Researchers at Bournemouth University have developed a conceptual framework that will help ISBE members to better understand, and overcome, the structural barriers that inhibit sustained business growth. Drawing on qualitative interviews undertaken with business decision-makers in a selection of SMEs, the study examined how strategic intent, organisational capability and value creation interact within real growth environments. As the authors note, “business growth emerges when organisational drivers, support requirements and early benefits converge through aligned mechanisms to produce stable long‑term outcomes.”
The framework identifies four Core Domains (Drivers for Growth, Support Requirements, Short‑term Benefits, Long‑term Outcomes) and four Integrating Mechanisms (Strategic, Capability, Value and Growth Convergence). Together, these shape the Emergent Outcomes essential for SME resilience, i.e., strategic stability, operational stability, financial stability, and enhanced insight and adaptability.
SMEs often struggle with limited strategic bandwidth, fragmented processes and inconsistent customer insight which are challenges familiar to many ISBE members. In this context, the researchers propose that the framework can provide conceptual focus, thereby supporting business leaders to align ambition, capability and opportunity into a coherent pathway for sustainable growth.
Find out more here.