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Marketing Challenges for Canadian Small & Medium Enterprises
Canada has over 1.2 million small – to – medium scale enterprises but most of these will never grow into multinational corporations. One of the main reasons is their approach to marketing both locally and internationally. This article examines how marketing can be central to Canadian businesses scaling up and how they can use marketing more effectively.
21st May 2021
Alan Middleton PhD, Independent Consultant and Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Marketing, Schulich School of Business
Financing your Growth (Part 1)
The first part of a 3 part series explores a variety of funding sources. It provides an overview of three major sources of business financing, starting with credit/debt financing, followed by equity financing, and finally by consumer financing.
4th May 2021
Hamzah Rizvi, Investment Banking Analyst at RBC Capital Markets and Schulich alumni
Melanie Reixach – Wong, Consultant at Ernst and Young and Schulich alumni
SMEs Going Digital
SMEs are faced with the question of finding a balanced digitization path to develop or continue building their online presence. What type of digitization is appropriate for SME at different stages of their evolution and why the journey is so important
27th March 2021
Afreen Miah, Consultant at Ernst and Young and Schulich alumni
Melanie Reixach-Wong, Consultant at Ernst and Young and Schulich alumni
Government Support and Covid-19
Government Support Is Shielding Canadians from COVID-19, but Can We Finance It?
13th October 2020
Alexandra Popa, Schulich School of Business, Master of Accounting Candidate 2021 and PwC, Associate, Deals and Consulting.
Demographic Tsunami
The world is getting older – but why, and what does it mean? This paper discusses the reasons and impacts on societies and economies.
17th August 2020
Douglas Kennedy
Why are Canadian Companies so afraid to go Global?
According to a recent study by Aimia Inc., 80% of mid-sized Canadian companies feel their businesses are “not well-suited” to international expansion. Yet it might be time for those businesses to take a note from their peers who decided to go global—90% of companies who made the move have said that it was a success.
Sarah Niedoba
Asian Emerging Markets: Different Business Opportunity for Canadian SMEs Part 3
The appropriate innovation approach focused on Asian emerging markets can add an important dimension to Canada’s export and technology strategies in a post-pandemic world. Our on-going work suggests, it is also more within the reach of most Canadian firms. This could lead to significant benefits for Canada, and also for Asian consumers in underserved markets.
George Abonyi, Senior Research Fellow and Visiting Professor at Sasin School of Management and David Abonyi, Program Policy Analyst at Global Affairs Canada
Asian Emerging Markets: Different Business Opportunity for Canadian SMEs Part 1
Strengthening innovation in products, processes and business models for Asia’s emerging markets can have significant benefits for Canadian SMEs. This, first of a series articles, looks differently at Asian emerging markets.
George Abonyi, Senior Research Fellow and Visiting Professor at Sasin School of Management
SMEs…serving public purpose
It's critical for governments to accelerate efforts to create the conditions for private enterprise to thrive and communities to prosper. – Jim Yong Kim Government is an economic enabler of SME growth. The business-government interface in policy, regulation, finance, service, and strategy features significant roles, relationships, and results for SMEs.
John Wilklins is associate in public management at York University and former executive in residence for Business and Government with the Schulich School of Business. He was a career senior public servant and diplomat. (jwilins@schulich.yorku.ca)
How to Future-proof your SME Amidst Supply Chain Disruptions
Traditional business logistics and supply chains have been upended by the COVID 19 pandemic. What can a small or medium-scale business do to understand and future-proof against similar disruptions going forward
7th June 2021
Melanie Reixach-Wong, Consultant at Ernst and Young and Schulich alumni
Canada’s Place in a Changing Global Economy
RBC Economics sets out the opportunities and challenges facing Canada’s export position and prospects over the next few decades
30th March 2021
Josh Nye, Senior Economist, RBC
Naomi Powell, RBC Economics and Thought Leadership
Cynthia Leach, RBC Economics and Thought Leadership
Born Digital. Born Global.
A company’s degree of digitization can be highly influential in its ability to succeed globally. An analysis of why this might be so and what digitization strategies and platforms seem to work best in accelerating international market engagement.
22nd February 2021
Melanie Reixach-Wong, Consultant at Ernst and Young and Schulich alumni, and
Afreen Miah, Consultant at Ernst and Young and Schulich alumni
Businesses need to be aware of the populist promise
Discusses how companies can mitigate the political risks the modern populism can breed.
10th April 2019
Dr. Julian Campisi, Policy Analyst, Defence Research and Development Canada and lecturer at University of Toronto and Conestoga College.
Government Assistance Programs, Subsidies, and Financial Considerations
for Canadian SMEs during the Great Lockdown
Due to the pandemic, Canada faces its worst economic slowdown in the nation’s history. The government has been pro-actively putting measures in place to soften the blow on hard-hit business in an effort to keep the economy rolling. Read to learn about the programs, subsidies, and financial considerations that are in place.
Linda Thorne, PhD, FCPA FCA, Professor of Accounting, Schulich School of Business - York University, Toronto & Abhishek Manohar Chellani, MSc., MBA student, Schulich School of Business- York University, Toronto
Political Risk, Foreign Direct Investment and the China Mining Sector
The above article is an updated extract from an earlier piece Julian Campisi published as “Social & Political Risks: Factors Affecting FDI in China’s Mining Sector”, Thunderbird International Business Review 59 (6), 2017.
Dr. Julian Campisi, Policy Analyst, Defence Research and Development Canada and lecturer at University of Toronto and Conestoga College.
SMEs … upscaling for growth
SMEs constitute 99% of businesses, generating 60% of employment and 50-60% of value-added. Unfortunately, SMEs lag in digital transitions and are disproportionately affected by market failures, trade barriers, policy inefficiencies, and institutional shortcomings. Learn to combat these factors and isntead, upscale for growth.
John Wilklins is associate in public management at York University and former executive in residence for Business and Government with the Schulich School of Business. He was a career senior public servant and diplomat. (jwilins@schulich.yorku.ca)
Asian Emerging Markets: Different Business Opportunity for Canadian SMEs Part 2
The second, in this series of articles, focuses on the unmet needs and actual characteristics of the majority of Asian emerging market consumers who have high aspirations but lower incomes.
George Abonyi, Senior Research Fellow and Visiting Professor at Sasin School of Management
Strategy Notes
Seven Shades Of Yes – Transformix Engineering
“How do we get to the table where the big boys are playing?” That was the question Peng-Sang Cau, President and CEO, Transformix Engineering Inc, was asking herself. She had noticed that the big boys were not in Canada. They were outside of it – in the US and Europe.
Centre for Global Enterprise
Start-up Company Builds a Global Business
Learn how a Canadian start-up used data analytics and entry into niche markets to scale up and build a competitive moat around its business.
The case study first appeared in The Globe and Mail on February 16, 2015
A.V. Roe: Move Forward by Avoiding Mistakes from the Past
Exhibit ‘A’ in how management over-reach and reliance on a single customer can kill even the most technologically sophisticated company.
Alexandra Popa, Schulich School of Business, Master of Accounting Candidate 2021 and PwC, Associate, Deals and Consulting.
GCP Industrial Products: Survival Strategy for a Commodity Business
GCP Industrial Products shows how a company can adapt and prosper in an increasingly commoditised and low-margin business.
George Qu, GCP Industrial Inc. and Prashant Kumar, Schulich School of Business
Red Canoe and the “Nostalgia for Iconic North American Brands”
In the competitive industry of fashion, countless new brands are created each month, but only a handful survive the season. Learn how Red Canoe has survived the many seasons.
Melanie Chang Fung, Schulich School of Business MBA 2017
KARIBU Solar: A Successful Social Enterprise (But Not as Planned)
Sometimes you can succeed in your strategic objectives even if your company does not end up dominating the market. Learn how KARIBU Solar made a major contribution to the electrification of rural Tanzania.
Douglas Kennedy
Stelco: Why Canada’s Largest Steel Producer Failed
Myopic management and failure to keep up with technology and international competition killed a manufacturing icon.
Muhammad Mustafa Moeen.
Webinars and Podcasts
EDC
Mastering international contracts: From strategy to success
Discover the dos and don’ts for setting up international contracts to protect your business, as you grow internationally.
Dan Harman
Toronto-based entrepreneur and policy advisor to government agencies on innovation and growth.
Video series - Their world, our future
Their World, Our Future focuses on the people driving change in places we don't commonly equate with innovation and technology.
StartUp Canada
Thrive Podcast
The THRIVE Podcast for Women Entrepreneurs is all about supporting YOU to start and build a thriving business.
Toronto Region Board of Trade
Opportunity Knocks: Our Future is Trade
Watch our expert panel discuss priority sectors, opportunities and ways we can encourage Ontario SME’s to export their goods around the world.
Centre for Global Enterprise
International Business Webinars
Series of webinars to help you go global without going broke
bdc
Webinar
Packed with real-life examples, these webinars will help you make better business decisions and achieve your business goals.
Courses & Programs
Disclaimer: All of the content within the CGE Toolbox comes from publicly available sources. While the CGE believes the information to be reliable, it takes no responsibility for the accuracy or timeliness of the information. Where verification is needed, users are encouraged to contact the sources directly.