Governance, Public Policy

Comment:Enhancing Support for small business

December 01 1997

by Mike Tuffrey

The role large companies can play in assisting small and growing businesses is in the spotlight again, as the new government announces its plans for the Business Link Network.

p>In opposition, Barbara Roche promised an "enhanced" Business Link service to help support the small firms sector. Her programme, with fully 18 separate action points, is meant to redeem that pledge. But the new government has not proposed any fundamental changes to the structure, understandably reluctant to take a knife to the network so early on. This leaves TECs, enterprise agencies, local authorities and chambers of commerce to improve their coordination - if they choose to.

David Grayson is right to call for large companies to get involved (see back page). The need is for Business Link board members to focus outwards onto their real customers, small and growing businesses. Too often, these private sector led boards actually focus more onto their paymasters, the TECs and the government, and on fighting turf wars with other agencies - exactly the sort of not-for-profit petty politics which business people so deplore.

Corporate Citizenship Briefing, issue no: 37 - December, 1997

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