MBA也要關注中小企業

At top-tier business schools, students learn about multinational companies in various industries via seminars, guest lectures, case studies, and company visits. But missing are efforts to help students learn about small and medium-sized companies. This is a gap that must be filled.

在一流商學院，學生通過研討會、客座講座、案例研究和公司訪問來了解不同行業的跨國企業。但這些商學院未能幫助學生了解中小企業。這是一個必須填補的缺口。

In the UK, for example, SMEs represent 99.9 per cent of businesses, and account for 60 per cent of private-sector employment and 51 per cent of private-sector turnover, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.

例如，英國小企業聯合會(Federation of Small Businesses)的數據顯示，在英國，中小企業佔到所有企業的99.9%，貢獻了60%的私人領域就業以及51%的私人領域營業額。

In France, the picture is similar: SMEs represent 99.9 per cent of all enterprises and provide about two in three jobs.

法國的情況類似：中小企業佔到所有企業的99.9%，提供了三分之二的就業。

This data cannot be ignored. And while it is understandable that many students wish to work for a multinational — whether it be in banking or technology — or want to start their own businesses, they still must understand SMEs and their roles in economies.

不能忽視這些數據。儘管可以理解的是，許多學生希望在跨國企業工作（無論是銀行業還是科技業）或者自己創業，但他們仍然必須瞭解中小企業以及它們在經濟中的角色。

Proportion of UK businesses that are SMEs. They account for 60 per cent of private-sector employment and 51 per cent of private-sector turnover

英國99.9%的企業是中小企業。它們貢獻了60%的私人領域就業，以及51%的私人領域營業額。

On the campus of any business school, there is much collective experience and wisdom to share. A limited study and an elitist approach to business is a missed opportunity.

在任何一所商學院的校園裏，都有許多集體經驗和智慧可供分享。片面的學習以及奉行企業精英主義將會錯失機遇。

SMEs face different problems to the large companies explored in the case studies on business school courses, and they have different goals. While large-scale marketing activities, for example, are discussed in the classroom, students should also learn that creativity can be fostered under constraints that small businesses face.

中小企業的問題與商學院課程案例研究中探討的大公司的問題不同，而且它們的目標也有所不同。例如，在課堂上討論大規模的營銷活動時，學生們也應該知道，即便在小企業所面臨的種種限制下，創造力也是可以提升的。

Smaller companies tend to have limited resources, with less capacity to invest in marketing, and other business problems than bigger companies. Creativity does not have to be costly, but it is easier to find a solution if resources are abundant. It is important that students realise that, on a smaller scale, problems tend to be amplified and it is important to prioritise.

較小的企業往往資源有限，與較大公司相比投資於市場營銷的能力較低，還面臨其他的業務問題。創造力不一定要花多少錢，但如果資源充足的話更容易找到解決方案。重要的是，學生們要意識到，在規模較小的企業，問題往往被放大，分清輕重緩急很重要。

Business schools and their students spend a lot of time discussing how to manage the social impact of business. Again, here they address matters on a large scale. They talk about supporting international activities, but often forget what is needed on their doorstep.

商學院和它們的學生花了大量時間討論如何管理企業的社會影響。同樣，在這個問題上他們從大處着眼。它們談論支持國際活動，但往往忘記自己家門口需要什麼。

These are the two main obstacles that ESCP Europe experienced in organising the community project for its masters programme in marketing and creativity.

這些是ESCP歐洲商學院(ESCP Europe)在爲其市場營銷和創造力碩士課程組織社區項目時經歷的兩個主要障礙。

The project is designed to create a platform that bridges the lack of understanding between business school students and SMEs, where experiences and ideas can be exchanged.

該項目旨在建立一個平臺來彌合商學院學生與中小企業之間的相互缺乏瞭解，供他們交流經驗和想法。

For ESCP, the challenge was to help the students adapt their knowledge and skills to local business needs and to convince SMEs, such as local shops, that the students can offer value. Most did not even realise there is an international business school on their doorstep.

對ESCP歐洲商學院來說，挑戰在於幫助學生，讓他們的知識和技能適應當地的企業需求，並讓本地商店等當地的中小企業相信，學生能夠提供價值。大多數人甚至都沒有意識到他們的家門口還有一所國際商學院。

In the case of a clothing shop, the owner had a problem with customers who would buy a piece of clothing, wear it for an event and then return it with the tags still attached. A student suggested this problem could, in fact, be an opportunity to start a garment rental business.

就服裝店來說，店主的問題是有些顧客會買一件衣服，穿上它出席某個活動，然後又把標籤完好的衣服退回來。一名學生表示，這個問題可能是開展服裝租賃業務的機會。

A rental business would demand more resources than the shop owner had, but he did admit that he had not thought of looking at the problem as an opportunity.

租賃業務需要的資源超出了店主的能力，但他承認沒有想到把問題看作機會。

It is not just about teaching SMEs growth strategies, but about creating a strong community to create growth together.

重要的不僅是教授中小企業發展戰略，而且還要創建一個強大的社區以共同發展。