Shape the Agenda - Access all areas?
Does government do enough for SMEs?
Description
Mark Stuart - Head of Research, The Chartered Institute of Marketing will look at the latest Agenda Paper 'Access all areas?' which asks what kind of help does government really offer SMEs.
Mark will be joined by Phil Smith, Managing Director, Northern Arc Ltd providing Business Link services across the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the West of England (former Avon). Our representative from the SME sector will be John Taylerson of Wiltshire based Malmesbury Syrups, a successful specialist foods manufacturer making flavoured syrups for speciality delicatessens, high street retailers and coffee shops, who will represent the small business sector.
Should government be merely a point of access for small and medium-sized companies seeking grants and funding, or should they offer more direct help to small companies?
The paper asks whether there are options available to small companies that they are not taking full advantage of, and if so, is this due to resources or not knowing where to go?
The 'Access all areas?' paper considers these issues and discusses how the role of government might best evolve to suit the disparate requirements of SMEs.
Commenting on the paper's findings, Mark Stuart, Head of Research at The Chartered Institute of Marketing said:
"There's a range of information, grants, assistance and training available from government, but many small and medium-sized companies don't pick up on this range to its full advantage, for a number of reasons. This is sometimes because the language and context of how to help is delivered and does not resonate with the business needs and wants of SMEs; there is also a further problem in treating 'SMEs' as one body, as the needs of start-ups, micro-organisations, small companies and medium-sized companies can differ.
Government need to recognise that many 'business development' issues are, at their core, marketing issues; there's sometimes a lack of understanding of this. Our Agenda paper shows that this is not government's fault, because such understanding is not its sphere of expertise. That gives us a job to do, to prove that the Institute is not just a membership organisation with a narrow definition of 'marketing', but a business growth organisation, that places an emphasis on marketing as the engine that drives business."
Mark Stuart will also be supported with a small business case study from an experienced practitioner.
To finish the evening Richard Storey, the CIM's South West regional Ambassador for the Small Business Group, will chair a discussion panel which will debate invited views from the audience to get an insight from both sides as to how 'Access all areas?' resonates with local practice and experience.
This event begins at 18:00 and finishes at 20:30.
Price information
| Member: | £15.00 |
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| Studying Member: | £0 |
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| Student: | £0 |
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| Guest: | £25.00 |
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The price of this event includes refreshments. Please contact the events team with any special requirements. |
Alternative Pay Details: Please book online for this event. If you cannot do so please call The Chartered Institute of Marketing on +44 (0)1628 427340. |
Contact details