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Danish Environmental Exports of Products and Consultancy Services within the Water Sector in 1999

Appendix 2

The survey
The study was carried out in tandem with a similar study for the Danish Energy Agency on export of technology and know-how from the energy sector (Eksport af produkter til energisektoren (Export of products to the energy sector) 1998, Energistyrelsen (DEA), September 1999). In this connection a number of methodological changes have been made.

How the survey was arranged
The point of departure for the study is a postal enquiry method that has been used twice before, virtually unchanged, to survey exports of products and consultancy services for the energy sector. In connection with the decision to expand the study so as also to include exports to the water sector, a number of methodological changes were made with respect to:

1. Export destinations

2. Random sampling of companies

3. Questioning

4. Publication

Exports to the water sector as well as to the energy sector
Previous studies included only the energy sector. The present study also includes the water sector. Since there is a certain overlap between the two sectors, it has been necessary not only to further clarify the definition of the sectors but also to complicate the questioning by sending some companies questionnaires concerning both sectors. About 1/5 of the companies involved in the present poll were sent questionnaires on the energy sector as well as the water sector.

Results and catalogue of exporters
In the present study, companies were given the offer of being listed in a catalogue of export companies in the water sector, listing their name, address, telephone, fax, e-mail and homepage, and a brief corporate description (200 characters) and five main products/product lines. The information is gathered on a special questionnaire in both Danish and English. In addition, the
companies would receive the results of the study.

How questioning was conducted
The final random sample consists of 157 companies, 111 product companies and 43 consultancy companies as well as 3 companies that are both product and consultancy companies. Based on the questionnaires they received, the companies are broken down as follows:

Product questionnaires were sent out with a covering letter on the Confederation of Danish Industries’ headed notepaper (enclosing an SAE), while consultancy questionnaires were sent out with a covering letter on the Danish Council of Consulting Architects and Engineers’ notepaper. Both questionnaires were sent out on April 12, 1999. The questionnaires were numbered and were to be returned to the relevant professional body. The companies were guaranteed that any information disclosed would be treated with the utmost confidence, as an independent opinion poll institute would be doing the statistical processing, allowing no information about individual companies to be derived from the final tables. It was requested that all questions regarding the study and completion of the questionnaire be addressed to Mr. Bjarne Ruby, consultant at the VIBY Analysis Institute.

Within three weeks, 17% of the companies involved in exports answered the enquiry. Following the despatch of a new copy of the questionnaire together with a chaser on May 3, 1999, the reply rate reached 49% three weeks later. During the next two months the remaining companies were chased up to 5-6 times over the phone. A further 33 questionnaires were sent out and 53 received. The completion rate for the study as a whole was 88%, but varies between the sectors from 75% to 92%, as shown in the table below