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Product marketing is commonly organised around four Ps: product, price, place, and promotion, with service providers adding three more Ps: physical evidence, people and processes.…
Price is frequently regarded as something that has to be minimised. Entrepreneurs, and small business owners in particular, often see low pricing as the key to delivering…
On the 8th March 2023, we celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD), with #EmbraceEquity as the campaign theme. The 2023 campaign suggests equal opportunities do not go far…
Three years ago, cybercrime was not a common threat for small and medium-sized businesses. However, since the start of the pandemic, the number of cyber attacks aimed at even the…
Over the past 25 years, Fairtrade estimates it has helped generate an extra one billion Euros for farmers and their communities around the world by guaranteeing sustainable…
The new Netflix murder mystery film Glass Onion is a cautionary tale – but not about influencers, tech bros or ironic architecture, as some have suggested. But Glass Onion (along…
Now that we’ve entered what Paul J. Crutzen calls the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch marked by an unprecedented human impact upon planet Earth, how can we shift towards a…
The adoption of social media as a marketing platform in B2B markets has been growing, yet firms still struggle to successfully implement the channels for relationship purposes. One…
With recent economic events, every business is facing challenges. These range from scaling costs, staff shortages and unreliable supply chains. In an environment where many UK…
Everyone deserves an opportunity to work in a safe, supportive, and inclusive workplace that values diversity. Professionals deserve the chance to develop their skills, share their…
How can SMEs best manage the increasingly complex business environment? Dr Aylin Ates examines small and medium enterprises' resilience and viability in turbulent times in this…
As you may have noticed, growing a business can be hard work. It often feels like the unknowns massively outnumber the knowns – that there are many more things we don't fully…
If you’re a budding entrepreneur who wants to be in charge of your own destiny, this is the article for you. Maybe you’re craving that feeling of creating something from…
Some years ago, early in my consultancy career, I met the managers of a new technology company. They had a novel idea about how to gather information from the utility meters in…
For many of us, when we finish working we don't fully disconnect from the stresses of the work day, with two-thirds of UK workers regularly participating in communications outside…
Family businesses employ 14 million people in the UK, accounting for roughly half of all private sector employment. They range from micro-businesses to multi-national global…
Inflation is a grim phenomenon. It essentially represents a devaluation of the purchasing power of money. For a given amount of money, in effect, you’re able to buy less and less…
With the surge of data volume and processing requirements, the need to understand data analytics is ever-rising. What are data analytics? Data analytics is the process of using…
In the wake of COP26, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres is reported to have said that COP26 climate pledges were a compromise that took important steps, but the "collective…
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s lives have been profoundly transformed, particularly in relation to how they go about their work. With many restrictions in…
Want to change the world? Or just your bit of it? What’s the single most important thing you need? It’s not passion or resilience or even a fabulous idea backed by a realistic…
To stimulate and refine ideas for innovation, organisations have traditionally relied on the energy of face-to-face, copresent teams collaborating both formally and informally in…
By David Falzani MBE, Professor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Nottingham University Business School The business world is routinely portrayed as a dog-eat-dog affair, and…
Addressing the climate crisis is essential and everyone needs to do their bit. SMEs can play a big role here, as introducing sustainable innovations and practices not only helps to…
The Covid-19 pandemic has underlined that no organisation, whatever its size or nature, is immune from crisis. Trouble can strike at any time and in any form, testing the…
The recent death of former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld inevitably sparked recollections of his infamous “There are known knowns...” speech. Delivered during a 2002…
The pandemic has driven a sharp surge in remote and hybrid working, increasing from 5.7% of workers in January/February 2020 to a UK average of 31.5% during the first national…
While many businesses having undertaken a huge range of transformations over the past year, it’s important to remember that the customer has also changed. We argued in a previous…
Project management is a discipline obsessed with risk aversion, with preparing for and predicting everything. But the Covid-19 pandemic has meant that often excessive need to…
The first steps towards getting a business off the ground are fairly well defined. They include choosing a name, incorporating a legal entity, raising capital, developing a product…
Small businesses need to be proactive in investing in skills development to maintain productivity and competitiveness to secure their post-Brexit future. While negotiations about…
Although almost all businesses have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, early-stage startups are seeing the worst of it. Early startups depend a lot on investments as they…
COVID-19 continues to pose serious challenges for entrepreneurial small business founders. Figuring out how to start again in its economic shadow will not be easy. Is it safe to…
What challenges are facing small businesses in the food and drink sector, and what support is available?
Expert advice on rebuilding your business
We are all in challenging times and homeworking has become the new normal. Managers are having to adapt their styles and are being increasingly dependent on the digital technology…
How did Kanban help create one of the world's leading manufacturing firms, wand what could it do for your small business?
What might COVID-19 mean for equality and our social attitudes to work?
Follow these four steps to maintain your brand after lockdown.
Digital skills will be vital for addressing the challenges of the recovery, argues Professor Mark Jarvis.
Business school research shows the structural and cultural barriers frontline staff face.
What can the UK's football clubs tell us about surviving the lockdown?
Dr Oliver Mallett examines the evidence behind effective remote working.
The Cardiff Business School team outline detailed proposals for assisting small businesses.
Almost every country across the world has reported cases of COVID-19 (McKinsey 2020), with governments taking different approaches as to how to contain the virus and limit its…
COVID-19 has demonstrated the importance of understanding and using Big Data.
What can crises teach us about effective business practices?
Aston Business School shares the latest takeaways from their small business podcast.
Coventry Business School breaks down COVID-19's impacts.
The research done by Sheffield University Management School and Small Business Britain aims to establish the support needed by the UK's small businesses.
The Cardiff Business School team analyse those most at risk.
Research from the Coventry Centre for Business and Society examines the impact of COVID-19 on one of the UK's most vibrant retail sectors.
Portsmouth Business School shares the support on offer for local businesses.
Small business owners share how they're keeping profits afloat under COVID-19
Businesses of all shapes and sizes have found themselves in an unprecedented situation thanks to the global Coronavirus outbreak. This potentially deadly virus has devastated every…
The business school team from Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry share their advice.
It's vital that small businesses maintain their sustainable practices, says startup CEO.
Two young business founders share what they're learning about business practice by dealing with COVID-19.
The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has changed how the world does business. Financial projections for the coming year can be thrown out of the window, with companies having to adapt…
Aston Business School experts share their top 7 tips for businesses struggling under COVID-19.
A graphic design agency share their 3 key tips for maintaining your business's digital presence.
What does Rishi Sunak's announcement really mean for the self employed?
Find out more about the new Government-backed knowledge exchange programme and how it can help your business.
Henning von Spreckelsen, Small Business Charter Board Member, outlines some tips for SMEs in the current challenging times. There is nothing certain about 2020 except that it will…
In his first budget the Chancellor Rishi Sunak signalled the commitment of the Government to addressing the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK. However, while the Government's concerns…
As content marketing becomes increasingly complex and competitive, where do you start when it comes to crafting the perfect strategy?
What can Hollywood Blockbusters teach small businesses about adaptability?
A team of researchers examine the emotional costs and benefits of digital entrepreneurship in a new study.
Whether you’re an established business searching for a new HQ or are a brand-new startup looking to find your feet, the most important thing to remember is location,…
Analytics need to be integrated into every aspect of the modern business.
However much you may like to think of yourself as non-judgemental, the truth is first impressions play a major role in the way we see and relate to those we meet. Research shows…
Fans of Bruce Lee may remember the scene in Enter the Dragon, arguably his most celebrated film, in which he gives a young pupil a short lesson in martial arts and philosophy.…
Launching a new business hard. Keeping it going is harder.
High-flying female founders share the lessons they've learned from getting started in business.
Starting a business is a big commitment. Make sure you know what lies ahead and plan your digital strategy with these 7 top tips.
Discover how entrepreneurs are leading the way when it comes to pioneering mental health initiatives and working to reduce mental health stigma.
Find out how to transform your social capital into a business asset.
No doubt you’ve heard of Brexit, but how will it actually affect your business? Nicholas Harding is CEO of Lending Works, an up-and-coming peer-to-peer lending platform. As…
When I started my business back in 2008, I had ambitious goals to build a thriving specialist technology PR and video production agency. I knew that there were many routes to…
Find out how a business school partnership boosted a small business onto the international stage.
Entrepreneur Natalie Meyer shares her experience of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme.
David Falzani MBE shares 5 fundamentals for sales success.
We take a look at the evidence-based support small businesses need to navigate Brexit.
David Falzani MBE dismantles the orthodox, "product first" approach to marketing, and offers a new solution for the modern marketplace.
Rejected business proposals don't die; rather, they often come back in new and improved guises. Find out how with these case studies.
Whether you employ two people or 250, make sure your small business is ready for Britain’s exit from the EU. This page features resources from Government, the third sector,…
A young entrepreneur gives their 7 top tips for launching a new business.
In the aftermath of the financial crisis, micro and small enterprises (MSEs) have become less reliant on, and less likely to seek, bank finance. According to European survey…
Lesley Giles, Director of the Work Foundation, unpacks an effective and comprehensive employee engagement strategy
Star Trek’s Mr Spock would often give his Enterprise shipmates a look of both sympathy and superiority whenever he believed they were allowing their emotions to rule over…
Tzvete Doncheta offers some key advice on building a business identity that goes beyond brand recognition
Anthony Carey argues that the time has come to recognise the unique strengths of medium-sized businesses.
A new model for consumer engagement is shaking up digital marketing
Researchers from Kingston Business School propose six steps to help employees, business owners and managers navigate through the return to work process.
There are few things on which Britain’s major political parties agree, but one point on which an unusually firm consensus has emerged of late is the need for companies to…
Many small businesses are innovators. Some are born out of incremental innovation, which improves on existing products or practices, while others are born out of radical…
This is the 3rd of three blogs that describe the fundamentals all businesses need to grow a profitable business. Having covered the Consumer and the Competitors we move on to…
Should business be all about profit? This used to be a no-brainer, but as we mark the tenth anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers whilst figureheads like the Archbishop…
Leadership of private family businesses is different. In addition to executive management or C-Suite capabilities[1] such as development of sound business, financial, marketing,…
One of the harshest lessons for new businesses is that virtue may be the only reward an innovator gains. It is over a century and a half since Ralph Waldo Emerson claimed the world…
One of the main challenges facing entrepreneurs is being able to articulate and maintain perspective on the commercial relevance of their technology or innovation. A technology’s…
Family firms are traditionally badged the conservatives of the business world – unadventurous, slow to change, and too fond of familiar traditions and habits. However recent…
This is the second of three blogs that describe the underpinning all businesses need to have to enable growth in their business. We talked last time about getting an in-depth…
This is the first of three blogs that describe the underpinning all businesses need to have to enable growth. You will often hear people use the terms ‘customers’ and…
As the founder of a digital agency, Cameron and Wilding Ltd, I know all too well what it is like to juggle a million different priorities as you grow a business. So when do you…
You may have read about Nicola Thorp, a receptionist, who was sent home for refusing to wear high heels. This sparked considerable debate about dress codes in the workplace,…
Ask an audience of new business owners to identify the most crucial driver of growth and you are likely to receive an array of responses. The list might include talent,…
Since co-founding Impression at the end of 2012 I have learnt a lot about running a business in a short space of time. Although my degree in management and marketing provided me…
What is the importance of the power of WHY? I have been a fan of Simon Sinek for years. The first minute of his TED talk about this famous WHY and titled “How great leaders…
The SBC is delighted to offer a series of blogs written by Ross Crombie on the essentials that businesses of any size need to get right, but frequently don’t! Essentials or just…
Ten years ago, ‘business school’ would have been an oxymoron to most entrepreneurs. Their businesses were predicated on breaking rules, whereas schools relied on embracing…
In a recent industrial strategy document for the life sciences sector, Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, commented on the UK’s strong…
What is GDPR? On May 25th 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation will come into effect in all EU member states. It will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK. …
Family businesses with a long history of success are those that work very hard at communication, according to Dr. Eric Clinton and Catherine Faherty from the Centre for Family…
With the rise of Amazon and other internet giants, most businesses are now facing global competition – with hundreds of thousands of other businesses targeting your customer…
Any business seeking to build its capacity and push itself to the next level faces the challenge of assembling and retaining a diverse and satisfied workforce. When we consider…
Every autumn, thousands of students descend on cities and towns across the country to study at university. Armed with their academic timetables, one of the first things they will…
According to an annual report from the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Portsmouth is the place to start your own business. In 2016 Portsmouth had more small businesses start up than…
Entrepreneurship almost invariably serves as the bedrock of a small business, but over time that bedrock may be eroded and replaced by something quite different. Growth is often…
One of the reasons why hindsight really is a wonderful thing is that it provides us with an infinite number of “what ifs”. We might remain acutely aware of the futility of…
Boards are the mind and will of a company, and they perform better when they include the best people coming from a range of backgrounds and perspectives. The boardroom is where all…
In an increasingly competitive world in which marketing agencies are prolific, how best should they retain clients, and how can a relationship between client and agency be set up…
Tom Cheesewright argues that the cycle time for innovation and adoption is shorter now, and that this is having a very real effect on the sustainable success of enterprises.
The words “entrepreneurship” and “vision” are frequently bandied around in tandem. The general implication is that both encapsulate the ability to make a difference, to…
Effective entrepreneurial leadership is becoming increasingly important in today’s fast moving global economy. But what is it and what does it mean for those working with such an…
The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) has set up a team of academic experts whose job is to provide a pathway between its Bristol Business School and SMEs. The…
One of the most challenging paradoxes at the heart of enterprise education, as has been touched on previously on these pages, is that students are routinely encouraged to think big…
Psychologically, we’re still cave people in a digital world. We can’t expect people to turn into cybernauts unaffected by all its threats and strains. But, as Monideepa…
The imminent levy on large organisations to fund three million new apprenticeships is going to transform the future shape of training and development. Neil Ralph sets out what…
Succession has been as much a crisis for family businesses as it has been for monarchies throughout history. Given family enterprises like Beretta, Loacker, Marriott and Walmart…
In 2015 Strathclyde Business School launched the Growth Advantage Programme (GAP) which allows business owners to take a step back from their daily tasks and focus on new…
A few weeks ago I was asked to speak at a briefing of diplomats, journalists and industry lobbyists that had convened to discuss the impact of BREXIT upon SME’s and our future…
That’s the question that the University of Portsmouth asked itself in 2013 when it decided to cement its position in the local community as an organisation that supports and…
Critics of the Northern Powerhouse view it as a triumph of rhetoric over substance. While applauding the ambition of growing the North’s economy through infrastructure investment…
Millennials, born between 1980 to 2000, now make up the majority of the undergraduate student body at universities across the country. As these students complete internships,…
Most entrepreneurs want to 'be their own boss' but a wise helping hand can be a big asset. Great entrepreneurs tend to be terrible employees. We don’t want a job, we want an…
Lancaster University has a very strong reputation of working with business – particularly SMEs. This was reflected by the University receiving a Small Business Charter Gold…
Entrepreneurs need to define their mission and the purpose of their firm.
Gemma Clarke of Tangle Teezer and Ella, a Marketing undergraduate at Loughborough University’s School When Tangle Teezer was launched on The Dragon’s Den in November 2007, it…
Small Business Saturday really is a labour of love – right from the beginning it has been brought together by volunteers and organisations with one goal – to support, inspire…
Angus Bankes is a technology entrepreneur with experience of growing and selling tech start-ups in the UK and the USA. He founded Moreover Technologies in 1998, where he served…
There is a long-standing view that our universities are places where students go to learn theory and are a source of potential talent but have little to offer businesses…
Mention the words charter, Government and university and most entrepreneurs’ eyes glaze over. The original thinkers who dream up the best ideas are often rebellious and don’t…
Last week, Professor Dylan Jones Evans delivered a speech at the University of the West of England (UWE) on the topic of entrepreneurial universities. In particular, he…
More than 1,000 members of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) were surveyed on their work with business schools, revealing that links between the two groups were often poor.…
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