NEWS & INSIGHT
SME INITIATIVE SEEKS TO RAISE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND WELLBEING IN PORTUGAL
SCHOOL: Nova School of Business and Economics COUNTRY: Portugal
Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE) plans to increase Portugal’s GDP by two per cent in two years with a new initiative focused on upskilling small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Nova SBE Voice Leadership initiative has been launched to address the current malaise afflicting Portugal’s SMEs and the country’s growth rate as a whole. The schools says that while SMEs make up a large portion of Portugal’s business sector, they tend to be focused on non‑tradeable goods and have little capacity to scale. The Nova SBE initiative aims to change that and kicks off with an 18-month management programme for SMEs in April 2024. The programme will feature 80 hours of training, with support available from more than 200 mentors specialised in critical areas for growth and internationalisation. “This initiative is not just Nova SBE’s, it’s for everyone. It includes several partners and individuals who come together every day to participate in a
movement whose main goal is to increase the competitiveness of Portuguese SMEs, with a direct impact on the creation of value and Portuguese citizens’ quality of life,” declared associate director and CEO of executive education at Nova SBE Pedro Brito, who is also executive director of the new initiative. To help ensure progress towards its stated aim, an impact study is set to be conducted alongside the initiative’s first programme. “By monitoring and evaluating the results and performance of SMEs throughout the programme, we can ensure that they will increase their productivity and become real engines of economic growth, contributing substantially to Portugal’s development and improving everyone’s wellbeing,” explained Miguel Ferreira, an academic co-ordinator for the initiative and vice-director of teaching and research at Nova SBE. “The impact assessment will also allow us to draw valuable lessons for policymakers and civil society to develop more comprehensive and effective programmes for SMEs,” Ferreira added. TBD
Ambition | FEBRUARY 2024 | 9
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