The paper applies robust econometric techniques to assess the impact of publicly-provided subsidised 'soft' business support on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It considers the assistance for consultancy advice provided towards marketing under the UK Enterprise...

This paper develops and utilizes a firm-based methodology for evaluating the direct employment effects of industrial financial assistance. This approach is applied to a micro data set containing details of assistance payments made to firms in northeastern of England under regional policy, by...

The paper examines the changing regional specialization of U.K. employment over the period 1971-94, analyzing the extent to which U.K. regional policy has altered the industrial structure of the Assisted Area regions, making them less vulnerable to economic change. All regional economies are...