Eda has published a new study containing the results of research on interest, motivation, and preferences for establishing a network / community of practitioners providing support for SME development in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The research starts from the assumption that enterprises lack sufficient internal capacities to independently develop the functions needed to improve their operations and increase competitiveness, especially in the areas of pre-sales and post-sales activities and addressing emerging challenges and trends, such as smart transitions, green transformation, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and building agile resilience. It is also assumed that practitioners – external experts providing services to the business sector and internal experts within enterprises can contribute with their knowledge and experience to targeted business improvements aligned with new demands and trends. Given the underdeveloped support ecosystem and the limited trust businesses have in service providers, a significant challenge arises in aligning the supply and demand for business and development services.
The research included practitioners, as well as representatives of companies and institutions that provide support to the business sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their views and opinions were gathered through interviews conducted during October and November 2024.
Based on the findings, the study assessed the feasibility of establishing such a network / community and outlined its key elements. Additionally, it presented potential solutions to bridge the gap between service providers and users, aiming to develop a more robust advisory market for SMEs and enhance the utilization and effectiveness of business services.
The publication, in the local language, can be downloaded here: https://bit.ly/MrežaPraktičaraZaRazvojMSP
The conducted research is part of the project “Advanced Implementation of the Small Business Act in BiH2EU – SBA in BiH2EU” implemented by Eda in partnership with the Sarajevo Economic Region Development Agency – SERDA and financed by Sweden.
