Family, Friends & Government Agencies: A Report on SMEs & the Support Infrastructure Project

26 Pages Posted: 19 Apr 2007

See all articles by Alan Coetzer

Alan Coetzer

Massey University

Claire L. Massey

Massey University - Department of Management & Enterprise Development; Massey University - NZ Centre for SME Research

Candice Harris

Auckland University of Technology

Kate Lewis

Massey University

Mary Ashby

Victoria University of Wellington

Abstract

The study described in this report sought to address the topic of business assistance and New Zealand SMEs, by examining the ways in which firms interact with the SME support infrastructure (i.e. taken to include government agencies, private sector firms and non-governmental agencies), and identifying the features of 'successful' interactions. The research examines the business assistance realities of SME owner-managers in order to better understand those experiences from the perspective of use rather than provision.

The data that emerged from the project will assist those working in government agencies and the other organisations that make up the support infrastructure to understand the experiences of SME owner-managers in relation to the support programmes that they offer. Specifically, the research team focused on the following research objectives:

1. To understand the ways in which firms 'interact with' the SME support infrastructure (i.e. government agencies, private sector firms and non-governmental agencies). 2. To describe the features of 'successful' interactions. 3. To identify gaps and areas of development needed in the support infrastructure.

Keywords: SMEs, support infrastructure, Business assistance, New Zealand

Suggested Citation

Coetzer, Alan and Massey, Claire L. and Harris, Candice and Lewis, Kate and Ashby, Mary, Family, Friends & Government Agencies: A Report on SMEs & the Support Infrastructure Project. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=977317

Alan Coetzer (Contact Author)

Massey University ( email )

Wellington
New Zealand

Claire L. Massey

Massey University - Department of Management & Enterprise Development ( email )

Wellington
6448015799 (Phone)

Massey University - NZ Centre for SME Research ( email )

Private Box 756
Wellington
New Zealand
6448015799 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://sme-centre.massey.ac.nz

Candice Harris

Auckland University of Technology ( email )

AUT City Campus
Private Bag 92006
Auckland, 1142
New Zealand

Kate Lewis

Massey University ( email )

Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, Manawatu 4442
New Zealand

Mary Ashby

Victoria University of Wellington ( email )

Wellington
New Zealand

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