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Business Networks, external advice and SME policy

This involves a range of projects. Some are interconnected with the Cambridge Centre for Business Research (CBR) at the Judge Business School, chiefly involving ESRC and related supports through the CBR.

The major recent output has focused on the role of government supports to SMEs, particularly Business Link. Future analysis will focus on economic growth issues related to business advice and policy supports.

Publications

  • Bennett, R. J. (2012) Supporting trust: Credit assessment and debt recovery through Trade Protection Societies in Britain and Ireland, 1776-1992, Journal of Historical Geography, forthcoming. doi:10.1016/j.jhg.2012.01.001
  • Bennett, R.J. (2012) Government and Small Business, Chapter 4, pp. 49-75, in S. Carter and D. Jones-Evans (eds.) Enterprise and Small Business, (2nd ed.) Financial Times/Pearson Education, Harlow.
  • Bennett, R. J. (2012) Government advice services for SMEs: recognising and managing expectations - the lessons from British experience, Chapter 13 in R. Blackburn and M. Schaper (eds.) Government, SMEs and Entrepreneurship Development: Policy, Practice and Challenges, Gower.
  • Robson, P. and Bennett, R. J. (2010) Paying fees for government business advice: an assessment of the Business Link experience, Applied Economics, 42 (1) 37-48.
  • Bennett, R. J. (2008) Government SME policy since the 1990s: what have we learnt? Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 26, 375-397.
  • Bennett, R. J. (2007) Government local and regional support for SMEs and Business Link, Chapter 7, pp. 75-88, in A. Cosh and A. Hughes (eds.), British Enterprise: thriving or surviving? Centre for Business Research, Judge Business School, Cambridge University.
  • Bennett, R.J. and M. Ramsden, (2007)The contribution of business associations to SMEs: Strategy, bundling or reassurance? International Small Business Journal, 25 (1) 49-76.
  • Bennett, R. J. and P. J. A. Robson (2005) The advisor-SME client relationship: an empirical test of a model of client impact, satisfaction and commitment, Small Business Economics, 25 (3), 255-271.
  • Ramsden, M. and R. J. Bennett, (2005) The benefits of external supports to SMEs: "Hard" versus "soft" outcomes and satisfaction levels, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 12 (2), 227-243.
  • Bennett, R. J. and C. Smith (2004) Spatial markets for consultancy to SMEs, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 95 (4), 359-374
  • Bennett, R.J. and Robson, P.J.A. (2004) The role of boards of directors in small and medium-sized firms, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 11 (1), 95-113.
  • Bennett, R. J. and Robson, P. J. A. (2004) Support services for SMEs: does the 'franchisee' make a difference to the Business Link offer?, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 22, 859-880.
  • Bennett, R.J. and Robson, P.J.A. (2003) Changing use of external business advice and government support by SMEs in the 1990s, Regional Studies, 37, 795-811.
  • Bennett, R.J, and Robson, P.J.A (2003) Business Link: Use, Satisfaction and the Influence of Local Governance Regime, Policy Studies, 24, 163-186
  • Bennett, R.J. and Smith, C. (2003) The spatial market of business advice and consultancy to SMEs, Journal of Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 27, 309-336