Help and praise for smaller businesses
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Earlier this month Prime Minister David Cameron praised the courage of people who "turn their back on the security of a regular wage", and look to succeed on their own by starting a company. The Prime Minister said he believed the UK was "fizzing with business potential".
As a result of the efforts from SME’s to stay afloat during these tough economic times, social networking website Facebook is offering free advertising space to them, in an effort to lend a helping hand with growth.
Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg also commented on those who are self-employed in her speech in Munich recently. She explained that 50,000 small firms across Europe will be given the option of claiming credits worth $100 (£80) to use on the website, potentially allowing them to reach a wider audience.
With this comes the launch of a new scheme by the government, aimed at providing advice and guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The programme will help up to 10,000 small firms link up with senior management teams in order to help them maximise their potential for growth. The Coaching for Growth Consortium has been recruited to provide the service, which it is hoped will be fully operational by March.
“Providing intensive and quality coaching for high growth potential businesses is vital to their continued success and their ability to help the UK economy grow,” said business and enterprise minister Mark Prisk. “This programme is the latest step the government is taking to ensure small and mid-sized businesses are well equipped to thrive.”
The initiative will also help SMEs access other relevant forms of support, including UK Trade and Investment, the Manufacturing Advisory Service and business angel networks. It will target businesses with particularly high growth potential and will complement the existing Mentorsme programme.
The announcement came after a Forum of Private Business (FBB) survey found 61% of members felt the newly centralised Business Link scheme would be insufficient to boost growth, questioning everything the scheme is said to do, including the support it provides to UK companies.
With such a large number of members feeling the reformed scheme was inadequate to drive growth, only 10% believed the centralised structure would provide cost-effect support.
“It is probably true that the old Business Link services were underused and small firms do see value in some of the recent changes to public sector support, including the new website, but the removal of local advisers providing a face-to-face service has not been popular,” said FPB Senior Policy Adviser Alex Jackman. |
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Mr. Jackman added that the government’s new Local Enterprise Partnerships are expected to operate as strategic bodies rather than direct service providers, and warned that the centralisation of business support must not make it harder for businesses to obtain advice and guidance. Instead, businesses should easily be able to utilise the skills and knowledge offered by those working on a freelance basis, from freelance web designers in London to freelance logo designers, for example.
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By :
Jane Clarke
Submitted
2012-02-06 14:23:28 |
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