| The Web Mason staff developed precise strategies to match specific
large businesses with small businesses that can best benefit from: the
particular expertise of the large business, and from the forms of
assistance a large business is able and willing to provide. Business
assessment procedures were created to define the needs of both the Prime
Contractor/ Mentoring Assistance Firms as well as the Small Business/
Subcontractor/Protégé firms. Here are descriptions of four kinds of resulting linkages that can occur: |
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| Level 1 Matching:
Intangible Benefits |
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| Since the small business population in the service area was composed
of firms in a variety of development stages, our research found that a
significant percentage of these firms lack even the basic essential
business skills necessary to achieve “tangible income results” types
of linkages such as: contracts, joint ventures, partnerships, and large
business investments. At the same time, many large company mentor
prospects have no mentor program currently in place; many may not yet
even be willing to establish a program initially. Nonetheless, The Web
Mason staff crafted the scope of work on this contract to encourage
linkages that will provide opportunities for learning, information,
networking and collaboration; these “Intangible Benefits” types of
relationships can eventually result in income producing linkages for a
number of small businesses, while providing exposure to large companies
contemplating the establishment of a more formal mentoring program. |
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| Level 2 Matching:
Income Producing Benefits |
|
| A significant percentage of small businesses will benefit from “tangible
non-contract results” types of linkages with large companies such as:
management and technical assistance, and improving technologies. Once
again, these linkages can be made with large companies that may or may
not have a mentor program in place. However, the linkage will likely
have an “Income Producing” effect for the small business by improved
efficiencies such as: better estimating systems, enhanced financial
record keeping, improved project management resource planning, etc. |
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| Level 3 Matching:
Profitability Enhancement Benefits |
|
| Large corporation referrals, of a small business, for accessing
capital or contracting opportunities, and endorsement from large
companies for greater credibility would be examples of linkages that
result in “Tangible Profitability Enhancement” results for the small
business. A large company with no mentor program can once again
accomplish this linkage. However, it would be characteristic of a
business relationship that may have been cultivated through Level 1 or 2
Matching situations, or by a linkage between a large corporation in a
different industry from the small business (Example: Insurance company
referral of a landscaping firm to large corporate developer). |
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| Level 4 Matching:
Contract and/or Tangible Income Benefits |
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| A large company with a mentoring program in place coupled with a small
business possessing most of the critical essential business skills,
typifies the “Tangible Income Benefits” linkages such as: contracts,
joint ventures, partnerships, and large business investments. One or
both of the businesses may have cultivated the relationship from Level 1
to this point. Linkages at this level are more apt to be successful
because: both parties have already predetermined their strategic needs
and the criteria for a partner firm that can best meet those needs,
reasonable goals for the outcome of these relationships can be met
because of the degree of trust that has been developed by the parties in
the mentoring process. |
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| Would your firm like to discuss development of a mentoring program? Or
would your company like an evaluation of its’ contract compliance to a
mentoring or subcontracting provision? Click HERE
to submit a Contact Form, or use the link below to send an
email. |
PO Box 788