ISME said Ireland should introduce a nationally recognised Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) accreditation for SME owner-managers, warning that the country’s growing dependence on a small number of multinational companies had increased economic vulnerability and highlighted the need for a stronger indigenous enterprise sector.
The call followed the publication of a report by economist Jim Power at ISME’s Leadership and Networking Event in the Clayton Hotel in Limerick last week, which examined the economic and business case for developing a formal qualification system for SME owner-managers.
The report found that Ireland’s economic concentration risk had intensified over the past five years, while the challenges facing SME leaders have become increasingly complex due to rapid technological change, the emergence of artificial intelligence, skills shortages, geopolitical uncertainty and intensifying international competition.
The report suggested that a QQI-accredited programme could cover areas including financial management, strategic planning, taxation, innovation, technology adoption, artificial intelligence, people management, marketing, governance and succession planning.
Neil McDonnell, Chief Executive of ISME, said: “The demands on business leaders today are unprecedented, from increasing costs to AI and digital transformation, workforce management, sustainability and international competition. SMEs remain the backbone of the Irish economy, and we need to invest in the skills and capabilities of the people who lead them. The Green Cert qualification helped professionalise farm management and improve productivity across the agricultural sector. A similar qualification pathway will help owner-managers of SMEs cope with an increasingly complex operating environment and deliver benefits for the wider economy.”
Christopher Paye, Country Director at The Stepstone Group, with responsibility for the hiring platform Jobs.ie said: “Getting the hire right can transform a small business; however, getting it wrong can cost months of lost time and money. This proposal is a welcome step. Recruitment is a skill in itself, not something owner-managers should have to figure out alone. At Jobs.ie, we partner with SME recruiters right across Ireland to support them through that process, and we’d welcome a qualification like this that backs them further.”
Despite accounting for 99.8% of businesses in Ireland and almost two-thirds of business employment, SMEs continue to face significant productivity challenges compared with larger and foreign-owned firms.
ISME said improved management capability would help increase productivity, strengthen competitiveness and support the development of larger indigenous businesses, creating a broader and more resilient economic base.
Read the full report here
