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Business Support Services: A Conceptual Framework and Some Interesting Practices

In: High Technology, Productivity and Networks

Author

Listed:
  • Nicola Bellini

Abstract

In contemporary economies a large number of public and semi-public bodies are providing small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) with support services aimed at sustaining their competitiveness and growth strategies. Examples of business support services are: the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) in the US, Business Link — Small Business Service in England, Syntens in the Netherlands, ALMI in Sweden, the ‘real service’ centers in Italy, etc. The European Union itself has identified the creation of ‘top class business services’ as one of the main priorities in its policy for small and medium-sized enterprises. Also the economic literature has discussed this phenomenon for at least two decades now, with different approaches and sometimes opposed conclusions about its relevance. Nonetheless, a general consensus has emerged that such policies should be part of the toolbox of ‘structural industrial policies’ in those economies where the presence of SMEs is especially strong (see Parrilli’s introduction in this volume).

Suggested Citation

  • Nicola Bellini, 2008. "Business Support Services: A Conceptual Framework and Some Interesting Practices," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Mario Davide Parrilli & Patrizio Bianchi & Roger Sugden (ed.), High Technology, Productivity and Networks, chapter 5, pages 95-116, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-58372-6_5
    DOI: 10.1057/9780230583726_5
    as

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