About us
The European Network for Social and Economic Research (ENSR) is a network of organisations specialised in applied policy research with a special focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurship. EIM Business & Policy Research in The Netherlands founded the Network in 1991.
The network consists of members in all 27 EU Member States, together with members in Norway, Iceland, Switzerland (covering also Liechtenstein), Turkey and United Kingdom. As a result, the ENSR covers 33 countries.
The ENSR is able to cover all kinds of issues that are related to the business sector: entrepreneurship, labour, production, innovation, internationalisation, CSR, impact assessments, social affairs, etc.
Overall competence
All members are independent and follow a scientific approach. University graduates form the main work force of each member. In total more than 600 highly qualified researchers specialised in applied economic and social research are brought together in the Network. Professors, holding a chair in SME economics or in business economics, manage some of the member-organisations.
The overall competence of the Network is strengthened by the specialisation of each member. The Network has a broad spectrum of qualitative and quantitative research consisting of macro oriented, meso and sector studies, as well as micro economic and small business management research.
Each member has international experience in carrying out economic and social research. Several members have a wide network of international relations and have carried out research in many other Member States and countries in the developing world.
Since 2004 the Network has an office in Brussels.
Organization
The members range from university institutes, research foundations to commercial research/consultancy bureaus. All members are independent and follow a scientific approach to research. University graduates form the main work force of each member. In total more than 600 highly qualified researchers, specialised in applied economic and social research, are brought together in the Network.
Organisation
According to the Statutes, the General Meeting is the highest authority in the ENSR. It is composed of the directors of all member-organisations and meets every three years. The General Meeting appoints the members of the Executive Committee, and approves the action plan and the budget.
At the General Meeting of 2 May 2019 the following persons were elected as members of the Executive Committee for the period 2019-2021:
- Dr. Kim Møller, Chairman (Oxford Group, Denmark
- Mr. Thomas Oberholzner (KMFA – Austrian Institute for SME Research, Austria)
- Mr. Antonio Corral (Ikei, Spain)
- Mr. Aivars Timofejevs (SIA Oxford Research Baltics, Latvia)
- Mrs. Jacqueline Snijders (Panteia/EIM, The Netherlands), Executive Director
Deputy members were also named:
- Mr. Jan Helbich (Erudio, Slovak Republic)
- Mr. Bradford Rohmer (Oxford Research, Sweden)
As the ENSR is not a legal entity, research projects are mostly managed by one of the members in the Network. In such a case other members would act as subcontractors. If specific knowledge or experience is needed, experts from outside the ENSR are hired. An ENSR member may also act as subcontractor to a third party; other ENSR members would then act as sub-subcontractors.
Secretariat
The secretariat of the ENSR is hosted by Panteia and is staffed by:
- Mrs Jacqueline Snijders, Executive Director ENSR
- Mrs Cisca Snel