An evaluation of public support measures for private external consultancies to SMEs in the Walloon Region of Belgium

Lambrecht, Jan; Pirnay, F

doi:10.1080/0898562042000338598

Cited by 96 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…One of the elements of the local environment is advice to potential entrepreneurs, which has been linked to greater rates of start-up activity and improvements in entrepreneurial outcomes, such as firm survival (Chrisman, McMullan and Hall 2005) and growth (Cumming and Fischer 2012, Lambrecht and Pirnay 2005. However, business advice is subject to information asymmetries 1 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Take-up and variation of advice for new firm founders in different local contexts

Mole

Capelleras

2017

Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space

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Although business advice has been linked to entrepreneurial outcomes, it is subject to information asymmetries and market failure. We argue that the knowledge concerning from whom to take advice before starting a new firm is more easily accessed in areas with high start-up rates which therefore ameliorates market failure. The study is based on surveys of 599 new firm founders in England and 381 new firm founders in Catalonia. A series of probit and heteroskedastic probit models are employed to investigate not only the probability of taking advice but also the variance in that probability, which reflects uncertainty. Supporting our view, the findings show that the taking of advice in the places with higher start-up rates exhibit less variation compared to other localities. We also find differing effects of place on the take up and variation of private sector and public sector advice. Implications from the findings are discussed

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some firm level variables, such as size and age, are also associated with advice (Bennett and Robson 2003, Capelleras, Contín-Pilart and Larraza-Kintana 2011, Lambrecht and Pirnay 2005). However, prior research has shown that most advice is sought locally Smith 2002, Greene et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Take-up and variation of advice for new firm founders in different local contexts

Mole

Capelleras

2017

Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space

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“…On the other hand, marketing advice helps firms to use their extant capabilities more effectively in the marketplace (Wren and Storey 2002, Lambrecht and Pirnay 2005, Boter and Lundström 2005, Branzei and Vertinsky 2006. It might also be expected to be routinized.…”

Section: Advice That Builds Capabilities Versus Advice That Uses Extamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The advice to support internal processes has to delve more deeply within the firm to assist internal changes (Cepeda-Carrion et al 2012); whereas the advice that supports external change has to understand the market environment (Wren and Storey 2002). Second, programs that build on the extant capabilities of the firm, such as training or for marketing are more likely to be routinized (Lambrecht and Pirnay 2005, Boter and Lundström 2005, Branzei and Vertinsky 2006. A marketing plan may differ according to the type of industry and strategy but it has certain routinized features which may be codified (Chrisman and McMullan 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When moving information online diminishes change: advisory services to SMEs

2014

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Small firms perform poorly. How to support SMEs effectively has occupied policymakers for decades. Previous work suggests weak competition as a cause of 'the problem'. Therefore, the means of delivering support matters little. Accordingly, the government moved support online rather than be delivered in face-to-face exchanges between advisers and clients. However, we suggest adopting internal management practices to build capabilities does require face-to-face contact, so practices diffuse in a pattern like an 'epidemic'. In support a multinomial logit model of 1334 cases of advice found SMEs that took advice to enhance internal management practices were more likely to be referred by other firms. Hence, we argue that moving online diminished change within these SMEs.

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“…The methods used in the analysis by Lambrecht and Pirnay (2005) did not employ a true counter-factual analysis and only compared firms that had been helped with typical firms (the comparison using match firms and the taking into account of selection bias was not carried out). Nevertheless, the conclusions suggest support amongst the user firms for the measures.…”

Section: Coachingmentioning

confidence: 99%