1. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney

2. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Topics Covered Objectives Why this area of research Methodology & Contribution to Knowledge Achievements to date Next Steps Summary General Issues and Problems

3. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Objectives Develop a methodology to enable organisations (in particular, SMEs) to remove Constraints on their ability to Grow –With particular emphasis on Collaboration To Test and Verify the methodology To deliver a Practical Tool that can be applied across industrial sectors

4. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Why this area of research? Focus on Rapid Growth firms –For added employment –For exports –For innovation Uncertainty why some firms grow and others do not Most existing research focuses on identifying trends and mapping these to high and low performers

5. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Why this Area of Research? Firm Growth Constraint Cloud Static & Contracting firms ….. Equivalent to 39% of Enterprise Ireland client companies (2002) …..48% of Low Tech Mnfg ….. 40% of High Tech Mnfg Time

6. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Methodology / Contribution to Knowledge Starting Point Literature Review Problem with SME Competitiveness and Sustainability Tsunami Network SMEexcel Tool Dev’t for Collaboration INNOVEST Network Contribution to Knowledge SMEcoll Tool Dev’t for International Collaboration Tool Dev’t for Innovation 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Can a Tool Kit be developed that helps SME Competitiveness and Sustainability? Can the Factors that support Sustainable Collaboration in SMEs be defined? Applied Research

7. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Significant Achievements Survey of Industry – across 5 countries Prototype company analysis tool 2 Collaborative experiments set up Innovation network being readied 1 paper published – ref Collaboration 3 Seminar / Conference presentations

8. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney IDENTIFICATION FORMATION IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION Gate 2 Gate 3 Gate 4 Gate 5 ATTRACTION Gate 1 The Collaboration Process

9. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Synergy Model – Maturity Scale Optimising (5) Fully competent and able to demonstrate leadership Standardised (4) Well understood. Good competency and application Defined (3) Some understanding. Basic capability to apply Embryonic (2) Basic Understanding of requirements Not able to apply Initial (1) Unpredictable or Does not exist Commercial Synergy Strategic Synergy Cultural Synergy Operational Synergy

10. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Next Steps Complete Literature Research Finalise Research Questions Complete Collaborative field work Commence Innovation field work Finalise Tools and Methodologies

11. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Summary Outlined the Objectives for the Research Described why this research is Important Described the Methodology being pursued Speculated on what would be the Contribution to Knowledge Presented the major Achievements to date, with some examples Outlined where this work will go from here

12. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Issues & Problems Part-Time difficult ‘Remote’ participation difficult Preference for Practical rather than Research activities

13. Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 January 2006 Competitive Analysis of SMEs Denis Kearney Thank You Denis Kearney Centre for Strategic Manufacturing 17 th January, 2006