As the contribution of SMEs and an expansion of their roles to the national economy grows, the government are making efforts to develop policies to strengthen SMEs' competitiveness. The development of competent and high-technical SMEs is absolutely necessary for the vitalization of the national economy. Small and medium-sized enterprises should fulfill their roles for creating employment effects and self-sustaining industrial structures and it carry over into a virtuous cycle of economic structure.
In order for SMEs and venture firms to grow into medium-sized enterprises and mid-sized enterprises to grow into large corporations, and to contribute to job creation, vitalization of local economies, and national economic growth, appropriate support policies reflecting the characteristics and demands of companies are required.
This study aims to analyze whether there is a difference in corporate demands for policy support by considering not only the corporate growth stage but also the R&D capacity stage, focusing on the four major industries of Jeollabuk-do, and propose differentiated policies accordingly.
As a result, it was found that the growth stage of the company and the R&D capacity stage have a distinctive effect on the company's demand for policy support. Most start-ups and simple production companies have high demands for programs that are urgently needed to promote new businesses such as start-ups and product planning. It was found that companies with a mature stage of growth need demands related to external factors of products and new market development such as design, exhibitions, consulting.
However, there was no significant difference in the demand for human resource support by R&D capacity stage or business growth stage. In addition, it was found that the demand for policy support for each of the four major industries differs according to the business growth stage and R&D capacity stage. This is because for each industries has different issue and industrial characteristics are affected by differences in value chain, infra and innovation capacity.
As such, there is a clear difference in the demand for policy support that is required in each stage according to the stage of business growth and R&D capacity of SMEs. Therefore, it is necessary to support timely policy in stages. In order to increase the efficiency of the support policy, a differentiated support policy considering the R&D capacity as well as the corporate growth stage is required, and various support programs should be developed to reflect the various conditions and circumstances of the company. To this end, it is necessary to anticipate the characteristics of companies that are the beneficiaries of the policy and to reflect demands actively, to have a differentiated & on demand policy portfolio by region, industry, business growth stage, and R&D capacity stage.