Developing strategic self-descriptions of SMEs

It is widely accepted that there exists a managerial gap in many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate successfully in new technologies. One of the problems experienced by intermediaries to SMEs in this respect relates to the poor skills of the latter to reflect on themselves strategically. In this paper a Quick Scan is presented that consultants and technology brokers can use to support managers of SMEs in developing strategic self-descriptions that highlight the need for innovation. The Quick Scan teaches managers to make sense of various strategic concepts. During the use of the Quick Scan it appeared that managers of SMEs have indeed poor skills to reflect upon their companies strategically. It is concluded that managers appreciate the systematic and integral strategic perspective offered to them. Intermediaries value the potential of the Quick Scan to initiate strategic sense-making in the context of SMEs.