Debating the Findings in the Contextual Environment of the Study

The summary Table 6.73 emphasises that terminology can be a CI manifestation, that terms with the word ‘intelligence’ signify greater influence on attitudes and advisors, and that not having any term corresponds to passive behaviours and attitudes. The CI advisors of the CCI and consultants had significant relationships with positive attitudes towards CI behaviours. Whereas the qualitative data suggested that perceived constraints do indeed shape SME attitudes and behaviours this was not substantiated by the statistical analysis.

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These findings suggest that the CI attitudes, behaviours and manifestations of SME decision-makers are influenced and shaped by external advisors. The CCI and consultants have showed more numerous significant relationships than other advisors. For the SMEs, the CCI represent the ‘human face’ of French CI public policy programmes and their integration with SMEs and private sector players, such as consultants, has tangible results.

The programmes themselves are innovative, decentralised, constantly evolving and original. This undoubtedly allows them to adapt to their various environments. The

awareness and attitudes of SMEs towards CI have indeed changed since these programmes were initiated a decade ago. The snowball effect of multiple players should however be acknowledged. The CCI is but one of numerous public and private entities that influence SME CI practices. Collectively, they have changed attitudes towards CI practices. A theme that permeates the CI directors’ responses is that despite resistance SME attitudes towards CI have evolved in a positive manner. The perceived resistance from SMEs is due to limited resources, limited time, and an inability to know their CI needs. It can also be claimed that resistance may be born from the terminology used. This at least, was the perspective of the CI programme directors. The lack of statistical significance on the issue of constraints from the SME decision-makers suggests however, that it is not constraints which are driving SME CI practices. The fact that constraints may be used as an excuse for inaction, rather than being a legitimate factor is a point which deserves further

investigation.

Both data sets confirmed the owner manager of the SME as the individual most likely to be responsible for CI. The SME decision makers however, had a more dispersed view on who is responsible. Split between 49% stating the owner manager and 51% for other managers, with a total of 15 positions named. Only one SME named ‘all employees’, a rare but thought provoking insight. The need for centralisation of the role is clearly understood and widely practiced. The location of the role however, tended to vary widely. Sales Managers and Finance Managers were the two main positions after the owner manager. The use of CI on one individual in an SME was the general rule. The literature has emphasised this point as CI in SMEs depends on the personality of the individual (Bulinge; 2002; Dou, 2004; Burke & Jarratt, 2004; Larivet, 2009; Tarraf & Molz, 2006) and their attitudes (Tarraf & Molz, 2006; Smith et al, 2010). It should be kept in mind however that attitudes are

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evaluative in nature towards a person, object, or target. Personality traits are not necessarily evaluative and they focus on the individual him or herself (Ajzen, 2005).

Whether the funding of SMEs is justified in terms of the opportunity costs is of course a matter for legitimate debate. Nevertheless, whether the SMEs started behind or ahead of their international competitors in terms of CI practices, those that have participated actively have progressed in terms of the attitudes and manifestations which constitute this study.

Despite all of these observations, the provision of financial assistance is necessary to win commitment from SMEs. Without the funded environment, which from the SME

perspective is largely channelled through the CCI, the SMEs engagement to training, awareness and attitude changes would have been very limited. The next Chapter links back the results to the research objectives named in Chapter 2 and the research questions from Chapter 4 to present the contributions of the thesis to the literature. In addition to

discussing these contributions a typology is presented which proposes a continuum of practices and manifestations for SMEs in a funded environment.

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CHAPTER 7: Contributions to Knowledge

7.1 Introduction

The research objectives from 1 to 7 presented in Chapter 2 are revisited in Table 7.1 aligned with corresponding research questions, subject development, and contribution subjects. Each contribution subject is presented in this Chapter, first by stipulating how the research questions have been answered and second, how this adds value to the literature.

Table 7.1 Linking Research Objectives, Research Questions and Contributions No. Research Objectives Research Questions/

Subject Development

Contribution Subjects 1. Describe and explore the funded

environment of CI public policy for SMEs in France.

Development: Literature review

See contribution subject No. 9 in table 7.2 2. Describe the nature of the CI

programmes implemented through the CCI in France.

A1, A2.1, A2.2, A3.1, A3.2, A4, A5, C2

CI Programmes at French CCI 3. Identify the major public and

private sector players in the French CI public policy programme.

A6, A7, Public and Private Sector Players 4. Identify and develop themes which

drive SME decision-makers’ CI behaviours.

A6, A7, B1.1, B1.2, B2, B3, C3

CI Influence Drivers and Manifestations 5. Underpin research design with an

established theoretical model that relates behaviour to attitudes and their antecedents.

Development: Research design modelled on the Theory of Planned Behaviour

See contribution subject No. 10 in table 7.2 6. Test existing CI typologies to

account for SME attitudes and behaviours in a funded environment.

C1 Positioning SMEs on prior work Typologies 7. Analyse the relationships between

the influence drivers and the SMEs CI behaviours. Research questions 1 through 20 Evaluating the relationships between CI attitudes, behaviours, and manifestations in French SMEs

The findings and discussion from Chapter 6 enables the remaining research objectives, numbered from 8 to 11, to be answered. This includes a CI typology which uses bird analogies to identify 5 SME types on a continuum of attitudes and manifestations. The

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context of the study presented in Chapter 2 is revisited in light of the findings. To

complement the alignment of research objectives and contributions, both CI public support policy and methodology contributions are presented. Finally, the published literature contributions from this thesis are summarised. Table 7.2 aligns the remaining research objectives from 8 to 11, the subject development, and the contribution subjects.

Table 7.2 Linking Research Objectives, Subject Development and Contributions

No. Research Objectives Subject Development Contribution Subjects 8. Propose an original CI typology

with original SME type labels, substantiated by qualitative and quantitative data, to facilitate both managerial and research objectives in a funded environment.

Development:

Formulating 5 SME types from prior work and the qualitative and

quantitative data sets.

The Contribution of the Manifestations Typology: From Mockingbirds to Doves

9. Debate the findings from the study in the contextual environment in which the thesis is studied.

Development:

Referencing the findings to the contextual

environment in which the study is embedded.

Relating the Findings to the Contextual Environment of the Study

10. Discuss how the theoretical underpinnings of the study have shaped analysis and findings.

Development: Relating data to the theoretical framework.

Evaluating the findings through the Theory of Planned Behaviour

11. Contribute to the literature on CI as a public policy

Development: Write up and publications

Contributions to Literature