BARRIERS TO INVESTMENT: THE APPRAISAL AND FINANCING OF NEW MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES IN SMEs

Abstract

The exploitation of new manufacturing technologies by large organisations is placing increasing pressures on the ability of SMEs to compete, since they enable large firms to compete through advantages traditionally associated with SMEs (e.g. flexibility, small production runs and specialised products). If SMEs are to maintain and improve their competitive position, a more proactive stance is required in relation to new technology investment. The identification and removal of barriers to adoption could greatly aid small firm investment in new technology. The internal investment appraisal process has been identified as one of the major barriers to the adoption of new manufacturing technologies in large firms (Price et al., 1990; Finnie, 1988). Little, however, is known about how SMEs conduct investment appraisals. Further, where SMEs seek external funds, they face additional appraisal by the funding institution. Research (Joyce et a/., 1990; Watkins and Morton, 1992) has indicated that SMEs view financing difficulties as a major barrier to investment. Given the nature of new manufacturing technologies, it is anticipated that such investments may create specific financing problems, particularly in relation to the appraisal by the financial institution. The focus of this paper, therefore, is on these two potential barriers to investment. Firstly, the paper investigates the extent to which the appraisal problems faced by large organisations are common to SMEs and establishes the extent to which the appraisal methods advocated in the literature are relevant to SMEs. Secondly, it examines external constraints on the financing of new technology investments from the firm perspective. In examining these barriers, the paper identifies the characteristics of the investment and financing decision‐making processes in SMEs. The main findings of the research project, involving case studies of 15 SMEs in the South East, are that SMEs do face problems in appraising and justifying new technology investments. However, these difficulties appear to cause fewer problems for SMEs in terms of the outcomes of the appraisal process than might be expected. Surprisingly, the financing of new technologies was not found to constitute a significant barrier to investment and few of the firms had experienced any real difficulties in raising finance for this purpose. The reasons for these apparent conditions are explored in depth and factors affecting the results are identified.