Driving small business growth through learning
Dr Andrew Greenman is a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Small Business at Nottingham University Business School. Andrew will be focusing on ‘Driving small business growth through learning.
The importance of supporting small business growth has accelerated since the financial crash in 2008. Several initiatives are emerging to connect small businesses and universities. However, little research exists to suggest how these ties can be optimised. Instead, what management research does suggest is that learning should be central for driving small business growth.
This talk will explain why business schools are well placed to establish evaluative spaces within which small business owners, business researchers and extended faculty (e.g., serial entrepreneurs, investors and executives) can co-create knowledge about growth. Evaluative spaces can bridge the gap between the everyday realities of small business and the global circuit of business knowledge.
The central takeaway from the talk will be that small business growth, like any complex activity, requires learning through experimentation, reflection, social networking and expert guidance.
Growth 100, a program designed by Nottingham University Business School, will be used as a live case to illustrate the role of learning in small business growth. The talk will explain the learning ethos and activities engaged in during Growth 100. It will also provide the first look at feedback from participants on why Growth 100 was a valuable investment of their time.
The aim of the talk is to examine how learning contributes to helping small business owners realise their business growth aspirations. It will address the following questions:
- Why is investing time in learning relevant for growing a small business?
- Why is it important that learning focuses on the person and the business?
- What is different about a university designed small business growth program?
The talk will include details of how to apply for the third and final group of Growth 100 due to commence in October 2014.
The impact of optimism on business results
Tony Brooks is an experienced Leadership Trainer and Coach and holds an MSc in Psychology. Tony’s talk will be looking at ‘The impact of optimism on business results.’
Tony will be talking through some practical actions we can all take to raise our levels of happiness and optimism and covering some fascinating scientific research that shows what a significant impact optimism can have on our lives and business performance.
For many the route to happiness is via success. We have to achieve certain goals, meet certain targets or reach a certain place in life to feel happy.
But what we do then is move the target!
We have actually been getting the equation the wrong way around. Happiness (and increased positive intelligence) are actually the forerunners to success.
The Ingenuity Knowledge Exchange programme:
- 7.45am – 8.10am Registration, breakfast and networking
- 8.10am – 8.15am Welcome and introductions
- 8.15am – 8.45am Dr Andrew Greenman will outline current thinking around creativity in business
- 8.45am – 9.00am Tony Brooks talks about optimism in business
- 9.00am – 9.10am Questions and answers
- 9.10am – 9.30am Business and University enquiries - Shop Window
- 9.30am Networking for those that want to stay on
The Shop Window – your chance to take the floor
Every Ingenuity Knowledge Exchange breakfast offers both business owners and people from within the University the chance to make a brief presentation to the room about something they are looking for help with.
From the University? If you have a business-facing project or want to work with local small and medium-sized businesses as part of your research, this is your opportunity to make contact with business owners who are already interested in what happens at the University and who may be interested in participating with your initiative.
From business? Sorry, but this isn’t time for a standard “60 second pitch” – feedback tells us that our businesses want something different from Ingenuity. But it is your opportunity to do some research of your own, ask for volunteers for new product or service trials, to ask if anyone has any recommendations for difficult-to-find suppliers, or simply share some news that the audience might not find out about otherwise.
Email Steve Upcraft if you would like to participate in a future Ingenuity Knowledge Exchange Shop Window.
Register now to attend.