Extent and types of management consulting services to SMEs in Vojvodina

Abstract

This paper highlights the importance of management consulting for growth and development of SMEs. We have researched and analyzed the extent of use of management consulting (MC) services, separately in the micro, small and medium enterprises. In addition, we learn which types of MC services are most commonly used by companies of different sizes. In the study was used the method of surveying by questionnaire with questions of closed and mixed type, in order to determine the possible existence of causal relation between size or age of SME on the one side, and volume of use of MC services on the other side. It was observed that, with growth of the SMEs, comes the increase in volume of use, and sophistication of services used. Micro enterprises use fewer MC services, those with more general character, in the field of sales, state support projects, bussiness plans, etc., while small, especially medium enterprises, need more complex MC services, such as participation on exhibitions, finance, quality management systems, information systems and technologies, import-export, etc. The results may be useful both for small and medium enterprises, as well as for institutional and private providers of management consulting services.