Library Dissertation Showcase

Exploring UK SME branding: a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews

  • Year of Publication:
  • 2021

With small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) playing a vital role in the UK’s economy it is important to understand how these businesses operate, to be more specific, this study focused on the intricacies of SME branding.

The aim of this paper was to further explore SME branding in the UK and to contribute towards existing knowledge and data surrounding SME branding. The aim was met via three primary research objectives which were to establish how SME’s perceive branding, how SME’s develop brands as well and how SME’s maintain brands.

Data collected for this study was a result of qualitative research methods which involved using semistructured interviews to collect data on SME branding. Thematic analysis was then used to establish key themes raised during data collection, this included, SME branding elements, SME brand building, SME brand maintenance, and products.

Key findings of this paper were that SME workforces display confusion when discussing terminology within branding, often confusing terms such as branding and marketing. As well as that resource limitations can have a profound impact on brand maintenance as SME’s struggle to maintain brands in the face of change.

There were also several limitations to this study, such as sample size, the sample used for this study was particularly small which meant it was hard to make generalised findings. The sample was, however, very data rich, this meant that in depth insights could be made into SME branding which contribute to existing understandings of SME branding.

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