A senior academic from the University of Glasgow's Adam Smith Business School has criticised support for business during coronavirus as "poorly designed and executed".
Colin Mason, the school's professor of entrepreneurship, claimed entrepreneurs had been marginalised by UK and Scottish Governments whose "one size fits all" approach proved they do not understand how business works.
In an opinion piece for Holyrood magazine, he calls for a successful business figure to be appointed to lead an 'Office of the Chief Entrepreneur', supported by an advisory board.
It would represent entrepreneurs' interests in shaping policy, he said.
The UK Government's support grants, CBILS and Bounceback loans schemes have been criticised as piecemeal measures which many businesses and self-employed entrepreneurs were ineligible for.
Mason said: “In particular a ‘one size fits all’ approach dominated with the result that many businesses were not eligible for support."
He added: “Well-designed, supportive policies based on a deep understanding of business are required to enable entrepreneurs to drive economic recovery.
"This requires that the voice of the entrepreneurial community is heard at the top level of government and that this is turned into action. Creating an Office of the Chief Entrepreneur will ensure that this happens.”
