Samenvatting

The Knowledge Centre NoorderRuimte conducts practice-oriented research into the built environment in the Northern Netherlands. In Oldambt, a region in the northeast of the province Groningen, it was observed that the current demographic, behavioural and economic development causes a low business succession rate for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). To overcome the indicated problem, the objective of this research is to investigate which actions business owners and the Oldambt Municipality could take to increase the SMEs’ business succession rate in Oldambt gradually.

Based on the results, Oldambt’s business owners should set a timeframe and an ownership partition plan, emphasise closing the gaps between the successor’s abilities and the company’s needs, establish a binding succession plan and implement a performance bridge. Oldambt’s Municipality should equalise the support for start-ups and business transfers, should implement a transfer-friendly tax system, a transparent market and a service for timely succession preparation and involve more with business owners.