WP1 Case Study Work Steve Lowman – June 2007 CARERA The Impact of CAP Reform on the Employment Levels in Rural Areas

Contents Main tasks and current situation Data Handling Research questions Report structure Future tasks Schedule of work

Main tasks contributing to D14 Single case studies in each region  Desk research  Qualitative field research, analysis and reporting Cross case analysis and report Policy workshop Deliverable D14 Employment Effectiveness of the Current Rural Development Measures and Suggestions for Future Amendments

Progress to date Desk research drafts completed  Regional contextual documentary data Qualitative data gathering completed  Semi-structured interviews on 4 themes Rural economy and RDR employment impacts Interaction of CAP, RDR, and other policies Farm-based employment Non-farm rural employment

Data Handling (1) Analysis proving difficult and slow  Introducing the qualitative approach to economic policy research community  Lack of training and experience among investigators  Problems not foreseen?

Data Handling (2) Quality of source data (i.e. transcripts)  Large amounts of disparate data (e.g. East Wales) Reflects the broad, complex range of issues Lack of focus and structure   Due to discrete, intensive data gathering period?   Difficult to analyse  Insufficient data? (e.g. Italy)  Various similar problems in each region

Data Handling (3) Lack of training and experience in analysis techniques  Unsure of the principles  Fear of the software I tried to help resolve difficulties  Methodology reviews, discussion docs, practical guidance  East Wales analysis already difficult enough! Difficult for everyone to adopt qualitative techniques  Regular chats helped  Still much work to be done in most regions

Research questions (1) How can policy (Pillar 2 and its broader policy context?) be redesigned to maintain and improve levels of rural employment and economic activity, and to reduce or minimise the disparity between urban and rural employment incomes (as opposed to retirement incomes of wealthy incomers, etc.)? Subsidiary themes: migration, housing, transport, infrastructure, service delivery, etc. What have people said? What did they mean? Why did they say it? What are the main topic areas discussed? Impressions of current policy Suggestions for improved policy Correspondence with other WPs:  Local multiplier; farm efficiency; farm adaptiveness

Research questions (2) Instrumental questions: 1.What are the main rural employment related problems? 2.What are the causes of these problems? 3.What are the impacts of policies in general on rural employment related problems and issues? 4.What are the specific impacts of RDR policies and CAP reforms on rural employment related issues? 5.What are the main policy flaws relating to rural employment related issues? 6.What policy changes can be recommended to improve impacts on rural employment related issues?

Report structure (1) 1.Introduction and background 2.Context a.Literature b.Methods c.Field description i.Desk research (modified/revised) ii.Interviews (organisations/participants) d.Researcher 3.Central analysis chapters (including analysis of desk research and interviews) a.… b.… c.Etc. … 4.Conclusion a.Discussion b.Policy recommendations c.Research recommendations Analysis chapters: a series of topics or a logical sequence?

Report structure (2) (score out of 10?)Topic seriesLogical sequence Practicality Flexibility Allows development of arguments Readability Facilitates cross-comparison

Future tasks Complete single case work Cross case analysis Policy workshop Deliverable D14 Book

Schedule for D14 Single case study completionFri 31 Aug11 weeks East Wales report cardFri 14 Sep2 weeks Other 5 regions report cardsMon 8 Oct(3 weeks) Cross-case report completionFri 12 Oct5 weeks D14 draft completionThu 15 Nov4½ weeks

Main points Data handling problems Research questions Points to discuss:  General comments/suggestions/questions  Single case reports structure  Agree schedule