Relationship among small business support agencies

Many support agencies have emerged in Northern Ireland to support small firms. They have a keen awareness of one another, have developed a degree of consensus, and need to share resources and spread risks. It is suggested, therefore, that interagency collaboration is likely and could enhance the service and lower the costs of supporting small firms. However, empirical evidence, based on Van de Ven and Ferry’s instruments, reveal that interagency collaboration is not as extensive as expected. The authors recommend increased interorganizational networking and suggest how this outcome could be achieved.