Position: Consultant for Social Network Analysis Study (Swisscontact Cambodia)__Deadline:08-June

1.    Overview of the Assignment

Title of assignment:	Consultant for Social Network Analysis Study 2024
Overall Objective:	Conduct comprehensive research to map the entrepreneurial ecosystem
Start date:	June 2024
End Date:	December 2024
Location:	Cambodia
Type of contract:	Consultancy Contract

2.    Background of Organizations
Swisscontact - the Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation is an independent, non-profit foundation based in Zürich, founded in 1959 by leading figures from the Swiss private sector and Swiss universities. It is exclusively involved in international development, active in more than 38 countries with 120 programmes with more than 1,000 staff members. At the heart of all Swisscontact’s work stand the private sector and its crucial role for achieving more inclusive economic growth. Swisscontact approaches this through 8 working areas: Initial Vocational Education and Training, Labour Market Insertion, Upskilling and Reskilling, Sustainable Agriculture, Trade, Green Cities, Tourism and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Swisscontact has been present throughout South-East Asia for more than 30 years. Swisscontact has been operating in Cambodia since 2013, establishing its office in the country in April 2016.

Swisscontact Cambodia is co-implementing with Khmer Enterprise, the Enhancing Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and Investment (3Ei) project that aims to support the mobilization of impact-investing capital and create an environment to support small and growing businesses (SGBs)1 to generate social and environmental impact. With four core pillars, including collaboration, entrepreneurship and innovation, service facility for blended finance, and data, 3Ei seeks to support the strengthening of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and enhance coordination for more effective and efficient systems. 3Ei is jointly funded by Khmer Enterprise, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

3.    Background of Social Network Analysis
The Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a tool designed to help ecosystems gain a more objective understanding of their current state of health. The primary objective of the SNA is not to produce rankings, but to facilitate a collective understanding of the current state of an ecosystem, its future aspirations, and the path to achieving those goals.

The ultimate objective is to identify the enablers that can help transform ecosystems and make them more effective. The 2021 SNA study’s sample was sizeable (312 entrepreneurs covering 18 sectors, 86 ESOs and service providers), it was largely driven by the networks of IHPP and SC. One of the recommendations from the study was that the sample could be expanded in the future and the survey could be repeated every few years to generate a picture over time of how the ecosystem is evolving.

Reliable and regularly updated data will be needed to shape the analysis and the prioritization of solutions over time. Clear, shared key performance indicators could also help ecosystem builders to understand the progress made against targets that align with a shared vision.

In line with these recommendations, the SNA 2024 aims to revisit the findings of the 2021 SNA, expand the sample size, and track the evolution of the ecosystem over time. This approach will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the ecosystem and inform future strategies and interventions.

4.    The assignment and objective
4.1.    The assignment
In line with these recommendations, the SNA 2024 aims to revisit the findings of the 2021 SNA, expand the sample size2, and track the evolution of the ecosystem over time. This approach will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the ecosystem and inform future strategies and interventions.

Therefore, we are looking to hire a consultant/consulting firm that can provide the service for this study.

4.2.    Objectives
The 2024 SNA aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Map the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: The primary goal of the 2024 SNA is to map the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Phnom Penh, similar to the mapping
• done in 2021. The ‘Map’ primarily refers to the visualized data that shows the connections and collaborations between different ecosystem actors. This will provide an impression of the ecosystem's current status and allow for a comparison with its state as observed in the 2021 SNA. 
• The interactive map of Phnom Penh entrepreneurs and ecosystem support organizations from 2021 can be found in the embedded link. The data from
• the 2024 SNA study will be used to revise the map and include a record of any changes.
• Gain Insights into 6 dimensions of ecosystem health: The 2024 SNA seeks to gain insights into the present dynamics of the Cambodian entrepreneurial
• ecosystem based on the six dimensions of ecosystem health.
• Analyze  Collaboration  Patterns:  The  study  will  analyze  the  patterns  of collaboration existing among various stakeholders within the ecosystem. This
• analysis will shed light on how different entities within the ecosystem interact and work together, providing valuable insights into  the ecosystem’s collaborative environment.
• Identify Gaps and Potential Interventions: Lastly, the 2024 SNA aims to identify gaps within the entrepreneurial landscape that can be effectively
• addressed through strategic project activities such as Give a Day, EBN, CAMESCO, the Entrepnerus in Resident (EIR) program, Masterclasses for ESOs and other relevant interventions. The identification of these gaps will guide the development of targeted strategies to enhance the health and effectiveness of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

5.    Scope of work and Deliverables

5.1    Specific tasks
1.    Review and Analysis of Existing Documents:
The consultant is responsible for conducting a thorough and comprehensive review of all existing documents. This includes, but is not limited to, the 2021 SNAreport and the TSC EcosystemHealthCheck Reports. The purpose of this review is to establish baseline data for each dimension of the project.

In addition to reviewing reports, the consultant will also examine the 2021 questionnaires. The consultant will assess the effectiveness of the questionnaire in capturing the necessary data and will make revisions if necessary. This could involve refining existing questions, removing irrelevant ones, or adding new questions to better align with the evolving ecosystem landscape.

2.    Participant Sourcing and List Management:
The consultant is responsible for compiling and managing a list of businesses and Enterprise Support Organizations (ESOs) for the survey. This involves updating the existing list from the 2021 SNA study with new contacts sourced from various business networks and   stakeholders in Phnom Penh.

The consultant will conduct thorough research to identify potential new participants, ensuring a diverse and representative sample. This includes businesses of different sizes, sectors, and stages of development.

Recognizing the limitations and biases of the 2021 survey, the consultant will also develop a strategy for randomized selection of enterprises from the existing list. This strategy will aim to minimize bias and ensure a fair representation of the business ecosystem.

In addition, the consultant will be responsible for verifying the current status of the businesses on the list, removing those that have closed down, and adding new businesses to the list. This process will help to maintain the accuracy of the list and reduce the risk of organizational connection bias.

3.    Data Collection and Management:
The consultant will be in charge of collecting 400 entities data from the identified target groups, which include entrepreneurs, Enterprise Support Organizations (ESOs), investors, mentors, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups. This will involve not only following up with participants from the 2021 SNA study but also identifying and reaching out to new businesses through various business networks.

The consultant will utilize various data collection methods to ensure comprehensive and accurate data. This includes the use of online survey platforms such as Heroku, Kobo Toolbox, and Survey Monkey. The consultant should be proficient in these platforms and be able to design and administer effective surveys. The platform will be selected in discussion with the consultant.

In some cases, the consultant may also need to conduct surveys via phone calls to reach participants who may not have access to or prefer not to use online platforms. This requires excellent communication skills and the ability to ask clear, concise questions that elicit useful responses.

The consultant will also be responsible for managing the data collection, which includes cleaning the data, categorizing it, and preparing it for analysis.

The consultant will be responsible for the overall management of the survey process. This involves several key tasks:

• Distribution    of    Questionnaire:    The    consultant    will    distribute    the    updated questionnaire to the identified participants. This could involve sending it via email, through online survey platforms, or even through direct contact in some cases. The consultant will ensure that the questionnaire reaches all the intended participants.
• Ensuring High Response Rate: One of the key responsibilities of the consultant is to ensure a high response rate for the survey. This could involve sending reminders to participants, providing clarifications about the survey, or addressing any concerns that participants may have. The consultant will employ strategies to motivate participants to complete the survey.
• Data Integrity: The consultant will also ensure the integrity of the survey data. They will check for any inconsistencies or errors in the responses and take necessary actions to rectify them.

4.    Data Analysis and Visualization:
The consultant will be responsible for the comprehensive analysis of the collected data. This involves several key tasks including data analysis and visualization. Before the analysis, the consultant will clean the data to ensure its quality and accuracy. The consultant is responsible for analysing the cleaned data. This involves identifying trends and patterns, making comparisons with the 2021 data, and drawing meaningful conclusions. The consultant should be skilled in using data analysis software to effectively perform these tasks.

To help communicate the findings of the analysis, the consultant will create visual representations of the data. This could involve creating charts, graphs, or diagrams that clearly illustrate the trends and patterns identified in the data. The consultant should be proficient in using data visualization tools such as Kumu or any other recommended alternatives.

The consultant will also compare the findings from the current data with the 2021 SNA study. This will help identify any changes or developments in the ecosystem over time.

These visualizations, among others include Kumu maps showing connections and collaborations between entrepreneurs in the different sectors and between ESOs including their main roles, access to support services by types of entrepreneurs, connectivity between ESOs in Phnom Penh with at least one connection, mismatch between services offered and services demanded, peer-to-peer exchange between entrepreneurs according to type of business and stage of business, the mentorship network as well a word cloud of role models. (refer to the 2021 report for examples).

Organize Workshops:
With the support from Swisscontact and Khmer Enterprise team, the consultant shall organize 2 workshops. The first one is a validation workshop, one of the Give A Day events can be used for this. Second is a dissemination workshop. This Dissemination Workshop can potentially be one of the sessions in CAMESCO event in December 2024.

6.  Report Writing:
The consultant will write a comprehensive report on the findings of the 2024 SNA study. The report should include an overview of the methodology, a detailed analysis of the findings, a comparison with the 2021 study, and recommendations for future strategies and initiatives.

5.2    Duration and Deliverables
The timeframe for the contract is from June 2024 – December 2024. 

Deliverable	Indicative Timeline
Inception Report	June 2024
Updated participant list	July 2024
Updated questionnaire and survey platform	July 2024
Data collection and analysis	July 2024 – October 2024
Interactive maps in Kumu (Data visualizations completed)	November 2024
Validation Workshop	November 2024
Dissemination Workshop	December 2024
SNA report	December 2024

The following documents are also required to be submitted:
A detailed inception report outlining the baseline of the 6 dimensions of ecosystem health through review of existing documents, including the 2021

• SNA report and the TSC Ecosystem Health Check Reports. This should also include a strategy for randomized selection of enterprises from the existing list, ensuring fair representation and less organizational connection bias, data collection, cleaning, analysis and visualization methodology and plan.
• Raw Data of all Survey
• Meeting Note from focus group interview with all relevant actors.
• The input from the consultative workshops will be produced to incorporate into the final report.

6.    Requested Skills Set

• Bachelors  or  Masters  (preferred)  in  economics,  international  studies  or relevant field preferred.
• Strong research skills and prior experience in conducting research, survey development and conducting Social Network Analysis or Ecosystem Health Checks preferred.
• Strong  ability  to  analyse  data,  to  identify  relevant  insights  and  propose solutions.
• Experience in using the following software:  Heroku, Kobo Toolbox  or other relevant data collection software, and Kumu for data visualization.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to effectively engage with relevant local stakeholders.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English and Khmer to effectively communicate and disseminate information.

 

Swisscontact offers attractive working conditions in an international and multicultural context. We see our work as a joint effort in an agile organisational culture: mutual respect, trust, and teamwork.

We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents: budget proposal, work plan, CVs with roles and responsibilities and cover letter detailing the consultant’s suitability for the assignment, but Swisscontact may begin taking interviews on a rolling basis before the deadline. Swisscontact reserves the right to contact only applicants selected for interview.

Application(s) should be directed to recruitment.cambodia@swisscontact.org , mi@khmerenterprise.info

Moreinfo: https://www.swisscontact.org/en/about-us/jobs

Please mention "www.Cambodiajobs.Biz" where you saw the ad when you apply!