Growth Britain: Unlocking the potential of our SMEs
The purpose of this document is to present the findings of a Dods programme – sponsored by Santander UK – which sought to address what government and the private sector can do to unlock the growth potential in UK SMEs. As part of this exercise, in July and August 2013, Dods conducted a poll of SMEs, asking about their export activities, their prospects for the future, their access to finance and what support they believe would be
most effective for them. The results of this research were fed into three policy workshops held during September 2013 in Glasgow, Brighton and Manchester, alongside the political party conferences taking place in those locations. The workshops brought together representatives from small businesses, policymakers and other stakeholders, including our regional partners Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Manchester Airport Group, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, IoD Scotland, Coast to Capital LEP and the Brighton Business Improvement District. This report highlights the concerns and opportunities raised during the workshops and makes recommendations on what more might be done to help unlock the growth potential of SMEs and, through them, the wider UK economy.