This project involves undertaking up to 60 interviews with senior business leaders in medium and large companies from
across a range of strategically important sectors and industries operating in Scotland. The aim of the project is to explore
business decision-making in conditions of constitutional and political uncertainty in Scotland and the United Kingdom, and
to develop a number of alternative scenarios around the different possible outcomes from the Scottish independence vote.
For instance, Scottish vote for independence suggests uncertainties around changes in fiscal and monetary policies,
regulation of industries, what currency might be adopted, participation in international economic and political agreements
and so on. Equally, a vote for the union could also bring with it other uncertainties including the UK's future participation in
the European Union, or chronic uncertainty brought about by the prospect of future votes on Scottish independence. Such
uncertainties have implications for businesses operating in Scotland, including whether to invest and expand capacity,
withdraw from the market, locate operations elsewhere in the UK, Europe or the world, amongst others. Such implications
may also vary depending on individual businesses, or between sectors and industries. At present, however, there is a
paucity of research indicating how uncertainties are impacting, or are likely to impact on business activity.