The target group is recruited from Hungarian small and medium enterprises. Data is collected with CAWI method, the responding managers` opinion comes online, through self completion questionnaires. The survey is conducted by IPSOS.

In order to give the necessary representation to the bigger but relatively few enterprises as well, and to avoid the survey being dominated by the opinion of small enterprises with 10-19 employees, we have deviated from the real proportions characteristic of the population. As a result, the managers of the bigger enterprises with 100-149 employees, or with 150-249 employees are represented by a number of people enough for a statistical analysis.

These intended, directed distortions of the sample, and also the minor, incidental, inevitable distortions occurring during the sampling process have been corrected with weighting the data. The weighted sample represents the Hungarian SMEs, that is the population of the enterprises with 249 employees according to the size of the enterprises (i.e. the number of the employees), economic sector and location.

By using the possibilities of on-line panels we can get a glimpse of the details of  how the enterprises are managed. Economic policy is in continuous need of quarterly economic growth analysis, since its foremost priority is to strengthen the Hungarian SMEs on the long run by special regulations and means of support.

Policy Agenda – Ipsos` economic growth index of SMEs – and its future development – has a strong signification. Since April, 2011 the results have been published in accordance with the European methodology where indices are expressed in percent.

The index is generated on the basis of business survey index-calculation. The managers expectations for the semi-annual changes of Hungarian economy and also for the situation of their own enterprise, for the possibilities of  both their internal and foreign sales, and for the liquidity of their enterprises – all these factors are weighted twice in the index value. In the process of generating the index, we count the managers` expectations for semi-annual changes of the stock, for the chance of becoming a supplier to multinational firms, for the appearance of new, strong rivals – all these factors are weighted onefold in the index value.

Our analysis of the economic growth index gives us the chance to quarterly study a different, important, real problem, this way helping the management of our customers.