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Developing Expertise in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Evaluation of Consultancy Support

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  • Ivan Turok
  • Mike Raco

Abstract

Enhancement of the management capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has attracted increasing policy attention in recent years. Many of the mechanisms used by government agencies involve the provision of external expertise in the form of advice, training, and subsidised consultancy. These schemes face various difficulties in addressing the diverse needs of SMEs effectively. Some of these difficulties are reflections of the different organisational cultures of the public and private sectors. The authors examine a major policy initiative in Scotland which constitutes an attempt to overcome some of them: the Expert Help Scheme. This scheme has achieved significant take-up through developing links with existing business support agencies and active promotion by consultants. The scheme's broad scope and flexibility have simplified this task. Client companies have generally been very satisfied with the quality of the service: it seems to have had a beneficial effect on some of their capabilities, and on the sales turnover and employment of several firms. There is scope for improvement through greater targeting and focusing of the scheme in order to enhance its additionality. There is also a case for closer integration with local business agencies in order to provide a more comprehensive package of support, enabling real developmental relationships to be created with companies.

Suggested Citation

  • Ivan Turok & Mike Raco, 2000. "Developing Expertise in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Evaluation of Consultancy Support," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 18(4), pages 409-427, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:18:y:2000:i:4:p:409-427
    DOI: 10.1068/c9868
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John R. Bryson, 1997. "Business service firms, service space and the management of change," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 93-112, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mike Raco & Ivan Turok & Keith Kintrea, 2003. "Local Development Companies and the Regeneration of Britain's Cities," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 21(2), pages 277-303, April.
    2. Kevin Mole, 2002. "Street-Level Technocracy in UK Small Business Support: Business Links, Personal Business Advisers, and the Small Business Service," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 20(2), pages 179-194, April.
    3. Kevin F Mole & George Bramley, 2006. "Making Policy Choices in Nonfinancial Business Support: An International Comparison," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 24(6), pages 885-908, December.
    4. David Pickernell & Christine Atkinson & Christopher Miller, 2015. "Guest Editorial," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 33(1), pages 4-8, February.
    5. Liz Price & Jim Shutt & Jessica Sellick, 2018. "Supporting rural Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to take up broadband-enabled technology: What works?," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 33(5), pages 515-536, August.
    6. Paul Jones & Malcolm J Beynon & David Pickernell & Gary Packham, 2013. "Evaluating the Impact of Different Training Methods on SME Business Performance," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 31(1), pages 56-81, February.
    7. Nick Clifton & Robert Huggins & Brian Morgan & Piers Thompson, 2015. "An appropriate tool for entrepreneurial learning in SMEs? The case of the 20Twenty Leadership Programme," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 30(5), pages 534-556, August.
    8. Arturo Vega & Mike Chiasson & David Brown, 2013. "Understanding the Causes of Informal and Formal Discretion in the Delivery of Enterprise Policies: A Multiple Case Study," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 31(1), pages 102-118, February.
    9. Kevin Mole & Mark Hart & Stephen Roper & David Saal, 2008. "Differential Gains from Business Link Support and Advice: A Treatment Effects Approach," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 26(2), pages 315-334, April.
    10. Slamet Rosyadi & Ayusia Sabhita Kusuma & Elpeni Fitrah & Agus Haryanto & Wiwiek Adawiyah, 2020. "The Multi-Stakeholder’s Role in an Integrated Mentoring Model for SMEs in the Creative Economy Sector," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, October.
    11. David Pickernell & Adrian Kay & Gary Packham & Christopher Miller, 2011. "Competing Agendas in Public Procurement: An Empirical Analysis of Opportunities and Limits in the UK for SMEs," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 29(4), pages 641-658, August.
    12. Jeremy Phillipson & Matthew Gorton & Marian Raley & Andrew Moxey, 2004. "Treating Farms as Firms? the Evolution of Farm Business Support from Productionist to Entrepreneurial Models," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 22(1), pages 31-54, February.
    13. Claudio Vitari & E. Raguseo, 2021. "Big data technologies: perceived benefits and costs for adopter and non-adopter enterprises [Technologies pour les données massives : Bénéfices et coûts perçus par les entreprises adoptantes et non adoptantes]," Post-Print hal-03323888, HAL.
    14. Andrés Barge-Gil & Aurelia Modrego-Rico, 2008. "Are Technology Institutes a Satisfactory Tool for Public Intervention in the Area of Technology? A Neoclassical and Evolutionary Evaluation," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 26(4), pages 808-823, August.
    15. Kevin F Mole & Mark Hart & Stephen Roper & David S Saal, 2011. "Broader or Deeper? Exploring the Most Effective Intervention Profile for Public Small Business Support," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(1), pages 87-105, January.

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