Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > A Mixed-Methods Approach to Developing and Eval...
View graph of relations

A Mixed-Methods Approach to Developing and Evaluating an SME Business Support Model for Innovation in Rural England

Research output: Contribution to conference - Without ISBN/ISSN Conference paperpeer-review

Published

Standard

A Mixed-Methods Approach to Developing and Evaluating an SME Business Support Model for Innovation in Rural England. / Fish, Steve; Lambert, Chris.
2021. 569-575 Paper presented at International Conference on Knowledge Exchange and Sharing, Lisbun, Portugal.

Research output: Contribution to conference - Without ISBN/ISSN Conference paperpeer-review

Harvard

APA

Vancouver

Fish S, Lambert C. A Mixed-Methods Approach to Developing and Evaluating an SME Business Support Model for Innovation in Rural England. 2021. Paper presented at International Conference on Knowledge Exchange and Sharing, Lisbun, Portugal.

Author

Fish, Steve ; Lambert, Chris. / A Mixed-Methods Approach to Developing and Evaluating an SME Business Support Model for Innovation in Rural England. Paper presented at International Conference on Knowledge Exchange and Sharing, Lisbun, Portugal.7 p.

Bibtex

@conference{e35fd02096dd40258d001c5f8dc0df17,
title = "A Mixed-Methods Approach to Developing and Evaluating an SME Business Support Model for Innovation in Rural England",
abstract = "Cumbria is a geo-political county in Northwest England within which the Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site is located. Whilst the area has a formidable reputation for natural beauty and historic assets, the innovation ecosystem is described as {\textquoteleft}patchy{\textquoteright} for a number of reasons. The county is one of the largest in England by area and is sparsely populated. This paper describes the needs, development and delivery of an SME business-support programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Lancaster University and the University of Cumbria. The Cumbria Innovations Platform (CUSP) Project has been designed to respond to the nuanced needs of SMEs in this locale, whilst promoting the adoption of research and innovation. CUSP utilizes a funnel method to support rural businesses with access to university innovation intervention. CUSP has been built on a three-tier model: Communicate, Collaborate and Create. The paper describes this project in detail and presents results in terms of output indicators achieved, a beneficiary telephone survey and wider economic forecasts. From a pragmatic point-of-view, the paper provides experiences and reflections of those people who are delivering and evaluating knowledge exchange. The authors discuss some of the benefits, challenges and implications for both policy makers and practitioners. Finally, the paper aims to serve as an invitation to others who may consider adopting a similar method of university-industry collaboration in their own region.",
keywords = "Regional business support, rural business support, university-industry collaboration, collaborative R&D, SMEs, knowledge exchange",
author = "Steve Fish and Chris Lambert",
year = "2021",
month = apr,
day = "16",
language = "English",
pages = "569--575",
note = "International Conference on Knowledge Exchange and Sharing ; Conference date: 15-04-2021 Through 16-04-2021",
url = "https://panel.waset.org/conference/2021/04/lisbon/program",

}

RIS

TY - CONF

T1 - A Mixed-Methods Approach to Developing and Evaluating an SME Business Support Model for Innovation in Rural England

AU - Fish, Steve

AU - Lambert, Chris

PY - 2021/4/16

Y1 - 2021/4/16

N2 - Cumbria is a geo-political county in Northwest England within which the Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site is located. Whilst the area has a formidable reputation for natural beauty and historic assets, the innovation ecosystem is described as ‘patchy’ for a number of reasons. The county is one of the largest in England by area and is sparsely populated. This paper describes the needs, development and delivery of an SME business-support programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Lancaster University and the University of Cumbria. The Cumbria Innovations Platform (CUSP) Project has been designed to respond to the nuanced needs of SMEs in this locale, whilst promoting the adoption of research and innovation. CUSP utilizes a funnel method to support rural businesses with access to university innovation intervention. CUSP has been built on a three-tier model: Communicate, Collaborate and Create. The paper describes this project in detail and presents results in terms of output indicators achieved, a beneficiary telephone survey and wider economic forecasts. From a pragmatic point-of-view, the paper provides experiences and reflections of those people who are delivering and evaluating knowledge exchange. The authors discuss some of the benefits, challenges and implications for both policy makers and practitioners. Finally, the paper aims to serve as an invitation to others who may consider adopting a similar method of university-industry collaboration in their own region.

AB - Cumbria is a geo-political county in Northwest England within which the Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site is located. Whilst the area has a formidable reputation for natural beauty and historic assets, the innovation ecosystem is described as ‘patchy’ for a number of reasons. The county is one of the largest in England by area and is sparsely populated. This paper describes the needs, development and delivery of an SME business-support programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Lancaster University and the University of Cumbria. The Cumbria Innovations Platform (CUSP) Project has been designed to respond to the nuanced needs of SMEs in this locale, whilst promoting the adoption of research and innovation. CUSP utilizes a funnel method to support rural businesses with access to university innovation intervention. CUSP has been built on a three-tier model: Communicate, Collaborate and Create. The paper describes this project in detail and presents results in terms of output indicators achieved, a beneficiary telephone survey and wider economic forecasts. From a pragmatic point-of-view, the paper provides experiences and reflections of those people who are delivering and evaluating knowledge exchange. The authors discuss some of the benefits, challenges and implications for both policy makers and practitioners. Finally, the paper aims to serve as an invitation to others who may consider adopting a similar method of university-industry collaboration in their own region.

KW - Regional business support

KW - rural business support

KW - university-industry collaboration

KW - collaborative R&D

KW - SMEs

KW - knowledge exchange

M3 - Conference paper

SP - 569

EP - 575

T2 - International Conference on Knowledge Exchange and Sharing

Y2 - 15 April 2021 through 16 April 2021

ER -