Consultancy › Trends Central Resource
A time series data resource, populated with over 2 million UK organisations, from the public and private sector. TBR turns data into information.
Trends Central Resource (TCR)
The Trends Central Resource represents a unique source of information on nearly 2 million UK organisations. These range from sole traders to conglomerates, and businesses to voluntary organisations. We construct it from D&B data and it is updated every 6 months. The data is a near census of all UK private sector activity in organisations employing more than 10 people, and a large sample of smaller organisations.
The dataset is longitudinal, and allows detailed dynamic analysis of businesses to be performed across selected timeframes. We apply this approach in our product TrendsSCAN (the latest version of which holds data from 1999 and 2002 for dynamic analysis).
Graph 1: E-commerce in the UK
The Trends Central Resource allows detailed analysis of UK firms to be performed. The data is versatile enough to allow comparisons to be made at very detailed geographic level. For example, analysis can be performed by ward, county or region. Additionally, analysis can be performed at the level of individual or groups of postcodes. Similarly, information on business activity is very rich. Each record contains a text description of an organisation's activity in addition to the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code. The combination of these fields allows very detailed activity analysis to be undertaken.
The database has formed the basis for important economic consultancy work and business research projects for the UK government that, over the last 15 years, has heavily influenced policy direction, particularly with regard to the current focus on small and medium sized enterprises. The DTI continues to commission TBR to undertake detailed research to supplement that published by the SME Statistics Unit, for example.
It has also been employed by a number of firms wishing to develop their company strategy, for example, by analysing the market and business growth information held.
In 1999 TBR were awarded a SMART Award to investigate the feasibility of transforming our database into an even greater representation of the UK firm population.
How can the Trends Central Resource help you?
TBR has the ability to analyse its database in many detailed ways. If you think that we can answer your queries with our database, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mailing us
Using TCR to measure productivity
We have recently added additional data to TCR that enables us to calculate Gross Value Added (GVA), and hence measure productivity of UK firm
