The Engagement of Small to Medium-

Sized Enterprises (SMEs)through

Research

17 December 2012
Why Engage with SMEs?
SME competitiveness is a global issue
How to support?
Focus on high growth?
Small subset of firms (6%)
Product-focus

Focus on physical capital?

Neglect role/skills of key decision maker(s)

How to Engage SMEs? Promoting Sustainable Performance

How do we know what we do is right? Sustainable research!
SME Engagement
Developing knowledge on what drives SME performance...
A rigorous research process with 500+ SMEs
A multidisciplinary team of academics & full-time researchers
A steering committee of regional & national policy makers, advisory services &
practitioners
Our findings are highlighting issues that influence growth & performance:
Markets & competition, growth patterns, organisational change, management &
strategy, innovation, ICT, performance management & measurement, HRM, training,
advice and networks, corporate social responsibility, supply chain...
We translate this research into applicable, accessible concepts for SMEs
The BIG Ten
The BIG Journey
The BIG Network
The BIG Away Day, and so on...
SME Engagement model

Academic
publication

Policy
Diagnostic reports &
evaluation

PSP
Business Networks
training

Research
training
 The BIG Ten

The Key characteristics of successful

SMEs
SME Engagement model

Academic
publication

Policy
Diagnostic reports &
evaluation

PSP
Business Networks
training

Research
training
The BIG (Business Improvement & Growth) Journey
for Ambitious Entrepreneurs

Few entrepreneurs/owner-managers are achieving their aspirations for

sustained growth & profitability...why?
Technically-based skill set
Product over process
Purpose lacks definition & connection
Values, vision and strategy
Advice accountancy based, this drives other areas (e.g. performance measurement)
The BIG initiative translates the latest research into applicable, accessible
and practical support for owner-managers:
The BIG Ten
The BIG Journey
The BIG Network
The BIG Away Day, and so on
Your journey
Coaching
intervention
Structure
A focus on the individual AND the business through:
Thought leadership/world class research
Practical concepts, tools & techniques
Make a difference (MAD) challenges
Peer-group networks
Action learning
Industry specific networks/support

Personalised coaching support

Current participants
I secured a 1m contract by putting into practice what I had
learnt at the first module
David Rushton, MD, Town and Country Cleaners
As a result of the programme our brand and our products
became desirable to Marks and Spencer. I would never had
been able to develop this opportunity on my own
Sami Patel, MD, Slim Sams Cakery
"The return on investment is incredible, increasing our
turnover by over 600k and our profits by over 100k this
year"
Martin Daniell, MD, Siegrist-Orel