SURVEY OF THE IMPACT OF NETWORKING ON FIRMS PERFORMANCE (CASE OF SMEs) Date of interview: ----------------------------------Name of respondent: -----------------------------------------------------------Location: ------------------------Address of enterprise:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Main Product: ------------------------------------------Activity: Manufacturing/ Services/ Trade 1. The current business situation (circle appropriate number) 1. Recently started a business (less than three year) 2. Have run a business (more than three year) 3. Others (specific) A. Personal Data: 2. Sex: 1 Male. 2. Female b) Urban

3. Birthplace: a) Rural

4. Education Level: 1 Did not go to school 2 Primary level 3 O level/ J HS 4 A level /SHS 5 Diploma/ HND 6 Degree(First Degree) 7 High Degree 5. Technological/Technical/Craft skills (TCS) and Management and Administration skills (MAS) obtained from: TCS MAS School Technical collage Former job Family tradition Relatives Friends Self study/on the job Others (specify) B. General: 6. In which year was your business started or inherited: In............... (Year) 7. Is this the first income earning activity?[Yes/No] 8. How many years of business experience do you have in this field? ____________ (Years)

C. Use of Networking: 9. Did you contact any person and organisation during any phase of your business?[Yes/No] 10. With how many people would you estimate you have discussed aspects of running your business? -------------------- (people) 11. How many hours per week do you spend developing contacts, with whom you can discuss business matters? --------------------- (Hours) 12. Are you a member of any kind of professional association such as chamber of commerce/trade union? Yes/No .. (how many) C1. Structure, and Firm -level Linkages 13. Please name the people with whom you interacted most during the past three month period to secure the business information and the resources that were important to your business. Tick How many members (in general to discuss your business matters) A Family members Friends B C Acquaintance (teachers, professional etc.) D Government agent/agencies NGOs E Large firms F G Small firms H Banks/Financing institutions Chamber of commerce/Other I societies Others (Specify) J 14. How many family/relatives members do you discuss important business matters? _______________ 15. How many friends do you discuss day to day business matters with? __________ 16. In general, how much time per week do you spend with them to discuss your business matters? _____________ (hrs) 17. Have you been consulting any external consultants about your business? [Yes/ No] 18. Have you been attending any seminar (related to your business)? [Yes/No] 19. Have you been attending trade fairs (national or international)? Yes/ No 20. Do you have regular business contacts with other entrepreneurs in same field? Yes/No 21 How frequent do you meet and talk to other entrepreneurs who are not in same fields? Yes/No 22. Does any family member work in your business? [Yes/No]

23 Do you have any relationships with the people or organisation regarding your business? Yes No A Family members Friends B C Acquaintance (teachers, professional etc.) D Government agent/agencies NGOs E Large firms F G Small firms H Banks/Financing institutions Chamber of commerce/Other I societies Others (Specify) J 24What types of supports did you receive from them: 4 A B C Y N Y N Y N

D Y

E Y

F G Y N Y N

a) Financial b) Technology c) labour skill development d) Marketing & market information e) Consulting/discuss business matter f) input supply g) Raw material supply h) Subcontracting (Receiving-buying your products) Note :Y=Yes, N=no. A= Family members, B= Friends, C=Acquaintance (teachers, professional etc.), E=Government agent/agencies /NGOs, F=Large firms/ Small firms, G=Banks/Financing institutions 25a. Did you seek financial support for starting your business 25b. If Yes, did that support affect the fortune of your business? [Yes/No] [Yes/No]

25c. Did your financial support come from formal source? Yes /No Note :formal source=Financial institutions, Government Agencies and NGO 25d. Are you still receiving support from these sources? Yes /No 26a. Do you contract any resource from any entrepreneur? Yes/No

26b. If yes, which of the following ones do you contract? Yes 1 2 3 A B C D E 4 5 Maintenance of machinery & equipment Repair of machinery & equipment Consultancies -Marketing - New technology -Financing -Legal advice -Other Training/ education Others (specify) D. Network Benefits 29. What kind of benefits/outcomes did you get from networking others? Benefits/Outcomes Improved your firms financial performance (e.g. sales, Profits) Improved your firms operational performance (e.g. product quality, new product introductions) Generated new ideas for products or processes Improved your management skills Changed the way you organized work or people Added personnel to your business Accessed new equipment or production Accessed new techniques or skills Accessed new contacts or suppliers Accessed new markets for your business Jointly marketed products or services with network member firms Jointly designed or developed new products with network member firm Jointly bid on projects with network member firms. Jointly produced a product or service with network member firms Shared speciality services or technologies with network member firms Discussed common problems with network member firms Increased your interactions with competitions with network membership Viewed competitors as potential resources for your business Became a customer of network member firms Became a supplier to network member firms Referred jobs to network member firms Subcontracted jobs with network member firms Clarified your understanding of your firms competitive capabilities Gained trade secrets from competitors in the network membership Bought into or accepted concept of co-operation among firms (even competitors) through a network. Increased your firms credibility through association with the network No

Yes No

30a.Do you become friends socially with people you do business with? [Yes/No] 30b.how will you describe your social relationship with them? [Strong/Weak] G) Employment, Labour Cost and Performance 31. What is the average employment in the firm? Initially 2009 No. of total workers (including owner) No. of Full time workers? (Including owner) 32. What has been the final destination of your products in 2009, 2010 and 2011 (last year)? Market 2009 2010 2011 1 Satellite % % % 2 District/Metropolis % % % 3 Regional % % % 4 National % % % 5 Export % % % 33. To what type of customers did you sell these products? (Please indicate their importance in terms of the share in total sales) Tick % 1 Final Consumer 2 Retail agents 3 Whole sale agents 4 Export agents 5 Subcontractor 6 others (specify) 34. The amount of sales of your main products in last three years (specify unit e.g.: Kg) Product 2009 2010 volume 2011volume 2012(expected Your sale price (name) volume volume (2011 last year Pr 1 Pr 2 Pr 3 35a. What do you think of past progress of your firm (overall)? [Progress/No Progress] 35b. What do you think of present overall position of your firm (overall)? [Growing /No Growth] 35c. What do you think of future overall prospects of your firm (overall)? [Stable/Unstable] 36a. How do you evaluate the present sales performance of your firm? [Good/Poor] 36b. How do you view your future sales prospects at present? [Stable/Unstable] 37b. What were the financial results last year (2011)? [Profitable/Losses]

2010

2011 (last year)