Cindy Millman

SME financing in the UK and in China: a comparative perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to outline the preliminary results of an empirical investigation into access to finance and related issues, as experienced by SME owner/managers in the UK and in China.Design/methodology/approach – The authors employed a telephone survey involving a sample of SME owner/managers operating in the UK and in China. A detailed, semi‐structured questionnaire was administered to a selected sample of 32 matched SMEs. The survey requested quantitative and qualitative information on sources of finance, both preferred and actually used by owner/managers, during three stages in their firms business cycle: at start up, after two years and over the next five years.Findings – Evidence suggests that there are similarities as well as differences between SME financing in the UK and in China. In terms of initial (start‐up) funding, a large proportion of respondents relied exclusively on financial support from their immediate family. After two years in business, respondents exhibite...

Graduate Entrepreneurship Education in the United Kingdom.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the progress made by UK higher education institutions (HEIs) to deliver the enterprise education agenda. The key areas for research included the type, content and delivery methods of graduate enterprise education being offered in the UK.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was e‐mailed to 123 HEIs in the UK, together with a brief introduction stating the purpose of the research. These were followed up by telephone calls to request responses.Findings – The paper finds that provision of entrepreneurship education is varied, with both entrepreneurship and innovation courses on offer. Entrepreneurship education is most often offered at postgraduate level and on a part time basis. Overall, delivery methods proved to be more traditional than anticipated, with few instances of action learning or the use of technology to support learning. There were differences between pre‐ and post‐1992 HEIs, and little attention was given to topic areas evident in releva...

Entrepreneurship education in China: a case study approach

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an overview of entrepreneurship education in the wider context of the Chinese educational system in transition and raise pertinent questions regarding its direction and future development.Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach is used to provide an in‐depth analysis of the challenges and outcomes of the “Know about your business” (KAB) programme initiated by the International Labour Organisation and piloted at the China Youth University for Political Sciences in Beijing.Findings – The evaluation of the KAB pilot programme showed that it proved largely successful: 43.9 per cent of participating students were very satisfied with it, 52.6 per cent claimed to be satisfied and only 3.5 per cent were not content with it. Student feedback highlighted a small number of problems with this programme, including issues relating to a lack of market research knowledge, limited contact hours, a shortage of business plan models and difficulties in managing related team wo...

Exploring small copreneurial food companies; female leadership perspectives

Purpose – The aim of the research was to explore the lead roles taken by women in some successful small copreneurial companies by studying similar small firms in one sector.Design/methodology/approach – Here, a multiple case study approach was selected, using narrative as a key focus, to explore the way the business had been set up, and its subsequent growth. The role of both partners was also explored, plus strategy, leadership and work: life balance.Findings – New insights emerge about copreneurship where females take lead roles in management, both at start up and through company development. Female partners had an equal or overriding need for achievement to their partners, possessed great self confidence, perceived no barriers to women in business, took a strategic role in the firm from start up through development, drew salaries equal to their male partners and managed life at home and at work.Research limitations/implications – The case study approach gives insights but other studies are needed, both...

Research Issues in Building Brand Equity and Global Brands in the PC Market

Global brands and the building of brand equity in one of the most innovative business sectors, for the personal computer market, are examined within the context of the phenomenal growth of the IT industry. Research issues concerning data collection, timing and measures of brand performance for the pc market are discussed. These are important because the gathering and diagnosis of information about customer commitment to personal computer firms or their loyalty to brands give early warning signals to marketers about customer disaffections and defections. Account is taken of marketing communications for global brands by pc manufacturers to support their brands. The review of the literature showed problems in the assessment of a brands strength, value and potential given the increased volume and diversity of market data and differences in interpretations. Qualitative and quantitative approaches are presented with examples of brand equity models and conclusions derived for managers researching and developing brands.

Exploring SME Advice and Training Needs for Entrepreneurial Rural Firms

This paper reports on two studies carried out to investigate business support needs in the rural south-east and south-west of the UK West Midlands region. The researchers surveyed a sample of 494 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to provide support for better decision making by regional providers of training and advice in identifying the needs of these firms. The overall findings suggest that rural areas need to be seen within their own contexts and that support requires differentiation to meet specific needs, particularly where there is evidence of curtailed innovation. More detailed research into innovation across rural areas might identify reasons for emerging trends and explain why some rural areas are more entrepreneurial than others. The study findings revealed that innovation was evident in one-third of the businesses, with growth likely to be given the right support, although there was evidence of greater levels of entrepreneurial behaviour in the area with more immigrants and a better transport infrastructure.

New Digital Media Marketing and Micro Business: A UK Perspective

This paper considers innovative marketing within the context of a micro firm, exploring how such firm’s marketing practices can take advantage of digital media. Factors that influence a micro firm’s innovative activities are examined and the development and implementation of digital media in the firm’s marketing practice is explored. Despite the significance of marketing and innovation to SMEs, a lack of literature and theory on innovation in marketing theory exists. Research suggests that small firms’ marketing practitioners and entrepreneurs have identified their marketing focus on the 4Is. This paper builds on knowledge in innovation and marketing and examines the process in a micro firm. A qualitative approach is applied using action research and case study approach. The relevant literature is reviewed as the starting point to diagnose problems and issues anticipated by business practitioners. A longitudinal study is used to illustrate the process of actions taken with evaluations and reflections presented. The exploration illustrates that in practice much of the marketing activities within micro firms are driven by incremental innovation. This research emphasises that integrating Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) successfully in marketing requires marketers to take an active managerial role far beyond their traditional areas of competence and authority.

The role of guanxi networks in the performance of women-led firms in China

Purpose – This exploratory study aims to examine how knowledge acquired via guanxi (networks and connections) is enabling women in China to overcome a number of significant barriers and challenges in order to start and grow successful businesses. Design/methodology/approach – The authors undertook two in-depth interviews to qualitatively investigate the use of guanxi as a means of overcoming various barriers faced by Chinese women in establishing and growing their businesses. Findings – The findings suggest that family background (and, in particular, support from parents and spouses), experience, training, education and finance are key success factors influencing the performance of women-led firms in China. The experiences of the two entrepreneurs in the study demonstrate the importance of mentors in helping to develop a womans business acumen and providing the right contacts to help overcome potential barriers to developing a successful business. Research limitations/implications – While this study prov...

White and Male? Constructing Student Perceptions of Entrepreneurs as ‘Other’

This paper explores perceptions of entrepreneurship and innovation to discover why UK students did not engage with enterprise activities at their universities. A study involving 84 international and national university students identified stereotypical perceptions of terms such as ‘innovator’ and ‘entrepreneur’, ‘entrepreneurship’ and ‘innovation’, associating values and emotions with the development of these constructs often ignored in research on enterprise intent. There were differing perspectives on the drivers affecting engagement across international and UK students. It also emerged that the development of new interactive media technologies had influenced the process of constructing meaning for these terms, creating and reinforcing stereotypes rather than changing them.

Technology imports, product exports and firms’ R&D investment: an empirical analysis of firms in the Chinese high technology sector

New trade theory emphasises the important role that international trade plays in advancing technologies. This study examines the impact of international trade on firm research and development investment (RDI). Specifically, it analyses the impact of technology imports and product exports respectively on firm RDI in the high technology sector of China. The hypotheses are tested against 1111 firms in the high technology sector in Zhejiang province. Neither technology imports nor product exports have a positive impact on firm RDI at an aggregated level. However, disembodied technology imports have a significant positive impact on firm RDI, while non-high technology product exports show a significant negative impact.