Engaging Rural Micros for increased productivity Trial

这项试验旨在通过一种支持性的方法，刺激传统上“难以参与”的农村微型企业的“成长心态”，以克服他们停滞不前和过度工作的倾向，并增加他们在业务上而不是在业务上的工作时间。重点将放在“有目的的生产力”上，而不是为了生产力本身。我们将评估采用新实践和技术的后续增长，并最终评估生产力。这是我们研究的第二阶段；第一阶段询问企业，他们认为哪些是阻碍企业参与的障碍，以及未来的企业支持计划如何克服这些障碍，并鼓励企业参与。该试验利用收集到的信息设计和测试不同的参与方法，并探索鼓励农村微型企业采用现代技术和商业实践的最佳方法。该试验基于两个研究问题：*与德文郡农村微型企业接触的最有效方法是什么？*增加采用现有技术和商业惯例以提高农村微型企业生产力水平的最合适方法是什么？本研究中需要探讨的其他问题包括“为什么”这些方法有效，以及是否会产生后续效益。微型企业和个体经营者（雇员少于10人）占德文郡农村经济的90.1%（不包括埃克塞特）。有证据表明，他们很难参与进来，需要更基本的“以人为本”的支持，通过采用现代技术和管理实践来提高生产力。通过支持员工，帮助这些企业接受新技术和现代工作方式，可能会对我们的农村经济以及心理健康和福祉产生重大影响。这项试验将确定如何才能最好地实现这一目标，以及如何设计未来的商业支持方案，以吸引和支持农村微型企业。该试点将在德文郡、萨默塞特郡的埃克斯穆尔和布莱克顿山地区人口小于1万人的定居点开展，涉及四个代表性较高的行业：旅游业；卫生和社会保健；交易;和制造商。这项研究的结果包括一个强有力的、基于证据的学术评估，它将科学地衡量干预措施和方法的成功。现有和未来的商业支持计划将利用这些情报设计有效的农村微型参与和支持。如果干预措施取得成功，由此产生的微观增长心态可能会刺激未来的支持吸收并扩大规模。

This trial aims to stimulate 'growth mindsets' with traditionally 'hard to engage' rural micros using a supportive approach to overcome their tendencies towards stagnation and overworking, and increase time working on the business rather than in the business. The focus will be on 'productivity for a purpose' rather than productivity for its own sake. We will evaluate subsequent increase in adoption of new practices and technologies and ultimately, productivity.This is the second stage of our research; the first stage asked businesses what they felt are their barriers to engagement and how future business support programmes could overcome these and encourage engagement. This trial uses the information gathered to design and test different methods of engagement and explores the best methods of encouraging rural micro businesses to adopt modern technologies and business practices.The trial is based on two research questions:* What are the most effective methods of engagement with rural micro businesses in Devon?* What is the most appropriate method to increase adoption of existing technologies and business practices to boost levels of productivity among rural micro businesses?Additional questions to explore in this study include 'why' these methods are effective, and whether subsequent benefits result.Micro businesses and sole traders (less than 10 employees) make up 90.1 % of Devon's rural economy (excluding Exeter). Evidence shows they are hard to engage and need a more basic level of 'person-centred' support to increase productivity via adoption of modern technology and management practices. Helping these businesses to embrace new technologies and modern ways of working by supporting the person, could have a significant impact on our rural economy as well as mental health and wellbeing. This Trial will identify how this can best be achieved, and how future Business Support Programmes can be designed to engage and support rural micro businesses.The Trial will be based in settlements with a population < 10,000 across Devon and the Exmoor and Blackdown Hills areas of Somerset, in four overrepresented sectors: Tourism; Health and Social Care; Trades; and Manufacturers.Outcomes of this research include a robust, evidence based academic evaluation that will scientifically measure the success of the interventions and methods. This intelligence will be utilised by existing and future Business Support Programmes to design effective rural micro engagement and support. If interventions are successful, the resulting micro growth mindset could stimulate future support uptake and be scaled-up.