A Feasibility Study on Business Consulting Services to Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by Public University in Malaysia

Realizing the potential market opportunity for business consulting services for Small Medium Enterprises or SMEs and the need for university to generate its own income, most public universities in Malaysia plan to embarks on business consulting services with the vision of enhancing SMEs capabilities to its full potentials. Furthermore, it also means that public universities can capitalize its resources (infrastructures and human capital) to spearhead revenue-based activities. This feasibility study has enabled public university, the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) in this study to clearly see what business the entity is in and where it is headed. The university no longer sees itself as simply in the business of consulting industry. It now sees itself in the business of "developing talent in SMEs sector". By defining the business in this way the university has identified possible new services such as contract service agreements and training. It sees new opportunity in helping SMEs Malaysia by capitalizing enterprising brains at public university via the establishment of strategic business unit (SBU) with its branding – “Empowering SMEs – Nurturing Leaders”.