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Business Advice: The Influence of Distance

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Bennett
  • William Bratton
  • Paul Robson

Abstract

This paper examines the external advisors used by small businesses to help them solve their problems, focusing on distance between client and advisor. The analysis is based on a new stratified random sample survey of small businesses in manufacturing and services in five representative locations in Britain. The paper reports the distance between client and advisor, cost and extent of site visits by the advisor, focusing on differences between types of advisor, fields of advice, types of firm by size and sector, and types of location. The analysis demonstrates the importance of localization: 60.5% of advisors are drawn from within 10km of the client, and 81.5% from within 25km. The high degree of localization is shown to be chiefly dependent on accessibility and advisor location. The general pattern of client-advisor relations is demonstrated to be modelled accurately by a standard spatial interaction model. A key finding is that the spatial pattern of the location of the supply of advisors, particularly the size of the business centres in which they are located, must be taken into account simultaneously with the role of distance in order to explain the pattern of choice of business advisors.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Bennett & William Bratton & Paul Robson, 2000. "Business Advice: The Influence of Distance," Working Papers wp167, Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge.
    • Handle: RePEc:cbr:cbrwps:wp167
    Note: PRO-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Sandeep Goyal & Bruno S. Sergi & Amit Kapoor, 2017. "Evaluating the BDS Providers and MSMEs: Challenges and Strategic Actions," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(4), pages 725-744, August.
    2. Peng Gao & Dan He & Zhijing Sun & Yuemin Ning, 2020. "Characterizing functionally integrated regions in the Central Yangtze River Megaregion from a city‐network perspective," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(3), pages 1357-1379, September.
    3. Schwartz, Dafna & Bar-El, Raphael, 2002. "Targeted consultancy services as an instrument for the development of rural SMEs - a brazilian case," ERSA conference papers ersa02p200, European Regional Science Association.
    4. Edward Shinnick, 2002. "Identifying Spatial Markets for Personal Legal Services in Ireland," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(2), pages 147-155.
    5. Wouter Jacobs & Hans Koster & Peter Hall, 2011. "The Location and Global Network Structure of Maritime Advanced Producer Services," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 48(13), pages 2749-2769, October.
    6. Saurabh A. Lall & Li-Wei Chen & Dyana P. Mason, 2023. "Digital platforms and entrepreneurial support: a field experiment in online mentoring," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 631-654, August.
    7. Robbiano, Simone, 2022. "The innovative impact of public research institutes: Evidence from Italy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(10).
    8. Anoosheh Rostamkalaei & Mark Freel, 2017. "Business advice and lending in small firms," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(3), pages 537-555, May.
    9. Robbiano, Simone, 2021. "The innovative impact of public research institutes: evidence from Italy," MPRA Paper 106386, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. El-Sahli, Zouheir & Gullstrand, Joakim & Olofsdotter, Karin, 2017. "The Internal and External Effects of Offshoring on Job Security," Working Papers 2017:14, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    11. Björn Thor Arnarson & Joakim Gullstrand, 2022. "Linking local services to global manufactures," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 124(1), pages 3-34, January.
    12. Vásquez-Urriago, Ángela Rocío & Barge-Gil, Andrés & Modrego Rico, Aurelia, 2016. "Science and Technology Parks and cooperation for innovation: Empirical evidence from Spain," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 137-147.
    13. Zouheir El-Sahli & Joakim Gullstrand & Karin Olofsdotter, 2022. "The external effects of offshoring on job security in SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1613-1640, December.
    14. Wolfram Elsner, 2005. "Real-World Economics Today:The New Complexity, Co-ordination and Policy," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 63(1), pages 19-53.
    15. Izushi, Hiro, 2003. "Impact of the length of relationships upon the use of research institutes by SMEs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 771-788, May.
    16. Anna Bottasso & Maurizio Conti & Simone Robbiano & Marta Santagata, 2022. "Roads to innovation: Evidence from Italy," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(4), pages 981-1005, September.
    17. Robert J. Bennett & Colin Smith, 2004. "SPATIAL MARKETS FOR CONSULTANCY TO SMEs," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 95(4), pages 359-374, September.
    18. Kuhn, Kristine M. & Galloway, Tera L. & Collins-Williams, Maureen, 2017. "Simply the best: An exploration of advice that small business owners value," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 8(C), pages 33-40.
    19. Piet H. Pellenbarg & Paul J. M. Van Steen, 2004. "The Netherlands in Maps," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 95(3), pages 355-355, July.
    20. Charisia Vlachou & Olga Iakovidou & Panagiota Sergaki & Georgios Menexes, 2021. "The Entrepreneurial Environment in Greek Rural Areas: The Entrepreneur’s Viewpoint," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • R19 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Other
    • L29 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Other
    • L89 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Other

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