Research | Center for Small and Medium-sized Businesses

The Center for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (CSMB) researches how the local businesses that power our economy operate and succeed. We build a thriving ecosystem of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Arizona through impactful research activities and community engagement. Our SMB Lab and upcoming database provide practical insights to business owners, entrepreneurs, educators, and students.

Student involvement

Current students are welcome to assist with CSMB research through internship opportunities. Complete our interest form to learn more.

Student interest form

SMB Lab

The SMB Lab has generated an estimated $5 million in value for participating local businesses over the past two years, providing nearly 100 students with hands-on learning experiences across 30 real-world projects.

In dedicated brainstorming workshops, teams of faculty, students, and industry experts address critical issues — from inventory management to hiring challenges — for SMBs. Their collective expertise provides fresh perspectives during problem analysis. Then, faculty-led student teams execute semester-long growth projects for a business and develop high-impact skills.

We gather workshop data for future case studies to enhance W. P. Carey coursework, addressing a critical gap in business education as most textbooks prioritize large businesses. Faculty will be able to showcase how core business functions like supply chain management, marketing, and finance operate within SMBs.

Learn more

SMB database

Coming soon

Companies will eventually have access to a public database built on information gathered from our research and SMB Lab workshops. The database will allow SMBs to benchmark themselves against businesses in similar industries with similar problems. All SMBs can opt in to contribute information to the database.

Future premium access to the database will provide SMBs with unlimited data, including company details, lab successes, and case studies. With an AI-powered data filter, SMBs will be able to discover hundreds of problem statements and solutions in a comprehensive repository.

Connect with our team to learn more.