Our Aim & Key Activities

Guided by our vision of “Sustainable SMEs – informed by research” our role is to create knowledge of value to New Zealand SMEs. We also have a role in building up the knowledge base through gathering research carried out by others, disseminating the knowledge and helping others apply it.

 

Knowledge creation

We create new knowledge on SMEs through a comprehensive research programme that addresses the questions raised by clients, sector stakeholders and our own research associates. Our main activities are:

• Contract research
• BusinessSMEasure – the Centre’s own strategic research programme
• Individual research of the Centre’s research associates
• International research engagements

Knowledge dissemination

We provide sector stakeholders with access to knowledge, through a variety of activities:

• Our own website where you can find articles & reports written by the Centre’s associates
• The annual Research Symposium
• Plain English reports on our research
• Electronic newsletter (SMEmail)

Knowledge application

We are engaged in an ongoing dialogue with policy makers and businesses which allows for the development of innovative and effective SMEs. We do this through:

• Our policy ‘Think Tank’
• Consultancy
• Delivery of customised seminars on our research findings
• Media comment

Knowledge conservation

We systematically collect quality data on SMEs, enterprise development and entrepreneurship from a wide range of international sources and make it available to support the idea of knowledge as a “public good”. We do this through:

• Active collection of quality data
• An extensive database of literature related to SMEs
• The Centre’s own library