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SME Barriers to Management Development Unveiled
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Phillip Cassidy (Founder of gem and Barriers Research participant),
Rupert Johnston (IBC) and Kevin Kelly (MLN)
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MLN & IBC recently launched a research document aimed at unravelling the barriers that are preventing local SME’s from engaging in management and leadership development. The in-depth survey of 300 SME’s across Northern Ireland has revealed that ‘cost and negative attitudes’ are two of the key barriers preventing businesses investing in management and leadership development, prompting MLN and IBC to urge businesses to change their ‘management mindset’.
Unsurprisingly the cost of training and development, both in terms of direct financial expense as well as the opportunity costs of taking time away from the office was also found to be a key barrier. However an overwhelming majority (95 per cent) of business surveyed who have undertaken management and leadership development have experienced tangible business benefits. The research concludes that if sceptical businesses were convinced of the benefits they would be much more likely to tolerate the perceived risks, resource implications and associated costs with management and leadership development activities.
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