation, financial support, environment
7. 3 sectors studied: trade, industry, services

37 cities selected in 18 European countries

Berlin, Madrid, Ruhrgebiet, Stockholm, Barcelona, Warsawa, Lyon, Göteborg, Hamburg, Valencia, Paris, Lisboa, Malmö, Helsinki, Porto, Genève, München, Athina, London, Bruxelles, Frankfurt, Lille, Budapest, Manchester, Amsterdam, Köln, Roma, Birmingham, Marseille, Praha, Düsseldorf, Milano, Wien, Stuttgart, Bucuresti, Kopenhavn, Torino.

All the cities in the ECER study were chosen not only according to their proactive policies as regards entrepreneurship and their observed economic dynamism, but also according to the following criteria:

• the set of selected cities for ECER first edition (based on the “European Cities Monitor” study  on commercial property  in Europe  by  Cushman & Wakefield),
• capital cities with more than 1 million inhabitants,
• large cities with more than 1,5 million inhabitants,
• some spontaneous candidates.
  

450 businessmen were questioned

In order to compare them correctly, in each city, businesses were "selected” according to 3 profiles: trade, industry or services. Taking into consideration the current business situation, innovative businesses (those which had filed patents) and single owner businesses (self employed) were added. A common element to all the businesses questioned, was that they had all been created five years earlier.  

Innovation for the 2010 edition : a wider sample

• Using a database  of 170 000 businesses all over Europe
• Double the number of businessmen interviewed compared to previous editions: 4 500 businessmen questioned representing over 100 respondents per city.

5 themes in the study

The themes studied in detail for the ECER – Banque Populaire survey were:

1. Promotion of and accessibility to business support services,
2. Pre-creation accompaniment: advice on starting up, project diagnosis, incubators...,
3. Post-creation accompaniment: advice, follow-ups, identification of partnerships…,
4. Financial support: direct financial aid, subsidies, access to loans, starting capital, development capital …,
5. Environment: commercial property, quality of life, infrastructures, training facilities, sustainable development…,

Innovation for the 2010 edition: a focus on sustainable development and the quality of life

Questions were added to the questionnaire used in 2009, in order to give a more detailed qualitative dimension to the subjects of sustainable development and quality of life.
Since numerous businessmen had expressed the importance they now attach to these aspects, special attention was paid to these matters for this 2010 edition.

ALTIDIEM Consultants: specific expertise on economic development and entrepreneurship

The ECER Foundation Association chose to entrust the realisation of its annual European study to a consultancy services structure with specific expertise on economic studies and entrepreneurship. ALTIDIEM Consultants is  specialised in economic and sustainable development advice for local and territorial authorities. Through their participation in this third edition, they confirm not only their adhesion to the permanence of this European study, but also their competence concerning specific analyses.

ALTIDIEM has chosen to point out business creation and the spirit of enterprise as a priority amongst its different analyses. Since its final objective is to improve offers of support services for business creators, the partnership between ALTIDIEM and ECER thus completely fits in with the long term commitment to this survey.  Most of all, and beyond its own consultancy activity, ALTIDIEM Consultants thereby shows its willingness to implicate and commit its staff to territorial economic development.