Current government policy is to encourage more businesses to grow. Access to resources – financial, human and physical – are often cited as the principal barriers to the growth of…
Abstract
Current government policy is to encourage more businesses to grow. Access to resources – financial, human and physical – are often cited as the principal barriers to the growth of small firms. The attitudes of owner‐managers, however, are equally important, with many owner‐managers deliberately avoiding growing their businesses beyond their capacity personally to manage the business. Attitudes change as businesses develop; a skilled consultant can act as catalyst to overcome cultural barriers and, consequently, to the growth of businesses. This paper examines the cultural barriers which might inhibit the growth and development of a new enterprise and offers a model to show how those barriers separate seven stages of entrepreneurial development. It highlights the role of the consultant in moving through the stages.
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The purpose of this paper is to review approaches to providing support to entrepreneurs adopted by four business support organisations, originally created with similar objectives…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review approaches to providing support to entrepreneurs adopted by four business support organisations, originally created with similar objectives, in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Cameroon to examine entrepreneurial heterogeneity in Africa and the hypothesis that local solutions are required to support entrepreneurs effectively.
Design/methodology/approach
An empirical review of each business support organisation's approach, including a stakeholder analysis was undertaken.
Findings
Although the trusts were established to achieve broadly similar objectives, all have followed a different path, apparently in response to the need to provide support in different ways. All are successful, demonstrating the importance of this approach. All learn from each other, adopting and, importantly, adapting successful programmes.
Research limitations/implications
The research whilst systematically covering stakeholders was limited to gathering qualitative perceptions of the organisations and their successes. Further research, based on systematic performance measurement by the trusts, and with appropriate control groups, could provide further insights.
Practical implications
The study is relevant to policy makers, particularly in donors and multi‐lateral institutions, considering how further to encourage and support small business development. It should encourage the designers of new programmes to spend more time ensuring that they understand how the needs of local entrepreneurs can best be addressed.
Originality/value
The study is unique in being able to use four business support organisations, in four countries, all with a common core sponsor and similar values, to make comparisons of supporting entrepreneurs. The paper makes a contribution towards demonstrating that there is little homogeneity amongst entrepreneurs in Africa and those entrepreneurs therefore require assistance tailored to meet their particular culture.
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It is increasingly important for firms to put in place programmes for continuing professional development (CPD). It is important, however, that CPD relates back clearly to…
Abstract
It is increasingly important for firms to put in place programmes for continuing professional development (CPD). It is important, however, that CPD relates back clearly to organisations’ strategic and operational objectives. It is essential that the effectiveness of development activities is evaluated, both by analysing the change in behaviour that comes about as a result of the activity, and by considering whether the benefits derived outweigh the costs incurred.
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The purpose of this paper is to review the attempts to describe the features and characteristics of business associations in Tanzania which are aiming to influence public policy…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the attempts to describe the features and characteristics of business associations in Tanzania which are aiming to influence public policy. It concludes that those attempts, whilst thought provoking, do not go far enough to be of real use to practitioners and offers an improved model.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses empirical evidence, gathered from interviews with business associations, supplemented by reviewing their research reports and policy position papers and cross referenced through interviews with public officials.
Findings
Activities and approaches of successful business associations are described and used to draw out characteristics which might enable associations to be categorised in one of four development stages based on their approach to influencing public policy.
Research limitations/implications
The new model is conceptual and work is now required to assess its validity.
Practical implications
Donors, in their design of advocacy support programmes, already focus support on associations in one or two stages of development. An improved model will make it easier for them, and practitioners, to categorise business associations. Importantly, it will provide indicators for how business associations are expected to improve as a result of the support that they are offered and thus to assess the success of the support programme.
Originality/value
There has been little research and little discussion about the features and characteristics of business associations that might lead to success in influencing public policy and thus in improving the enabling environment. This paper contributes to filling that gap.
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David Irwin and Jonathan M. Scott
The purpose of this paper is to use univariate statistical analysis to investigate barriers to raising bank finance faced by UK small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs)…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to use univariate statistical analysis to investigate barriers to raising bank finance faced by UK small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), specifically the impact of personal characteristics (ethnicity, gender and education).
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model was developed and the results of a telephone survey of 400 SMEs conducted (before the “credit crunch”) by the Barclays Bank small business research team were analysed. The survey was based on a large stratified random sample drawn from the Bank's entire SME population.
Findings
It was found that education made little difference to sources of finance, except that those educated to A‐level more frequently used friends and family and remortgaged their homes. However, graduates had the least difficulties raising finance. Though statistically insignificant, women respondents found it easier to raise finance than men. The survey confirmed that – and this finding was statistically significant – ethnic minority businesses, particularly black owner‐managers, had the greatest problem raising finance and hence relied upon “bootstrapping” as a financing strategy.
Practical implications
The study makes an important contribution to filling a research gap, given the critical need of policy‐makers to understand differentials between different types of owner‐managers. It brings new insights into its field – access to finance – and with respect, especially, to marginalised groups.
Originality/value
The paper adopts a different approach than many prior studies, with a large sample and robust analysis, to explore a critical need‐to‐know area in a new way – both for policy‐makers and academics in the field of SME finance.
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Clark N. Hallman and Lisa F. Lister
This bibliography of multidisciplinary periodical literature focuses on white supremacy ideologies and on several groups that espouse white supremacy, including the Ku Klux Klan…
Abstract
This bibliography of multidisciplinary periodical literature focuses on white supremacy ideologies and on several groups that espouse white supremacy, including the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazi groups like Aryan Nations and The Order, and skinheads. In compiling both scholarly and popular periodical material, the authors were surprised by the relatively low number of recent scholarly articles in the social sciences literature. Nevertheless, some important scholarly sources are cited. Also, although there is voluminous published material covering racism, the authors included only material judged specifically related to white supremacy, a sometimes difficult distinction because the roots of racism and current white supremacist thought are so intertwined.