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Who we are
We are a centre dedicated to the promotion of entrepreneurship and innovation within industry and the wider community. Through our website we aim to share ideas, publish research, build networks, and educate.
CEMI is a community of learning and practice for those who are interested in the application of entrepreneurship and innovation across all organisations from the smallest to the largest. This includes for profit, not-for-profit, public sector, co-operative, and mutual enterprises.
Innovator Blog
CEMI's Innovator Blog provides insights and commentary on topics relating to entrepreneurship, innovation, small business management, new product development, and commercialisation.
Small business isn't just important to the economy it IS the economy
Any objective assessment of the total size and impact of the nano, micro, small and medium enterprise (NMSME) sector is significant and is arguably more than just an important part of the national economy, it virtually is the economy! While this may sound unreasonable to some, the sheer number of SMEs as a proportion of the total business sector cannot be easily ignored.jpeg)
Handling customer complaints
A satisfied customer is the objective of most small businesses. Keeping customers satisfied ensures that they not only return to buy again, but that they tell their friends and family to do so too..jpeg)
Seven Predictors of Innovation in Small Firms
Innnovation among SMEs has attracted substantial interest from governments throughout the world as policy makers seek answers to globalisation and the loss of jobs from structural reforms in established industries.
Beating the time bandits
In business, time is a resource that needs to be considered in the same mannter as finance, people or equipment. Unfortunately time is unique in that we can never increase the quantity of time we have. Each day we get only 24 hours to work with and at least 8 of those should be spent resting!.jpeg)
Why your business is like a bicycle
Most small business owners start out as a specialist expert in whatever they are good at that forms the basis of their business. Yet these technical skills are rear wheel issues, essential for moving ahead, but they are not front wheel skills of strategy and vision..jpeg)
How strong is your strategic network?
The value of networking to businesses has been much touted in recent years, but why shoud a small business owner develop a strategic network, and what is a strategic network anyway?.jpeg)
are your finances "static" or "dynamic"?
There are few business people who consider they have total control or command over the financial management and performance of their businesses. Financial management within SMEs frequently requires the attention of specialists..jpeg)
What is the value of planning to a small firm?
Small business owners are often told that they should prepare a business plan and that failing to plan is tantamount to planning to plan, but what is the evidence that having a business plan is likely to result in more success that not having one?.jpeg)
How does innovation affect strategy?
By its nature innovation is a strategic process and there is a close association between the type of innovation a business might seek to commercialise and the type of strategy it should adopt to see this project brought successfully to market..jpeg)
How should you think about innovation?
Innovation is viewed by most businesses as the key to their competitiveness and something they should aspire to achieve. However, innovation is also poorly understood and should be viewed as a process to be systematically managed..jpeg)
What is your strategic type?
Strategic planning is one of the most difficult challenges facing business owners and managers, but there is no single approach that is suitable for all firms. Knowing what is appropriate for your specific circumstances is essential
a small business is not just a little big business
Management of a small business is different from that of a large one in many important ways, knowing the difference can be a key to survival..jpeg)
Loyal customers make business easy
Most small business owners understand the concept of “good will”. This is the intangible asset that frequently adds value to the balance sheet..jpeg)
Do you suffer from strategic Myopia?
The ability to set clear long term strategy is one of the most important things a business owner can do, but it also one of the most difficult. Overcoming your own strategic myopia is even more critical in today’s fast changing world..jpeg)
What are your strategic Options?
Setting strategic goals is a difficult challenge for many managers. Knowing what strategic options you have available and the implications of choosing between them is a dilemma facing businesses from all industries. For small to mid-sized firms (e.g. those with fewer than 200 employees) there are really only three generic strategic options available..jpeg)
Is entrepreneurial orientation different for social enterprises?
Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) is a concept relating to the characteristics of a firm’s management team that makes them more entrepreneurial in nature than might be the case for an average business. It emerged within the academic literature in the 1970s and scales for its measurement were proposed as early as 1989 by Professors Jeffrey Covin and Dennis Slevin who were seeking to understand how a firm’s management might respond strategically in environments of uncertainty and risk.
Publications
A collection of publications from CEMI that encompass a range of topics relating to entrepreneurship and innovation. Many titles can be downloaded from this site.
Published Research
A collection of books, book chapters, journal articles, and conference papers.
CEMI Research Papers
A collection of Discussion Papers and Case Study Research Reports published by CEMI.
Industry Research Reports
A collection of Industry Research Reports produced by CEMI.
The Global Market for Higher Education: Sustainable Competitive Strategies for the New Millenium
Tim Mazzarol and Geoffrey N. Soutar"This clearly written book offers a sharp perspective on the global market for higher education. The focus on current providers and hosts enables the authors to provide practical and well informed advice on issues that are of importance for higher education administrators and the recruitment offices of universities. Mazzarol and Soutar's valuable book prompts us to think carefully about what makes for an internationally competitive university sector.--James Porter, Higher Education Review."
Research Handbook on sustainable Co-operative Enterprise: Case Studies of Organisational Resilience in the Co-operative Business Model
Tim Mazzarol, Sophie Reboud, Elena Mamouni Limnios, and Delwyn ClarkCo-operatives are found in all industry sectors and almost all countries around the world. However, despite their significant economic and social contributions, the academic literature has largely ignored these important businesses. This book is a detailed examination of the co-operative enterprise business model and the factors that help to enhance its sustainability and resilience, as well as those forces that lead to its destruction..jpg)
The Strategy of Small Firms: Strategic Management and Innovation in the Small Firm
Tim Mazzarol and Sophie ReboudThis book provides an in-depth analysis of the theory and conceptual frameworks associated with planning and strategy in small firms. It also explores key issues linked with why and how small firms should plan and the benefits they gain.
Commercialisation and Innovation Strategy in Small Firms: Learning to Manage Uncertainty
Tim Mazzarol, Sophie Reboud, Delwyn Clark, Monique Moore, Peter Malone, and Geoffrey N. SoutarThe book uses case studies to analyse the relationship between entrepreneurial decision- making and commercialisation, and investigates how and why NPD and commercialisation decisions are made, which offers valuable insights from both a theoretical and applied perspective.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Theory, Practice and Context
Tim Mazzarol and Sophie ReboudAs entrepreneurship and innovation are largely indivisible elements and cannot be adequately understood if studied separately, the book provides the reader with an overview of these elements and how they combine to create new value in the market. This edition is updated with recent international research, including research and examples from Europe, the US, and the Asia-Pacific region.
Workbook for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Theory, Practice and Context
Tim Mazzarol and Sophie ReboudThis book provides a foundation of ideas and understandings designed to shape the reader’s thinking and behaviour to better appreciate the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in modern economies, and to recognise their own abilities in this regard. The book is aimed at students studying advanced levels of entrepreneurship, innovation and related fields as well as practitioners (for example, managers, business owners).
Small Business Management: Theory and Practice
Tim Mazzarol and Sophie ReboudThis textbook familiarises students with the theory and practice of small business management and challenges assumptions that may be held about the way small business management can or should adopt the management practices of larger firms.
Workbook for Small Business Management: Theory and Practice
Tim Mazzarol and Sophie ReboudFor students interested in establishing and managing their own small firm, this book helps them to focus their thinking on the realities of life as a small business owner-manager – both its challenges and its rewards. For postgraduate students that are keen to ‘make a difference’, this text enables them to understand how they might consult to small firms and assist owner-managers to establish and grow their ventures.
Co-operative and Mutual Enterprises Research: A Comprehensive Overview
Tim MazzarolCo-operative and mutual enterprise is one of the oldest and most enduring forms of business, encompassing co-operatives, mutual firms, friendly societies, and credit unions. This book provides an expert overview of contemporary research in this important field. This book critically analyses the state of knowledge in the field of CMEs which delivers a concise and valuable book for scholars and students in the fields of business and management around the world.
The Entrepreneurial Innovation Value Model and The Importance of Entrepreneurial Leadership, Knowledge, and Learning, in Commercialisation
Peter Malone, Tim Mazzarol & Sophie ReboudDrawing upon case studies of innovative small firms (ISFs) that have succeeded and failed in their commercialisation this chapter highlights the importance of such firms to building a Capabilities Architecture that can enhance success through leadership, knowledge, and learning.