3.6 EXIT INTERVIEWS

Another part of the overall evaluation effort is an assessment of firms, which decide to terminate their center membership. The interview guide provided below provides a basis for collecting information on why firms decide to terminate their membership and should be used every time you become aware that a member is leaving the center. Please incorporate the findings from these interviews in your Evaluator’s Report.

FIRM EXIT INTERVIEW

1. Briefly describe the general history of your relationship to the Center. What changed in terms of your expectations about it?

2. What were the main factors, which impelled your firm to withdraw from the Center?

Probe for:

• economic factors

• cost/benefit mismatch

• needs mismatch

• personnel issues

• relevance to industry needs

• relevance to firm strategy

3. Did you receive any direct benefits (e.g., new research ideas, student hires, etc.) from the Center during your period of affiliation?

4. What do you think are the major strengths of the Center?

5. What are its major weaknesses?

6. Would you consider re-affiliating with the Center? What would have to happen for you to do so?

7. What general advice would you give to the Center management? To the NSF?