As the 2nd week of the Laidlaw project draws to a close, I reflect on the progress we have made as a team. Our database now covers over 300 organisations along with categorisations based on scale, employment type, field etcetera. Moreover, some members of the team have begun compiling a literature review of the state of the field as it stands, which we are using to refine the scope of our project. As we look forward to our meeting with our supervisor later today, we expect to have a clear outline for our work streams the next couple of weeks.
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Hi Luke,
Thank you for your update. It is clear that your team has made excellent progress over the past week, particularly in building such a substantial database and beginning the literature review. Reaching over 300 organisations in such a short space of time is a significant achievement and provides a strong foundation for the rest of the project.
One suggestion I'd make for future reflections is to make them a little more personal. At the moment, your post tells us very clearly what the team has accomplished, but I'd be interested to hear more about what you are thinking as the project develops. Has anything surprised you? Has working with the data changed your understanding of the social enterprise sector? What have you found most challenging so far?
I'd also encourage you to reflect a little more on the experience of working within a research team. As your workstreams become more clearly defined, what have you learned about collaboration? Have you found yourself taking on particular responsibilities or contributing in ways you hadn't anticipated? Research projects are as much about developing leadership and teamwork as they are about producing outputs, and those experiences are often some of the most valuable things to reflect upon.
Finally, I'd encourage you to think about the broader significance of the database you're building. It isn't simply a collection of organisations — it has the potential to become a resource that helps others better understand Oxfordshire's social enterprise landscape. Reflecting on that wider purpose could make your future posts even more engaging.
I'm looking forward to reading how both your project and your own thinking develop over the coming weeks.
Best wishes,
Ben