Fatima Vegholm

The dyadic bank‐SME relationship: Customer adaptation in interaction, role and organisation

Purpose – This paper aims to emphasise the theory of adaptation in the analysis of banks’ ability to meet the needs of their SME customers. This analysis involves examining the interaction process ...

The impact of corporate fairness on the bank-SME relationship

Purpose - The United Kingdom Financial Services Authoritys treating customers fairly initiative has drawn attention to a current trend that involves regulators using regulatory principles to enhance the relationship between financial institutions and customers. The term corporate fairness is introduced to facilitate the understanding of the construction of fairness. The purpose of this study is to investigate corporate fairness as a means of achieving customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach - This study is based on a sample of 359 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sweden. LISREL, a structural equation modelling technique, is used to analyse the empirical data. Findings - The present study emphasises the importance of treating customers fairly in the financial sector. By being embedded in the strategy and structure of the bank organisation, corporate fairness enables individual bankers to act in a relational manner towards their customers, thereby resulting in higher customer satisfaction. Originality/value - Corporate fairness is a topic usually reserved for consumer research, this study shows the impact of corporate fairness on the SME community. The study shows how corporate fairness is linked to customer satisfaction, and how perceived fairness can be improved.

The impact of investment readiness on investor commitment and market accessibility in SMEs

Abstract Raising the level of investment readiness in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is seen as one of the most important strategies in public policy for promoting entrepreneurship and SME growth in Europe. This paper analyzes the impact of investment readiness on investor commitment and market accessibility in Swedish SMEs. The empirical base for the paper is a survey answered by 459 SME owners. We have analyzed the data using the lineaz structural relations (LISREL) method, a structural equation modeling technique. The analysis indicates that an increased level of investment readiness in SMEs results in closer working relationships with financiers and a higher level of commitment by the investors, which in turn leads to greater mazket accessibility for SMEs. This study supports public policy focused on programs that alleviate the problems associated with the lack of investment readiness in SMEs.

The influence of banks' advice to SMEs on customer satisfaction: the case for regulation

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the expectations of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) regarding the value of the advice provided by banks in the light of new regulations in the field. The study started with 60 in-depth interviews with bankers and entrepreneurs in a small municipality in Sweden. After the interviews, a postal survey was sent to 476 SME clients of a bank. The relationship between the bank and the SMEs was divided into two dimensions: the functional quality (with which the SMEs were very satisfied) and a technical quality (which received poor ratings from the SMEs). Overall, the corporate customers were quite satisfied with the bank, owing to low expectations in the first place. The study has relevance for regulatory authorities and banks in examining the customer satisfaction among SMEs. Furthermore, the paper provides a framework for understanding why banks can achieve high customer satisfaction despite the continuous criticism of the advice provided by banks.