Women-led SMEs less ambitious for growth?
48% of women-led small businesses are content to remain the same size, despite overall trends towards planning for growth in the SME sector.
The quarterly survey of British small businesses conducted by The Open University Business School in association with Barclays Bank and ACCA polled 848 small business respondents, showing that almost half aim to expand over the next 3 years. Recession continues to challenge SMEs, with 61% reporting that ‘economic climate or fall in demand’ is the biggest factor affecting their business, while 33% cited cashflow, payments or debtors as a major issue.
A further 31% reported that Government regulations were the biggest problem they face. However, the report highlights the resilience of the small business sector, with SMEs now more optimistic about their immediate prospects, setting modest growth targets and reporting no plans to cut jobs. Find out more at http://www3.open.ac.uk/media/fullstory.aspx?id=16485
