SMEs which receive EU-guaranteed loans significantly outperform those that don’t, in areas including asset, sales and productivity growth, according to a new research report from emlyon business school and Politecnico di Milano School of Management.
The report assesses the short and long-term economic effects that EU guaranteed loans have on beneficiary firms. These loans were provided to SMEs under programs funded by the European Commission and managed by the European Investment Fund (EIF).
Fabio Bertoni and Anita Quas, professors of finance at emlyon, and Massimo G. Colombo, professor of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial …

Your Name and Age: Laura, 41 yrs and Kati, 39 yrs
Tell us about your family: Laura is married and has 2 children, a little girl Ella (2 year old) and son Onni (7 year old). Kati lives together with her long term boyfriend and they have a 6 year old son, Roni.
What did you do before coming up with your business idea and how was it making the transition?
We both worked in corporate environments up until giving up our careers in early 2018. Our dissatisfaction and frustration with our corporate …

Apply now for a fully funded short programme at Catalyst: the South of England’s most successful accelerator for early stage businesses.
Southampton Science Park has revealed details of its Catalyst programme for 2019 and has announced that applications are now open for this sought-after accelerator for business start-ups.
Catalyst is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs with an early stage business – or an ingenious idea for one – no matter whether they’ve been in business before or not. Valued at up to £15,000, the scheme is fully funded for successful applicants.
 
On completion, …

A sense of belonging is just as important a retention tool as good pay and benefits, according to Dr Ali Fenwick of Nyenrode Business University.
This is because identifying with the team, leader, brand and organisation is paramount to workplace commitment as well as work performance.
Fenwick says: “The world of work is changing rapidly and we are seeing increasing numbers of professionals choose to become contractors or work remotely. For businesses, creating a committed workforce in today’s rapidly changing and digitalised environment requires the development of a social contract which doesn’t …

Being a working mum isn’t easy. You’re constantly having to juggle work, family and household chores, as well as trying to have a social life. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day! However, thanks to technology, there’s a lot of help available to make life that little bit easier.
Did you know there are numerous smartphone apps designed specifically with busy mums in mind? Here, you’ll discover some of the best apps to help mums currently on the market.
Remember the Milk
One of the biggest challenges of being …

Does it feel like you’ve been working hard for years in hopes of climbing the career ladder? Up to this point, have you been overlooked each time a promotion came up? Well now the tides have turned and it appears it is finally your chance to shine and step into that coveted management position.
This is most certainly a time to celebrate your successes and revel in the excitement, but it’s also time to buckle down and ensure you go into the position in a strong and effective manner. Getting the …

Your Name and Age:
Danusia Malina-Derben
Tell us about your family
We are a happy family living by the coast a couple minutes from the sea. I’m mum of ten children but right now five live at home (6 year old triplets and two teen daughters).
What did you do before coming up with your business idea and how was it making the transition?
First, I was a business school academic, an Organisational Behaviour specialist and some years into my career I decided to build my own consultancy. Eventually I left academia to concentrate on …

By Amanda Hamilton, NALP
 Whether you work for yourself or run a small business, the most difficult thing to manage is cash flow. So, what can you do if you are owed money and the person is ignoring all your phone calls and letters?
 
Firstly, don’t panic!
 
It’s easy to start thinking ahead of yourself about the cost and aggravation of taking someone to court – especially if you have no experience of such things.
 
Stop right there. Most situations don’t end up in court but if there is no alternative, and if the …

By Marco Scotti, Figaroo
With the introduction of exciting new technology in the entertainment industry generally the world of nightclubs is changing.  I predict we’ll see many more women owning and operating nightclubs as they embrace new and disruptive technologies. Without the baggage of ‘this is how we’ve always done it’ I think we’ll see more women, and in particular younger women, making a name in the club world.
Technology will shift the way the industry is run, and this will provide opportunities for women to break into the industry as …

It’s a hard balancing act. On one hand, there’s your responsibilities as a parent. On the other, it’s the demands of a full-time job. But it’s also a big ask to make the jump from regular paid employment to going freelance so you can fit work around your family. Despite this, there has been a massive rise in the number of freelance parents – particularly mothers – in the UK.
So, why is it now becoming more popular for parents to work for themselves?
Flexible Hours
For freelance parents, a major benefit …