A series of reports presenting findings from the independent evaluation of Help to Grow: Management has been published. The end of year one report highlights several remarkable outcomes from the program, including:
- Over 90% of SME leaders surveyed expressed their strong endorsement of the course, stating that they would recommend it to other business leaders.
- Over 90% of SME leaders surveyed expressed high levels of satisfaction with the delivery of the course from start to finish.
- Over a 6 month period, an overwhelming 90% of SME leaders reported improved leadership and management of their businesses.
- Over 75% of SME leaders surveyed reported completing a Growth Action Plan, demonstrating their commitment to strategic planning and readiness to take their businesses to new heights.
- Over 70% of completers surveyed expressed increased confidence in leading and managing their businesses.
In addition to this, more than 50% of Help to Grow: Management completers surveyed reported implementing significant changes in the way they manage, organise, or operate their businesses.
Within six weeks of program completion, almost two-thirds of SME leaders stated that the program had heightened their awareness of the factors that drive business productivity.
Professor Brian Morgan, Director of CLEC at Cardiff Metropolitan University, said:
“These reports reaffirm the positive impact of Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Help to Grow: Management course in nurturing and developing SMEs.
“We are proud of our Alumni network and remain committed to providing learning experiences that contribute to the growth and expertise of our business community in Wales and the UK.”
The course embodies Cardiff Metropolitan University’s commitment to supporting companies with sustainable business growth and leadership skills.
Help to Grow: Management equips senior leaders with vital skills, resources, and connections necessary for long-term success.
Quotes From Businesses
Below are some quotes taken directly from the interviews in the evaluation.
- “Gives you a toolbox of things you can fix bits of your business with.”
- “Overall positive feedback on content, 9/10. Clear and easy to use and available online.”
- “Touched on enough not to confuse people and gave everybody enough to give them an introduction.”
- “Absolutely fantastic, really well researched.”
- “That’s the really good thing about the course, it makes you think about your own business in ways you’d never have thought about your own business before”.
- “Overall positive feedback on content, 9/10. clear and easy to use and available online”.
- “I think it’s just given me more professionalism in my role, it’s given me the ability to manage staff better and understand when you need to make decisions and when you need to take risks. And what kind of risks you need to take”.
- “I think I would be more worried about the impact of Covid on the business and I wouldn’t be able to realise my strategy for the future. Whereas, I now have a clear plan”.
Footnote: Interviews conducted by Ipsos Mori in partnership with the Institute for Employment Studies as part of an independent evaluation. More information on findings can be found within the HTGM end-of-year one report.