Document: Why be bothered with Business Services?

Both the public sector and the private sector are challenged by the question: "What can be done to increase the performance and growth of small firms in order to create more employment?" In the last decade large strides have been made by the international community to support the development of small enterprises through the stimulation of Business Development Services (BDS), also known as business to business services. The challenges of managing a small enterprise are well known, but what is often overlooked is the fact that small enterprises depend on external advisors and other firms providing business services to them. Research has shown that a strong relationship exists between the usage of quality business services and the economic performance of a small enterprise. The challenge is that most business service firms are small firms themselves and often struggle with similar issues as their customers. Very few business owners, business associations and government agencies understand the importance of the business service sector and its impact on small enterprise growth and performance. This article will attempt to highlight some of the key issues.