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Business blog
Do we need the RDAs?
The Taxpayers' Alliance would like the regional development agencies abolished. M Institute co-founder Jyoti Banerjee studies their report - he likes their data but disagrees with their recommendation.
Understanding M
Mid-size enterprises are the powerhouse of the UK economy.
Despite their sterling performance, mid-size enterprises are nearly invisible.
Read more »
General News
The following is a brief description of news items relevant to medium enterprises. Specific information on news that applies to the members of M Institute may be found in the section entitled Members News.
07-Jul-2008
Flexible working works for business
Employers have given their backing to flexible working in a new survey. Carried out by the Institute of Directors (IoD), the survey of 500 firms found that 86 per cent of respondents operate flexible working practices and that 93 per cent reported they would use flexible working even if there was no regulatory requirement to do so. This fits in with an M Institute workshop held in June where a number of business leaders reported that flexible working was proving important in hanging on to good staff, and more efficient in terms of using resources such as office space.
27-Mar-2008
New mezzanine finance in government strategy
The new Enterprise Strategy paper from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), published alongside the Budget 2008, announces a number of finance initiatives that are extremely relevant to medium enterprises. For the first time, the government acknowledges the need for mezzanine finance vehicles of the sort that M Institute has been campaigning for on behalf of medium enterprises.
11-Jan-2008
Employment issues top regulatory burdens
87% of UK businesses believe that reducing regulation should be on the government agenda, according to the ICAEW Enterprise Survey Report 2007. Furthermore, over a third of businesses think this should be the top priority for government action to improve the business environment. But which regulations are most burdensome for medium business? Medium enterprises have no doubt that employment legislation is the biggest culprit.
16-Nov-2007
Green issues climb corporate agenda
As large enterprises jump on the sustainability bandwagon, is it time for medium companies to engage on green issues? M Institute correspondent Joe Lickens looks at some corporate announcements to see how much is for real, and how much is flim-flam.
26-Oct-2007
Innovation gets boost in South-East
The Innovation Advisory Service, one of several business support initiatives funded by the South East England Regional Development Agency (SEEDA), was launched eighteen months ago and is highly regarded by those who have used it. However, it suffers from a lack of exposure: excellent the service may be, but companies need to have heard of it before they can take advantage of it. Does IAS need to do more to get medium companies innovating? Joe Lickens investigates.
25-Sep-2007
IFAC looks into the challenges facing M companies
A draft paper from the International Federation of Accountants has identified the challenges associated with different growth trajectories experienced by medium-sized organisations, writes M Institute correspondent Joe Lickens. The paper explores fast growing, stable, and under-pressure businesses.
06-Sep-2007
Conservatives challenge on regulation
The Conservative party's economic competitiveness policy review was published this month, dealing with a remarkably broad selection of topics. The report looks at the current state of transport, skills and training, regulation, energy, the public sector, ownership, and taxation, and offers extensive recommendations for each, ranging from the seemingly banal (the re-phasing of traffic lights) to the controversial (the abolishment of inheritance tax). The proposals that deal with regulation are, perhaps, of the most interest, including a drastic proposal to scrap data protection.
30-Aug-2007
IoD finds SMEs are limited by growth ceiling
The Institute of Directors (IoD) has released a policy paper entitled "The SME glass ceiling - growth obstacles in 2007", which identifies a series of priority issues for SMEs.
02-Apr-2007
Growth initiative in SEEDA region
M Institute is pleased to announce an exciting new growth and innovation initiative targeting medium sized businesses that is being funded by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).
09-Mar-2007
Swings and roundabouts budgeting
In what is expected to be Gordon Brown's final budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer presented a budget with mixed messages, the headline items being cuts in income tax and corporation tax. Unfortunately, the hoped-for simplification of the tax and regulatory environment seems no closer to fruition.
