No abstract

This study arose from a knowledge exchange project whereby business support and knowledge exchange opportunities were provided to rural small businesses as an academic outreach programme. We review how academic support to small businesses in rural Southwest Scotland was delivered. Academic support for micro-business in Southwest Scotland is an under-researched topic. The owners volunteered to share their experiences of this support with the wider business community and university staff acted as consultants and researchers, mentoring the businesses and developing insights into rural business support. The article describes the processes and outcomes of the project, and the factors which affected the ability of the businesses to take advantage of academic business support. We utilised a case-study approach, in-depth interviews and follow-ups over a one-year period, later adding a longitudinal perspective. Our findings indicate that rural factors, business life cycle stage, sectoral skills availability along with the specific market and organisational context combine to create challenges for small business owners and impact on their ability to access and benefit from business support services. The results are significant for business engagement strategies of universities and for business support policy for small and micro-businesses in geographically isolated regions. The participant-consultant roles of the researchers facilitated the development of rich, ‘insider’ insights into this neglected topic.

No abstract

No abstract

As health promoters, we seek ways to direct our patients and the public to those activities that will lead to a healthier and longer life. Many programs have been tried with relatively small groups of individuals, with limited or unsustained success. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of providing free, quality, unbiased, frequently updated, untainted, easily accessible information to an entire community (Pueblo, Colorado) of 60,000 households. The study showed that certain groups, namely the better educated, health care workers and females benefitted most from the health information provided them. Whether the population most in need of such information was effectively reached remained unanswered due to lack of feedback from this targeted group. This study provided some valuable insights into the various challenges that one faces in trying to develop a better health-informed, participating population. It also suggests the need to continue to search for an effective way to produce the desired changes in health outcomes