1. SME Leaders and Sustainability: Deliberative Engagement (SME-DE)
Professor Dr Ralph Tench, Leeds Beckett University
Varna, Bulgaria, 12th June 2015

2. Introduction What is the Project & expected outputs?
Project progress to-date.
The Case Study approach.

3. rationale Many SME leaders focus on short-term survival.
Their recovery strategy “..is to adopt a passive survival orientation and ‘to wait and see’ [or an] active retrenchment focussing on cutting costs..” (EU Commission – DGENTR, 2010, p.12).
They do not contribute as much as they might to shaping policy and solutions - the EU has taken steps to address this by passing the Small Business Act and funding projects – SME-DE.

4. The Project
Develop an on-going, demand-driven Executive Training Programme and supporting materials that will equip business intermediaries with a new set of capabilities and business tools which will enable them to engage with SMEs so that they can collaborate effectively in solving their common and complex long-term business sustainability problems. October 2013-March 2016

5. Project partners Leeds Beckett University (UK) - Promoter
The Foundation for European Initiatives (UK) – Project Coordinator
University of Udine (Italy)
University of Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Varna Economic Development Agency (Bulgaria)
Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (Switzerland)
Aarhus University (Denmark)
The Involve Foundation (UK)

6. Project Outputs A Literature Review Report. (completed)
Series of urban and rural case studies from across Europe which inform the development of:
a Deliberative Engagement Best Practice Guide; and
the development of an Executive Training Programme for SME intermediaries(completed by end of September).
An information/networking/support Portal (web based)for SMEs, educationalists and SME support Intermediaries (developed & evolving).
An Executive Training Programme for SME intermediaries (completed by mid-December).
A European Deliberative Engagement Guide containing a suite of deliberative processes and techniques which can be used by intermediaries to engage SMEs (completed by mid October).
International dissemination Event(s) March 2016.

7. Project innovation
The Higher Education Institution Partners and business Partners will use Deliberative Engagement (DE) processes/techniques to work with SME intermediaries and collaborate to develop a set of DE tools aimed at securing the pro-active participation of SME leaders.
DE has never been applied as a process by intermediaries to help SMEs address long-term business sustainability issues.

8. Case studies
A series of urban and rural case studies held across Europe.
UK, Denmark, Italy, Croatia & Bulgaria.
The Involve Foundation to detail the DE process and its value to SMEs.
The University of Udine to present the Case Study held in Italy.
Open & informal dialogue.

9. Thank you