Image
Greater Manchester: Bringing business and academia together
Published on 19 May 2021
United Kingdom
Greater Manchester
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Why has Greater Manchester adopted this approach? Mainstream leadership and management programmes for SMEs typically focus on coaching and mentoring via experienced associates. Business schools also have expertise in best practice management techniques, and draw on the most up-to-date evidence of what work, but too often only large firms benefit from this
In other countries where SME productivity is higher (US and Germany), SMEs are known to much more readily engage in leadership & management training, and the UK Productivity Review found this to be one of the key opportunities to boost UK productivity (as well as tech adoption)
Business as usual is unlikely to turn the dial - only 15% or so of GM SMEs say they engage currently with leadership training.
The programme will be a collaboration and brand sharing between a consortium of the four GM university business schools, working closely with referral and delivery partner GC Business Growth Hub. The programme will operate through shared delivery, drawing on the best experts from all partners and will operate to support existing initiatives as a feeder and follow-on experience.
The aim is to change leadership and management support for GM existing SMEs as well as any new business establishing itself in the GM area, so that they are aware of the importance of adopting best practice management methods to bottom-line, and through both this programme and a wider GM brand that partners can coalesce around follow up experience
In other countries where SME productivity is higher (US and Germany), SMEs are known to much more readily engage in leadership & management training, and the UK Productivity Review found this to be one of the key opportunities to boost UK productivity (as well as tech adoption)
Business as usual is unlikely to turn the dial - only 15% or so of GM SMEs say they engage currently with leadership training.
The programme will be a collaboration and brand sharing between a consortium of the four GM university business schools, working closely with referral and delivery partner GC Business Growth Hub. The programme will operate through shared delivery, drawing on the best experts from all partners and will operate to support existing initiatives as a feeder and follow-on experience.
The aim is to change leadership and management support for GM existing SMEs as well as any new business establishing itself in the GM area, so that they are aware of the importance of adopting best practice management methods to bottom-line, and through both this programme and a wider GM brand that partners can coalesce around follow up experience
Expert opinion
This good practice clearly defines a challenge for SMEs (lack leadership training and skills) and provides a targeted training programme to address this issue. In terms of relevance, management training has shown positive correlations with improving bottom line performance of SMEs and there is evidence that such training can improve the survival rates for start-up companies. Additionally, this good practice raises an important point that leadership and management training are often offered to larger firms who have the resources to provide these opportunities to their staff, but SMEs often do not have the time or resources to participate in such trainings. Thus, this programme fills an important void by providing leadership and management training to SMEs. While the results of this project are still forthcoming, the topic itself is highly relevant and important for SMEs (especially in the aftermath of COVID-19) and could offer a valuable learning opportunity for other policymakers.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
The programme is funded via the GMESIF (structural fund programme). This is a 3 year €2.2million project.
Evidence of success
Although only just started as a response to the COBID crisis we anticipate the support and growth of 400 SMEs (minimum) and the creation of a leadership and development SME network.
It is difficult to quantify outputs currently because this is a new programme that has been designed to support economic recovery following the COVID pandemic.
However, the innovation in this programme introduces new approaches into the coaching such as the podcast.
It is difficult to quantify outputs currently because this is a new programme that has been designed to support economic recovery following the COVID pandemic.
However, the innovation in this programme introduces new approaches into the coaching such as the podcast.
Potential for learning or transfer
Establishing this practice is a process that focussed initially on cooperation between a single business growth organisation and the regional universities. It would be a simple transferral in theory providing that all organisations are willing to partner the initiative. The organisations are the same across the EU - Universities, business growth organisations and SMEs. The principle of adopting the engagement practice is easily transferred.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub
United Kingdom
Greater Manchester
Contact
External funding Manager