Erdelyi, Peter

English

Bournemouth University Research Online

www.bournemouth.ac.ukSurviving Startup - Pilot ProjectINTERREG IIIB Atlantic NetPeter ErdélyiSenior Lecturer in Strategy & MarketingCentre for Organisational EffectivenessThe Business School15 November 2006www.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukOutline• Participants• Project objectives• Background research• Propositions/Assumptions• The website – form & content• Evaluation• Conclusions• Futurewww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukParticipants• Centre for Organisational Effectiveness, Bournemouth University• Colin Armistead, Professor of Operations Strategy and Management, Director of COE• provided overall leadership• Peter Erdélyi, Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Marketing• developed marketing content and interactive learning tools• Tim Ford, Researcher, COE• co-ordinated background research and has acted as project manager• Magellan Projects Ltd• Pat Emery provided e-learning expertise• Kate Doodson carried out technical development, visual design and website production• Business Link Wessex• Dorset Businesswww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukOverall Project Objectives• Lisbon European Council (2000)• Digital, knowledge-driven economy• Information society• support for business start-ups, high-tech firms and micro-enterprises• INTERREG III B - Atlantic Rim• Priority 2: improve access to information and communications technologies (ICTs)www.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukBackground Research• INTER Project: Stimulating New Enterprise in the Dorset Sub-Region (2002)• Late-stage startups require specific support in marketing• INTERREG Diagnostic Study (2004)• Confirmed marketing as area requiring support• Surviving Startup – Initial Research (2004)• General lack of interactive multimedia websites• Focus group (2005)• Identified specific issues within marketingwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukPropositions/Assumptions• Users will engage in e-learning if:• Site content is relevant• Tone of language is appropriate• Interactive tools provide customised outputs• Learning is bite-size within integrated framework• No formal post-secondary business education is assumed• Needs of specific target audience are fulfilled (small B2B service startups in survival stage)• Appropriate communication strategies draw them inwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukThe Website - ContentSurviving Startup – Through Customer Focus• How to find customers:• Networking: personal, supply and business networks• How to choose customers:• Customer portfolio analysis• Segmentation, targeting, positioning• How to convince customers:• Corporate identity and image (branding)• Decision-making unit (DMU)• Promotional mix• How to keep customers:• Customer satisfaction, retention and loyalty• Lifetime value of customerswww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukThe Website - Form• How to find customers:• Animation• Personal, Supply, and Business Network Mapping Tools• How to choose customers:• Audio-visual animation• Customer Ranking Tool• Audio-visual case study (Coachbuild Quality Ltd)• How to convince customers:• Textual case study (How Lucy Did It)• Corporate Image Tool• Interactive game (Port of Call)• How to keep customers:• Lifetime Value Calculator• Animated chartswww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukEvaluation• Evaluation event – September 2006• 6 local startups tried out site in computer lab setting• Focus group-style feedback• Observation• First impressions• In-depth interviews with 2 micro-companies• A marketing training company• A business coaching companywww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukConclusions – Big QuestionsBig underlying questions revisited:• Is this an effective way for government to contribute to the rise of information society and knowledge-driven economy?• Is this an effective way for a university to engage in knowledge transfer and contribute to the competitiveness of local/regional/national/European SMEs?www.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukConclusions – Some ProblemsYes, but… some of the initial propositions/ assumptions may not have been correct:• Target audience is difficult to reach• Intended users may not find the site• Intended users may not have the time or the skills to initially assess the usefulness of the site• Gaps in understanding particular concepts or lacking specific skills may hinder use of interactive toolswww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukConclusions – Some AnswersHowever…• When assisted in person, users found content and tools highly relevant• Intermediaries such as advisory and coaching businesses showed great interest in incorporating the website into their own service offering, in order to assist the intended target audiencewww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukConclusions – New Propositions• “Knowledge” is not a static commodity that can be packaged and transferred linearly from provider to medium to user• Learning needs to be imbedded within a social context• The dissemination and adoption of ICTs require a well-determined social networkwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukRecommendations - Future• Target intermediaries such as advisory, training and coaching businesses that work directly with intended audience• Encourage and assist intermediaries to incorporate website into their services by:• Running workshops to train intermediaries• Providing user manuals with background material, curriculum, and “lesson plans”• Collaborate with government agencies and non-governmental organisationswww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukFinal Comments• Clearly, there is a role for government and universities to play in• Supporting entrepreneurship• Assisting in the dissemination of knowledge and ICTs among SMEs• However, the social aspects of learning, knowledge and  technology need to be carefully consideredwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukAnd while we were busy evaluating our project…www.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.ukwww.bournemouth.ac.uk www.survivingstartup.co.uk

Surviving Startup Pilot Project – INTERREG IIIB Atlantic Net

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