In his New Year’s message, FSB policy convener Andy Willox says that businesses must exploit rather than fear new digital technologies. He also calls on the political parties to make building a more resilient Scottish economy their top priority for Holyrood’s May elections.

Willox says, ‘Change is hard, but often necessary. Well, that’s what we’ll be telling ourselves next week as we try to stick to the New Year’s resolutions. And, just as we swap the steak pies for salads at home, our minds also turn to how we can get our businesses into better shape.

‘This year, FSB published a report looking at digital disruption. We’ve urged our members not to end up like the video shop or film developer. Instead, we make the case that small firms should harness the opportunities unlocked by technology and put digital at the centre of their 2016 plans for growth.’

Looking forward to the Scottish Parliament elections in May, Willox says the manifesto for May’s Holyrood elections is full of practical ideas to make Scotland a better place to do business.

‘At its heart is a call for the next Scottish government to focus its economic strategy on building up the resilience of local economies and, hence, local communities.

‘While inward investment and key sectors remain important to Scotland, there is much more to real, sustained economic growth than that.’