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Systematic review of business support practice: Establishing design features

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Abstract

This paper addresses the research gap associated with the core components of effective SME business support and its governance. Adopting a systematic literature review protocol, this study analyses the academic literature published between 2004 and 2025, identifying a "nexus" of six core support components: interaction pattern, independent internalisation, diagnostic tools, depth of engagement, expert coaching, and concept translation, all of which are interdependent. Five key governance elements are also identified, focused on: evaluating outcomes, search and selection, funding and delivery partnerships, mobilisation, and client management. These findings are used to develop a framework which offers a content-agnostic blueprint for effective business support, emphasising high-intensity, one-on-one interactions and the critical role of expert practitioners able to translate concepts to specific SME contexts. This paper directly contributes to a deeper understanding of how support programs are absorbed and provides a foundation for future theory development and policy design.

Suggested Citation

  • Jones, Ollie & Sutherland, Matt & Page, Stephen, 2026. "Systematic review of business support practice: Establishing design features," Small Business International Review, Asociación Española de Contabilidad y Administración de Empresas - AECA, vol. 10(1), pages 759-759, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aaz:sbir01:v:10:y:2026:i:1:p:e759
    DOI: 10.26784/sbir/4kpsaa02
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bishop, Kate & D'Este, Pablo & Neely, Andy, 2011. "Gaining from interactions with universities: Multiple methods for nurturing absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 30-40, February.
    2. Laurie Smith, 2009. "Experiences of action leaning in two SME business support programmes," Action Learning: Research and Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(3), pages 335-341, June.
    3. Paul Robson & Robert Bennett, 2010. "Paying fees for government business advice: an assessment of Business Link experience," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(1), pages 37-48.
    4. Darek Klonowski, 2010. "The effectiveness of government-sponsored programmes in supporting the SME sector in Poland," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 229-245.
    5. Nicola Burgess & Nicholas Wake, 2012. "The applicability of the Viable Systems Model as a diagnostic for small to medium sized enterprises," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 62(1), pages 29-46, November.
    6. Philipp C. Sauer & Stefan Seuring, 2023. "How to conduct systematic literature reviews in management research: a guide in 6 steps and 14 decisions," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1899-1933, July.
    7. Mena-Siles, David & Gemar, German, 2025. "Survival analysis for predicting bankruptcy in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): A case study approach," Small Business International Review, Asociación Española de Contabilidad y Administración de Empresas - AECA, vol. 9(2), pages 773-773, December.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • L53 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Enterprise Policy
    • O21 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Planning Models; Planning Policy
    • O25 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Industrial Policy

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