The Interface Between Public Financial Instruments and SMEs in Finland
Karhu, Henri (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202503194544
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202503194544
Tiivistelmä
SMEs have increasingly ventured into international markets, each facing challenges depending on their
backgrounds and market situations. Public support for internationalization and specialized consultancy ser vices for gaining support has evolved to cater to SME needs.
In this study the governmental subsidies, barriers and enablers of SMEs internationalization, and the viewpoint of various stakeholders were studied, to reveal various aspects of the interface between governmental subsidies and internationalizing SMEs acquiring funding by external consultancy.
This study was based on qualitative research and content analysis, by inductive reasoning. Primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews by using qualitative research methods, aiming to find what are the challenges and opportunities of the interface between governmental funding and internationalizing SMEs in the context of using external consultancy. Business Finland’s (BF) evaluation of the innovation voucher report was analyzed as secondary data.
Results revealed that internationalization consultancy can awaken the SMEs understanding of their potential regarding internationalization possibilities and lowering the barriers SMEs experience, acquiring governmentally backed financing. The study tied broader concerns about the effectiveness and ethics of consultant involvement in business support, especially in terms of utilizing funding for internationalization. BF have
great possibilities in developing their interface by harmonizing customer service practices related to finance applications guidance, leading to a united perception of the interface and a reduced need for external financing consultancy for SMEs.
backgrounds and market situations. Public support for internationalization and specialized consultancy ser vices for gaining support has evolved to cater to SME needs.
In this study the governmental subsidies, barriers and enablers of SMEs internationalization, and the viewpoint of various stakeholders were studied, to reveal various aspects of the interface between governmental subsidies and internationalizing SMEs acquiring funding by external consultancy.
This study was based on qualitative research and content analysis, by inductive reasoning. Primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews by using qualitative research methods, aiming to find what are the challenges and opportunities of the interface between governmental funding and internationalizing SMEs in the context of using external consultancy. Business Finland’s (BF) evaluation of the innovation voucher report was analyzed as secondary data.
Results revealed that internationalization consultancy can awaken the SMEs understanding of their potential regarding internationalization possibilities and lowering the barriers SMEs experience, acquiring governmentally backed financing. The study tied broader concerns about the effectiveness and ethics of consultant involvement in business support, especially in terms of utilizing funding for internationalization. BF have
great possibilities in developing their interface by harmonizing customer service practices related to finance applications guidance, leading to a united perception of the interface and a reduced need for external financing consultancy for SMEs.