The OPEE was created at the initiative of a group of researchers and professors in economics, management and statisticians who are keen to put their knowledge at the service of companies, entrepreneurs and policymakers. They are engaged in a knowledge-sharing process from a viewpoint of inclusive development.

OPEE's teams come directly from the academic world or maintain close collaboration with the world of research.

SBAT (Small Business Assessment Tool) is above all a tool designed for micro-enterprises and SMEs. It aims not only to evaluate their activity but also to compare it with their main competitors' activities. This tool guides an entrepreneur in its decision-making process based on its market position, in order to ensure a safer and more prosperous future for his company.

SBAT also allows policymakers to assess the scope and effectiveness of public policies to support entrepreneurship. By measuring the evolution and the path followed by a company, SBAT provides a framework for the formulation of action proposals for the benefit of companies.

The first step in self-analysis is to determine the business environment of your business. The nature of your production process and the market on which you are positioned are identified through a dozen key questions about your products, your competitors and suppliers, your approach to competition.

At the end of that stage you will know:

• How your enterprise measures up to its competitors
• How your enterprise measures up to its competitors
• Your strengths and weaknesses within this business model
• Your business potential
• Your business potential

Four business models have been identified with reference to a theory developed by Robert Salais and Michael Storper: https://www.amazon.fr/mondes-production-Enquête-lidentité-économique/dp/2713210062

Price competitiveness business model

Companies offer standard and generic products, employ a uniform workforce, and aim minimizing the cost of their production factors. Underlying industrial standardization and market predictability make it possible to develop production plans and adapt production equipment to deal with expected economic risk.

Innovative business model

New services and new product are designed and created to answer new needs or to find new uses for existing products. Companies belonging to this model create a general knowledge that can be adapted to various uses or is able to introduce change in existing production processes. Their main problem is to balance taste for novelty and acceptance.

Economies of scope business model

These companies adapt products provided by firms belonging to the price competitiveness business model to meet a particular demand: they sell standard products to specific customers. Activities are designed according to the buyer’s requirements. The few producers who can meet this demand compete with each other on the basis of price and speed of delivery. Great flexibility is needed to respond to customers' changing requirements.

Customer relationship business model

These firms offer specific products through highly specialized production process. Their output relies on specialized skills and know-how of individuals organized to respect the preferences of specific customers. Personal relationships matter and are a core asset for these companies. Firms provide personalized products or services and need to create accurate expectations and be very flexible to keep their position in the market. Investments in intangible assets and human capital are crucial.

Once the reference business model has been identified, the company's position on various aspects can be assessed.

Finance

This component is designed to determine whether the financial structure of your company corresponds to that of its reference model and to draw up an inventory regarding eligibility for access to financial resources. Your answers will help establish a diagnostic of the nature of the relationships with financial partners and thus better initiate future discussions to negotiate new financing.

Innovation

The objective in this section is to analyze your business propensity for innovation, but also to initiate changes to your products the design and creation,in order to improve your company’s competitive position.competitors. The analysis of the replies the questionnaire will allow us to evaluate your ability to evolve and reinvent your working techniques and production methods.

Internationalisation

By exploring in detail, the different import and export activities that together shape internationalization, respondents will have a clearer vision of their international development strategy.The international component identifies weak points in the internationalization strategy adopted and identifies areas for improvement or changes.

Leadership

Through this component we will be able to discern your entrepreneurial qualities in terms of attitude, motivation and and ability. Thus, the answers collected make it possible to establish a realistic description of your skills as a leader and to suggest and prioritize ways for improvement.

Human ressources

In this part we will evaluate the human capital of your company and your methods of human resources management. In this way, you will know more precisely the training needs, be more efficient or recruitments and improve working conditions to increase the quality of life at work for your employees.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Through this component you will be able to appreciate the level and nature of social and environmental responsibility practices in your company. You will know the strengths and possible margins of progress in the implementation of a CSR strategy in order to reach a leader position in this field and, thus, conquer markets and win contracts for which this dimension plays an important role.