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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Small and medium business enterprises'
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Hung, Pui-ling Elsa. "Government support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs)." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2003. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B31967206.
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Jensen, Joan, and n/a. "Electronic Commerce and Small and Medium Business Enterprises." University of Canberra. n/a, 2005. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20070517.130605.
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The aim of this research was to discover the issues influencing the adoption of e-commerce by small and medium business enterprises (SMEs) in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The demand aspect of the theory of diffusion of innovation enabled the formulation of a number of research propositions which formed the focus for this research. Seventy-five randomly-selected SMEs within the ACT were interviewed. Of these seventy five, fifty had adopted e-commerce and twenty-five had not.
Findings complemented results from other studies, but also added to them. Factors from the demand aspect of the theory of time, resources (personnel, financial, technological), business organisation, size, return on investment, push by outside agencies or clients, and communication channels were found to be of little importance. Of greater importance were characteristics of the SME operators themselves (such as their innovativeness, their relative youth and educational level), the size of their business, the number of years it had been operating, and marketing issues. A prime consideration was that of attaining and maintaining a competitive edge over their competitors. Security and privacy issues were of little consideration prior to the adoption process, but became of much greater importance once SMEs had adopted e-commerce.
Some things discovered by this research that have not appeared in the reporting of other studies included:
� The importance of tertiary education for the primary decision-makers in the organisation;
� The role banks played in the adoption process;
� The high cost and difficulty of compliance with government regulations, especially regarding the employment of staff; and
� The lack of use of specifically established communication channels, set up by government bodies or associated industry organisations to educate and inform SMEs about the potential and process of e-commerce.
Results of this research have implications for a large number of associated stakeholders � government, educational institutions, and trade, industry and professional associations � and as such deserve to be widely disseminated.
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Yeung, Ka-wing Ricky. "IT implementation in small and medium manufacturing enterprises /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18873406.
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Mayanja, Jamiah. "Business ethics in Ugandan small and medium-sized enterprises." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8521.
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SMEs have been acknowledged by governments globally as a prime source of economic growth and development. In Africa there has been a noticeable increase in the number of SME establishments. In Uganda, SMEs are the most popular business choice and play a major role in the national economy. Although SMEs significant economic contributions are generally acknowledged, being ethical and successful has become a challenge, as many SMEs in Uganda have not fully adopted and integrated ethics into their business strategies. Understanding the reasons for the increased unethical behaviour in SMEs is central to their continued business success. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the factors that influence ethical business conduct in Ugandan SMEs. From a comprehensive literature review, three main independent variables (staff-, business- and external environment factors) were identified as variables influencing ethical business conduct (dependent variable) of SMEs. A hypothetical model was developed to determine whether the independent variables have an influence on the dependent variable. Twelve hypotheses were formulated to test the relationships between three staff factors, five business factors, four external environment factors and ethical business conduct. The study sought the perceptions of SME owners or managers in the Kampala District and utilised the quantitative research paradigm. A survey was conducted with the aid of a structured self-administered questionnaire distributed by three fieldworkers. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling was utilised. The final sample comprised 384 respondents. The validity of the measuring instrument was ascertained by using exploratory factor analysis. The Cronbach‟s alpha values for reliability were calculated for each of the factors identified during the exploratory factor analysis. A total of ten valid and reliable factors were retained. Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to test the correlation and statistical significance of the relationships hypothesised between the various independent and dependent variables. One statistically significant relationship was found between the staff factors (employee attitude) and ethical business conduct. Two statistically significant relationships were found between the business factors (knowledge acquisition and management practices) and ethical business conduct. Three statistically significant relationships were found between the external environment factors (legal requirements, industry norm and media power) and ethical business conduct. External environmental factors seem to have a greater influence on SME ethical business conduct in Uganda. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to identify if significant relationships exist between the eight demographic variables and seven reliable and valid independent variables. Furthermore, post-hoc Scheffé tests identified where the significant differences occurred between the different categories. Cohen‟s d-values were calculated in order to assess the practical significance of the mean scores. A total of twelve practical significant relationships were identified. SME owners or managers should consider employing staff with the right attitude to uphold sound ethical business values. They should implement ethical management practices to promote ethical business conduct amongst employees and ensure that employees are made aware of what is regarded as acceptable ethical business behaviour. SME owners or managers should adhere to legal requirements and industry norms to be known as businesses exhibiting ethical behaviour and utilise media to instil and guide ethical values in employees. Lastly, they must pay attention to the role that demographical variables such as: gender, level of education, current employment status, number of years in business and number of employees, play in behaving ethically in business.
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Chijioke, Matthias Ikenna. "Strategies to Sustain Small-and-Medium Sized Business Enterprises." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3146.
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Eighty-five percent of all firms operating in Nigeria are small-and medium-sized business enterprises (SMEs) and contribute almost 55% to the gross domestic product (GDP) in Nigeria. Capital flight and other growth inhibitors pose threats to the sustainability of SMEs in Nigeria. This exploratory multiple-case study was to determine strategies SME leaders use to sustain business operations in Nigeria. The study participants consisted of 15 SME leaders from 3 regional manufacturing firms who had successfully implemented strategies to sustain SMEs in Nigeria. Bertalanffy's general systems theory and Freeman's stakeholder theory were the conceptual frameworks used in the research. The data collection processes included semistructured interviews and reviewing company documents. After analyzing the interview data and validating through member checking, 5 core themes emerged during the data analysis process: creating new markets, encouraging opportunity for sustainable growth, securing additional funding sources, employee participation in decision making, and gaining competitive advantages. The findings may promote social change among the business community leaders by identifying essential characteristics to improve the posterity of SMEs in Nigeria.
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Armoutis, Nikolaos. "Small-medium engineering enterprises and e-business : executive summary." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2006. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/1165/.
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A preferred methodology for handling increasing customer demands and the resulting complexity is to design common modules or subsystems. The design of all the modules required by a complex system, such as a car, aeroplane or computer, is increasingly a task beyond the organisational resources of the OEMs and their close suppliers. Therefore, a larger burden is transferred down the supply chain. As a consequence, lower tier suppliers are required to play a more proactive role and demonstrate an appropriate breadth of skills and resources in order to provide complete sub-systems. This research focuses on collaboration and e-business for a solution which will enable engineering SMEs to respond to such challenges and undertake higher value projects. In particular, the aim of this engineering doctorate is to develop and implement a mechanism that puts together combinations of SMEs with the required capability, within an e-business environment. Accounting for 99.3% of all manufacturing companies and 50.8% of the total employment, SME prosperity and `well-being' has significant impact on the national economy. Analyses, such as these provided by KPMG and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, indicate that the demand for common components could substantially reduce the number of small manufacturers and subcontractors. Statistics published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) confirm the decline of the sector, a reduction of over 22% in overall sector turnover has been reported in the past two years. Although, improved communication links through collaboration and `e' enablement could permit SMEs to move towards a more enriched business model, there is evidence that ebusiness take-up and success in Europe among engineering businesses is low. For instance, focusing on on-line sales, the eEurope 2004 benchmarking report admits that only 14% of SMEs make on-line sales and in only 7% of SMEs do on-line sales constitute more than 5% of their overall sales. The vast majority of companies still continue to rely on old trusted methods of doing business even though outsourcing to lower cost regions and countries is a major threat to many engineering SMEs in Europe. Access to specific competences drives organisations to collaborate with each other. Focusing on the organisational competence, a notion which expresses the key skills and capabilities of an organisation, an ICT based methodology has been developed and tested in this research. The `Competence Profiling Methodology' facilitates collaborative business processes. The methodology enables the discovery of appropriate collaborators for the development and manufacture of complex systems by matching complimentary competences and softer factors. These ideas were developed and tested within two SME projects in the West Midlands, Autocle@r and Autolean 3, as well as with the DTI funded Manufacturing Advisory Service - West Midlands, a one-stop shop to assist manufacturing SMEs. The results from these projects were used to develop a practical portal architecture, to help e-enable engineering SMEs. The resulting West Midlands Collaborative Commerce Marketplace, has over 2000 SME members, has had over 40,000 tenders through the system and over 100 companies are using collaborative spaces to coordinate resources. A key conclusion of this research is that traditional e-business is poorly suited to engineering SMEs being very standard product orientated. Skills and capabilities are far more generic than end products and focusing on them can support more effective eenablement of engineering companies. Results from the WMCCM (www.wmccm.co.uk) project confirm this.
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熊佩玲 and Pui-ling Elsa Hung. "Government support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs)." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31967206.
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Majukwa, Donnemore. "Sustainability Strategies for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Zimbabwe." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7039.
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Zimbabwe's entrepreneur owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) comprise approximately 94% of business owners but contribute only 50% of the country's gross domestic product. Entrepreneur owners play an important role in strengthening Zimbabwe's economy because they create approximately 60% to 80% of employment opportunities. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies owners of SME in Zimbabwe use to sustain their businesses. The population consisted of 5 owners of SMEs who have successfully implemented the strategies to sustain their businesses for over 5 years. The general systems theory was the conceptual framework of the study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and review of company financial documents. Member checking and methodological triangulation were used to enhance the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings of the study. The data analysis process was conducted using Yin's 5-phases of qualitative data analysis. Four themes emerged from data analysis, including passion and dedication, quality of products and services, customer satisfaction, and employing staff with the right skills. The results of the study could lead to positive social change for SMEs and the communities by helping owners of SME to create growth strategies, increase revenues for the country, and create long-term employment opportunities for the communities. The findings from the study could catalyze positive social change by improving workforce capabilities, creating awareness of the success of entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe, and increasing the interest of financial institutions in lending to SMEs.
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Ruyter, Masood. "The measurement of enterprise architecture to add value to small and medium enterprises." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2293.
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Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012.South Africa has a complex financial and retail service industry with high reliance on the use of IT systems to ensure effectiveness and maintainability. Decision making and improved outcomes may be done through an IT aligned enterprise architecture (EA) strategy. EA is a capability that contributes to the support and success of an organisations' IT. Organisations are currently using EA to better align IT and the business strategy which provides a comprehensive v.ew of the IT system. Thus, EA is increasing in organisations yet the measurement and value of EA is limited to organisations and enterprise architects. The discussions of the benefits and value of EA has been discussed for several years, however there are still no consensus about how the benefits and value of EA can be measured. The lack and clear understanding of the benefits and value of EA needs to consider different aspects of IT as well as the shareholders when measuring the benefits and value of EA to an organisation.
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Goncalves, Mark-Anthony. "Organisational commitment during business rescue in small and medium enterprises." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/79581.
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Business rescue is considered a new process in South Africa (Du Preez, 2012). To date the business rescue process has yielded minimal success and resulted in numerous organisations having to be liquidated. The business rescue process involves numerous stakeholders, yet existing research has focused much attention on business owners, business rescue practitioners and creditors (Lusinga & Fairhurst, 2020).
Employees can best be described as an organisation’s most valuable assets (Juan, Yao, Binti, Tamyez & Ozavize, 2019). Such assets should not be overlooked as they remain an important stakeholder in the business rescue process (Lusinga & Fairhurst, 2020).
The research study set out to provide a platform for a crucial stakeholder of the business rescue process namely, the employees, to share their voice their experience and perceptions of the business rescue process in addition to exploring their commitment levels during business rescue. The research study involved a qualitative research design, whereby 17 semi-structured and open-ended interviews were conducted with employees of SME businesses undertaking business rescue within Gauteng, South Africa. The research study employed purposive and snowball sampling methods.
The research findings established that employee’s commitment levels were influenced during business rescue. The findings suggested that more employee’s described increased commitment levels during a time of distress, followed by those fewer employees who mentioned decreased commitment levels. The research established that employee commitment levels are largely influenced by personal, interpersonal and organisational factors, such as remuneration, understanding of the business rescue process and duration of service.Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2020.
pt2021
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MBA
Unrestricted
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Sarosa, Samiaji. "The information technology adoption process within Indonesian small and medium enterprises." University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Information Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2100/427.
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This thesis examines the adoption process of Information Technology (IT)-based solutions within small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia, in the furniture and handicraft industries. As the Indonesian SMEs grew in size, they faced new problems in managing their businesses. They have tried to use IT to support their business and resolve some of these problems. Yet in their efforts to adopt IT, they often faced new problems by introducing new technology into the organisation. The thesis examines the experiences of 35 Indonesian SMEs when they adopted IT. We investigated what factors were influencing IT adoption; the process of IT adoption which covers decision making, implementation or deployment and evaluation; and how SMEs cope with and recover from failure. The participants’ experiences were compared to what has been reported in the existing literature. Analysis of the relevant research literature revealed some unexplored issues concerning IT adoption within SMEs. Most of the published research has been conducted in developed countries, with little in developing or less developed countries. From those few, only one was conducted in Indonesia and it was about IT diffusion. The focus of previous studies was mainly to explore factors influencing IT adoption and they mostly utilised survey techniques to elicit the factors. The scant literature suggests that exploring IT adoption can be approached from three different perspectives: individualist, structuralist, and interactive process. This thesis uses the interactive process approach to explore how well those factors that have been well documented in the literature actually work in Indonesian SMEs’ IT adoption. As a result of our exploration, we formulated a model of an interactive process view of IT adoption within Indonesian SMEs. A qualitative approach was used to answer research questions and explore the participants’ experiences in depth. In this thesis, we used in-depth interviews to explore participants’ experiences. These interviews enabled us to draw out not only IT adoption processes but also successes and failures in IT adoption. Semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection tool. They provided guidance so the interviews stayed well within the focus of the thesis, yet provided room to explore new and relevant issues that emerged during the interview process. Content analysis of the interview transcripts was used to extract answers given during the semi-structured interviews and to identify new themes that emerged from the data. The analysis resulted in important findings. First, it confirms some factors found in the literature as actually influencing IT adoption in Indonesian SMEs. Despite some similarities, we found some differences such as government role and competitors’ influence on IT adoption. The other findings are concerned with the failures faced by some of the participants. We then explore the differences between failed and successful participants, and how Indonesian SMEs cope with and recover from failed IT deployment. Finally, we revised the initial model of the interactive process of IT adoption. The extended model captures new insights into success and failure of IT adoption, and could provide a better understanding of IT adoption within Indonesian SMEs. The interaction between different factors in the IT adoption shows how those factors influence each other and how different stakeholders could manage their own interests related to IT adoption. The improved model could be used to guide Indonesian SME managers to manage their adoption of IT more effectively.
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Leith, Andrew Roydon. "Competitiveness of Australian small to medium enterprises in Indonesia /." View thesis View thesis, 2000. http://library.uws.edu.au/adt-NUWS/public/adt-NUWS20030429.163902/index.html.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, 2000.A thesis submitted as part of the candidature requirement for the award of a Doctorate of Philosophy, November 2000, University of Western Sydney. Bibliography : leaves 204-215.
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Wadzwanya, Faith Chivimbiso. "Managing small and medium enterprises using project management principles." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2652.
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Thesis (MTech (Business Administration (Entrepreneurship)))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017.Although SMEs are aware of project management, it seems that a vast majority of firms are not actually well-informed about what project management is, and therefore, might not even be adhering to project management principles. Hence, the main objective of this study was to determine the extent to which SMEs (involved in construction, events and information technology and located in the Cape Metropolitan area in South Africa) apply project management principles. This study used a mixed method approach (both qualitative and quantitative) and various relevant instruments to collect and analyse data. A total of 223 questionnaires were administered to employees working in conjunction with a project management department, and five face-to-face interviews were conducted with owner-managers of selected SMEs. The statistical package for social science (SPSS) was used to analyse the quantitative data with results presented in a tabulated format; content analysis was used to transcribe qualitative data and categorise this data into themes. The study found that the project management sector is still predominately male-dominated, and project teams are not selected on the basis of experience. Furthermore, those who lack experiences are not trained. The nature of work done, company understaffing, time and financial constraints and poor team dynamics were all cited as factors affecting the application of project management principles within SMEs. Several recommendations emerged from the findings. First, it was recommended that women be empowered as active participants in project management, thereby reducing the evident gender imbalance; training and development should regularly be conducted to fully equip employees with vital skills and competencies. This will more strongly ensure that clients are satisfied with quality outcome and thereby establish a good reputation for SMEs. Project managers should create contingency plans for potential challenges. Additionally, the project manager should ensure that by virtue of the company being understaffed, specific roles and responsibilities of individuals should be clearly delineated, clearly communicated and clearly understood. Alternatively, the company may employ more personnel for particular projects, or independent contractors could be hired to assist. Moreover, time constraints can be eradicated by establishing timelines through the Gantt chart and measuring milestones. Finance and other resources should be allocated economically with and ongoing budget-cost analysis for monitoring expenditure. It was also deemed advisable that project managers send their teams for wellness training to avoid negative team dynamics, and as for labour unrest, senior managers should engage proactively with unions and delegates.
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McGlashan, Asha. "Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Obtaining Public Procurement Contract Awards." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5573.
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The dominance of federal and state contracts by large enterprises reduces the share of contracts small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) business leaders obtain. As of the last census reading in 2016, SMEs received only 23% of contracts. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies of 3 small business leaders, operating in south Florida, for obtaining state contracts through public procurement. The thematic findings were in the context of the principal-agent theory as the conceptual framework. The participants answered 10 questions in semistructured interviews and provided organizational procurement documents for review. The methodological triangulation of multiple data sources and data analysis led to the identification of 3 primary themes: business performance, overcoming barriers, and strategic initiatives. Enabling proper business performance protocols for revenue, company reputation, pricing, and compliance benefitted the 3 participants as a strategy for successfully winning state contracts. The participants first identified the barriers they experienced, which included access, bargaining power, funding, and labels. The barriers encountered by the participants became less overwhelming with the implementation of strategic initiatives based on knowledge, relationship building, skilled personnel, and taking action. Findings included the importance of SME business leaders and personnel educating themselves on the public procurement process and building relationships with individuals in the various agencies. Application of the findings may lead to a social change of higher small business employment rates, increased revenue, and improved innovation for business leaders.
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Yeung, Ka-wing Ricky, and 楊家榮. "IT implementation in small and medium manufacturing enterprises." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1997. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31268432.
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Keen, Henon Christian. "The internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises from Argentina." Thesis, McGill University, 2010. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:8881/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=92263.
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Leith, Andrew R., of Western Sydney Hawkesbury University, and Faculty of Management. "Competitiveness of Australian small to medium enterprises in Indonesia." THESIS_FMAN_XXX_Leith_A.xml, 2000. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/512.
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The purpose of this research is to determine whether Indonesian business practices and culture inhibit the competitiveness of Australian small to medium enterprises in Indonesia. Prior to the current economic demise of the Indonesian economy, Australia's trade relations with its closest Asian neighbour were not as significant as trade with countries far removed from Australia's shores. Previous research has identified that cultural problems and inadequate communication contribute towards the lack of competitiveness of international small to medium enterprises.However there has been no rigorous and comprehensive research specially related to Australian entrepreneurs and the problems they encounter in Indonesia.Several key themes emerged from this study which indicated that thorough planning and market research are more important than a comprehensive understanding of business practices and culture. What the research brings to extant literature is a rigorous and methodological analysis of Indonesian business practices from an Australian entrepreneur's perspective. This provides a structured link between the parent disciple of cross cultural communications, the plethora of information on Asian business practices, and the reality of Australian small to medium enterprises attempting to enter the Indonesian marketDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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Bent, Peter. "The roles of legitimacy in the internationalisation of small to medium high-technology firms /." [St. Lucia, Qld.], 2003. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe17928.pdf.
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Navamarat, Pantiva. "Strategies to Decrease Business Failure in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5756.
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In Southeast Asia, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) fail each year; in 2010, SME failure rate exceeded 50%. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that some SME business leaders use to decrease the failure rate of SMEs in Southeast Asia. The target population consisted of 5 SME business leaders in Southeast Asia who demonstrated success in using strategies to decrease the failure rate of SMEs. The conceptual framework for this study was the Ulrich model, which supports the notion that a human resource manager needs to be involved in overall organizational decision making as a strategic partner, administrative assistant, employee champion, and a change agent for business continuity and sustainability. Data collection sources included semistructured interviews and analysis of company documents. Using Yin's 5-step data analysis approach resulted in 3 themes: governance, marketing and branding, and integration of information technology. The governance theme included employee engagement and leadership strategies, which could help business leaders to create an agile work environment and work commitment to decrease business failure. The marketing and branding theme included social media and networking strategies that could promote the brand and enhance company image. The implication for social change is that business continuation could lead to economic development, employment opportunities, and tax revenue for local governments, leading to an improved standard of living and overall prosperity of local communities.
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McElroy, Rachelle, Itzel Orozco, and Renee Simard. "Applying Strategic Sustainability : For Small and Medium Sized Enterprises." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Avdelningen för maskinteknik, 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-3015.
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Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are an underutilised sector to disseminating sustainability within communities. Entrepreneurs are action-oriented individuals who enjoy challenges and act upon environmental feedback, making them ideal change agents. However, there is a lack of tools specifically targeted towards SMEs to help them act strategically towards sustainability. In order to support entrepreneurs and motivate them into becoming catalysts for change towards sustainability the research team identified the need to provide them with a customized tool. The tool will be focused towards entrepreneurs interested in starting up new businesses with a core strategy of sustainable development. If the entrepreneur is able to apply sustainability at the beginning of their business venture, it reduces the need for later corrections. The research examines what is needed in a tool to support entrepreneurs and how to encourage them through the conception of adopting sustainable strategies.Renee Simard #1066 Amphion St., Victoria, BC V8S 4G3 Rachelle McElroy 637 Cowper St. Victoria, BC V9A 2E8 Itzel Orozco 1138 E 22nd Ave Eugene OR 97403 United States
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Eybers, Carey. "Copreneurships in South African small and medium-sized family business." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1207.
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Taking cognisance of the increasingly important role that copreneurial businesses play in national economies, the unique challenges that they face, and the lack of research attention given to such spousal teams, the purpose of this study was to contribute to the more effective functioning of copreneurships in South Africa by identifying the factors that impact on their success. Consequently, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the factors that influence the Perceived success of copreneurships in South Africa, as well as the conditions required for the effective and harmonious functioning of such spousal partnerships. This study seeks to incorporate previous findings and studies on team effectiveness and spousal relationships into a comprehensive conceptual model. After conducting a comprehensive literature study, as well as examining the different teamwork models proposed and the study by Farrington (2009), it became clear that successful teams have validated their proficiency with regard to two types of factors, namely, relational-based and organisational-based factors. Within these two categories of factors, 14 independent variables were identified and hypothesised to influence the measures of effectiveness of copreneurships, namely the dependent variable Perceived success; and the intervening variable Financial performance. All of the factors in this study were clearly defined and operationalised. Reliable and valid items sourced from Farrington’s (2009) measuring instrument, as well as several measuring instruments used in other studies, were used in the operationalisation of these factors. In addition, several items were self-generated from secondary sources. Respondents were identified using the convenience snowball sampling technique, and a structured questionnaire was made available to them. The data gathered from the 380 usable questionnaires was subjected to various statistical analyses. The validity and reliability of the measuring instrument was confirmed by means of an exploratory factor analysis, and Cronbach-alpha coefficients were calculated for this purpose. The original intervening variable Financial performance could not be confirmed as originally intended in the conceptual model. Instead, Financial performance split into v two separate variables which were named Financial performance and Growth performance. The original dependent variable Perceived success was confirmed by the factor analyses. The relational- and organisational-based factors could not be confirmed as originally intended in the conceptual model. Instead, seven new relational- and seven new organisational-based factors emerged, and where necessary these factors were renamed. The primary statistical procedure used to test the significance of the relationships hypothesised between the independent and dependent variables in this study, was Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Owing to the sample-size restrictions, the conceptual model could not be subjected to SEM as a whole. Instead, seven submodels were identified and subjected to further analysis. The following independent variables were identified as influencing the dependent and intervening variables in this study: • Spousal relationship • Commitment to spouse • Equal status • Commitment to the business • Emotional attachment • Non-family involvement • Personal needs alignment • Leadership • Competencies • Internal context In order to investigate the influence of the various demographic variables on the intervening and dependent variables, an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Multiple Linear Regression analysis and t-tests were performed. How leadership occurs in a copreneurial business, the tenure of the business, the location of the business, the status of the copreneurship, the level of spousal involvement in the business and the vi number of employees were found to have an influence on the intervening and dependent variables of this study. By empirically investigating copreneurships, this study has added to the limited amount of family business literature on these complex partnerships. By way of the conceptual models developed in this study a significant contribution has been made towards understanding the factors influencing the success of copreneurships. As a result, this study presents recommendations and suggestions to assist couples in managing their copreneurships in such a way as to nurture their marriage relationships and at the same time enhance the performance of their businesses.
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Jaroudi, Hicham. "Strategies for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Geoeconomic Crisis." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4637.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lebanon are at risk of failure because of the geoeconomic crisis. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that successful leaders of SMEs use to sustain their businesses during tenuous economic conditions. The target population for the research comprised 6 business leaders of SMEs in Beirut, Lebanon: 3 in the civil security field and 3 in the facilities management field. Kotter's change model theory provided the conceptual framework for this research. Data were gathered from company documents and interviews with SMEs leaders in Beirut. Data were analyzed using Yin's data analysis method, which included compiling the data, disassembling the data, reassembling the data, interpreting the meaning of the data, and concluding the data. Member checking and methodological triangulation were used to add consistency and rigor to the findings. Four themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) leaders of SMEs embedded change management in their organizations to sustain their businesses, (b) leaders of SMEs increased awareness in their organizations, (c) leaders of SMEs succeeded in creating solid organizational and financial structures to ensure a sustainable cash flow, and (d) leaders of SMEs formed niche markets to grow. Leaders of SMEs achieved their strategies by (a) establishing a sense of urgency, (b) forming a powerful guiding coalition by creating awareness in leaders' organizations, (c) empowering others to communicate both organizational and financial visions, and (d) generating short-term wins. The implications for positive social change include the potential to reduce unemployment rates and create new job opportunities by sustaining businesses of SMEs during tenuous economic conditions.
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Fletcher, Margaret. "Internationalising small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) a learning approach." Thesis, Connect to e-thesis, 2007. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/984/.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 2007.Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Department of Management, University of Glasgow, 2007. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.
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Makumbila, Louis Boy. "Supplier development for competitive advantage in manufacturing small medium enterprises." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18102.
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Competitive advantage is crucial for a business to be sustainable, yet many small- and medium-sized enterprises are not engaging in supplier development in order to achieve a competitive advantage. This empirical study was conducted on a sample of 64 small- and medium-sized enterprises in the manufacturing industry in Kempton Park, Gauteng. The factors that influence engagement in supplier development were analysed to assess whether supplier development can lead to competitive advantage and other benefits. The findings indicate that supplier development can create and improve competitive advantage, as well as lead to other benefits. Four factors were found to have a relationship with supplier development, and therefore could influence the decision to take part in supplier development. Small- and medium-sized enterprises can use tools such as supplier development in order to be competitive and have an advantage over their competitors. The awareness of operational performance measures, competitive advantage, judgment of the absence or existence of trust, and a buyer’s relative power can all influence participation in supplier development.
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Newlands, David J. "Developing supply chain methodologies for small to medium sized enterprises." Thesis, Coventry University, 2001. http://curve.coventry.ac.uk/open/items/21c6a124-706a-d58b-a106-7e6db420b4c7/1.
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This thesis summarises research focused on the requisites required to implement improvement initiatives successfully. Processes used to enhance supply chain performance initiatives are examined. The core hypothesis is that a preconditioning programme provides support for progressive organisations, irrespective of size or position in the supply chain. An interpretation matrix developed as a result of action research with M E Ltd was tested with NP Ltd and its suppliers. During search conferences the matrix was found to add value by serving as a common platform to record then compare observations and agree a common understanding between participants. Based on qualitative descriptions of training and learning in organisations from the 1950s to the 1970s, Barrington's model has three levels: 'systematic approach' predominating in the 1950s, 'appraisal approach' developed extensively in the 1960s and an 'attitude to continuous improvement' that was promoted after the 1970s fuel crises. This model was used as the basis for selecting collaborating establishments. The literature review concludes that conventional supplier development has the attributes of the systematic approach, which is considered the least effective level. M E Ltd was considering introducing appraisal, had few attributes of the systematic approach, and had an attitude for continuous improvement. A company specific survey was undertaken that led to a series of remedial actions which were identified as a preconditioning programme prior to supplier development. NP Ltd selected leaders by attitude, had institutionalised appraisals and once the core group was established, trained employees with systematic techniques. AAP Ltd had the attitude and systematic techniques, yet did not have appraisal systems. Principal conclusions of this are: · These case studies suggest companies can have any two of Barrington's levels. As a result, an alternate depiction of Barrington’s model is suggested. · The cases indicate that preconditioning can occur within a company, from customer to suppliers and from suppliers to customer. · The cases suggest product development roadmap stability as a root cause for negative effects to the relationship between customer and supplier.
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Newby, Rick. "Examining the goals of small and medium enterprise owner-operations." University of Western Australia. School of Economics and Commerce, 2006. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2007.0021.
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[Truncated abstract] The focus of this thesis is to investigate the meaning and measurement of business success for owner-operators of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Taking a first step towards a greater understanding of SME performance, the study develops an instrument specifically designed to measure the business goals and objectives of SME owners. This development is based on a combination of a: literature search; quantitative analysis of a secondary data set of the goals and expectations of Australian retailers; qualitative (focus group) study of West Australian SME principals; and quantitative (mail survey) study of West Australian SME principals. Both these primary data studies used SME principals from a wide variety of industries . . . Tests of the power of the SOS to account for differences in economic performance revealed that the SOS significantly increased understanding of variations in owner returns and profitability and had a limited capacity to explain differences in revenue growth and staff revenue productivity. SOS satisfaction was found to describe differences in owner-operators’ perceptions of business success significantly better than objective measures of economic return. It is expected that such knowledge will help subsequent research develop an understanding of how SME onwer-operators modify their expectations of economic return for the utility they gain from their working life.
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Gudfinnsson, Kristens. "Exploring Business Intelligence Commitment and Maturity in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises." Thesis, Högskolan i Skövde, Institutionen för kommunikation och information, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-5325.
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Implementing Business Intelligence solutions has fundamentally changed how many large organizations conduct their business. This is well understood in the scholarly literature but the adoption of BI within small or medium sized enterprises has, on the other hand, received little attention. Given the importance of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the economy, the scarcity of research in this area can be viewed as a problem. Thus, the aim of this work is to explore the BI-commitment in smaller-sized organizations and investigate how far they have proceeded in putting business analytics in action. In order to shed light on BI-implementation in the context of smaller organizations, in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives of four organizations within the Skaraborg district of Sweden. The initial objective of the research project was to explore several focal areas in order to establish the current state-of-practice. This provided the groundwork for further investigation on how SMEs approach BI. Further work involved the use of two theoretical frameworks to analyze organizational commitment and analytical maturity within the focal areas. The main findings in this work are that the organizational commitment to implement BI infrastructure is high among participating companies, but the use of analytics is nevertheless limited to few specific areas. The high ambition of managers to implement BI infrastructure can be the key to further develop the use of business analytics. This work adds valuable insights for various stakeholders within the community and to others that want to have an idea of the current status of BI within SMEs in Sweden.
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Tabot, Enow Samuel. "The working-capital management practices of small medium and micro enterprises in the Cape Metropole." Thesis, Cape Peninisula University of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2064.
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Thesis (MTech (Cost and Management Accounting))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.The broad aim of this research was to investigate the working-capital management practices of Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in the Cape Metropole. The study was motivated by a lack of research on the workingcapital management practices of SMMEs. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire that comprised closed-ended questions. The findings of the study indicate that most SMMEs manage their cash effectively; however only a minority hold cash for speculative purpose, invest their surplus cash profitably and use computers to manage cash. By contrast, only a minority of the SMMEs sell on credit. Of those that do, only a minority review their credit criteria annually, send reminders to debtors, charge interest for delayed payment, send prompt statements and use computers to manage their receivables. Likewise, only a minority of the SMMEs purchase on credit. Of those that do, a majority pay promptly to take advantage of discounts and thus only a minority settle their accounts on the last date allowed. Interestingly, most of the SMMEs that purchase on credit use computers to manage their payables. Only a minority of the SMMEs perceive a lack of skills, resources, personnel and time as factors that inhibit them from managing their workingcapital effectively. The findings of this study provide invaluable insights on the weaknesses in the working-capital management practices of SMMEs, which could be used to inform future endeavours of the Government when establishing interventions meant to improve the survival rates of these entities. The findings may also assist SMMEs to gauge and review their working management practices, particularly their receivables and payables, with a view to optimising the benefits derived from these components of working-capital.
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Celanzi, Carla. "The perception of corruption of small and medium size enterprises in China and Italy." Thesis, View the Table of Contents & Abstract, 2007. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B36996506.
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Blake, Hugh Anthony. "Strategies to Sustain Small and Medium-size Manufacturing Enterprises in Jamaica." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6172.
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Jamaica's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a high failure rate. In 2016, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) recorded Jamaica's SME start-up rate at 4.06% and the discontinuance rate at 9%. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive multiple case study was to explore the strategies some Jamaican SME owners used to achieve business sustainability in the manufacturing sector for longer than 5 years of operation. The conceptual framework used was the entrepreneurship theory, which provided insights into business sustainability. A purposive sample of 5 owners of SMEs who had achieved business sustainability in the manufacturing sector for longer than 5 years of operation were the participants in this study. Semistructured interviews of participants and review of company documents produced in-depth insights into the strategies they used to achieve business sustainability. Coding keywords, sentences, and ideas from the interviews and company documents and categorizing them was the approach taken for data analysis, using methodological triangulation. The themes from the study were entrepreneurial characteristics, competitive advantages, resource management, customer relationship management, quality management, and marketing. Implications for social change include the potential to provide strategies that support SMEs' business sustainability and lead to greater job creation and ultimately the Jamaican government's ability to fund social projects.
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Kanguru, Rutendo Melody. "Inventory management practices of small, medium and micro enterprises in the Cape Metropole, South Africa." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2431.
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Thesis (MTech (Cost and Management Accounting))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa are perceived to be failing partly due to ineffective management practices. Using a questionnaire survey, this study sought to determine the inventory-management practices of SMMEs operating in the Cape Metropole, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the inventory-management practices currently used by these entities. In addition, the study sought to determine the challenges, if any, that are experienced by SMMEs from the inventory-management practices currently used. This study was motivated by a dearth of research on inventory-management practices of SMMEs. The findings of the study revealed that most of the SMMEs used ‘Rule of Thumb’ as an inventory-management practice. Regarding the effectiveness of the practices used, the study revealed that the SMMEs investigated were perceived to be moderately effective, with SMMEs practising good inventory management techniques such as warehousing, stocktaking, budgeting, good ordering habits and segregation of warehouse duties. In relation to the challenges faced by SMMEs from the inventory-management practices currently used, the findings suggested that theft, shortage of inventory, errors due to incompetent staff, physical inventory not matching up with records and an inability to keep up with the demand of the customers were some of the main challenges faced. This study contributes to the literature on inventory-management practices of SMMEs and fills the gap of knowledge in this neglected area of research. The findings of this study are of significance to the decision-makers of SMEs as they will be enlightened on the best practices and different inventory-management practices that are vital for their businesses’ survival and that have been adopted by their competitors. This should enable them to evaluate their own inventory-management practices and to decide whether to improve, change or continue with their current practice. The South African Government could also draw on the findings of this research to inform its future intervention strategies meant to improve the survival rates of these entities. This could be in the form of the creation of short courses meant to assist SMMEs to improve their inventory-management practices.
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Boyd, Mary. "E-Business developments with small and medium sized manufacturing enterprises in Ireland." Thesis, University of Ulster, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.554237.
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The aim of this thesis is to examine electronic business developments in manufacturing SMEs in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The lack of studies into the field of e-business and manufacturing SMEs stimulated this piece of research which aims to bridge the knowledge gap that exists in current academic research and literature. The recent economic history of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland shows that whilst the manufacturing industry has played an important role in economic development over the years, it is now facing the same problems as many of the advanced western economies. Consequently the industrial structure of the marketplace is no longer sufficient, particularly for manufacturing SMEs, who have been impacted by enormous changes in their business processes (Raymond and Bergeron, 2008). Difficulties are apparent within the traditional (sunset) manufacturing industries and in part, technological changes have fuelled their continued decline. At the same time, new technology-based, knowledge intensive manufacturing sector (sunrise) firms have emerged. However due to a dearth of research, the diffusion and assimilation of e- business in various manufacturing sectors represents a key area of investigation (Raymond, 2005; Raymond and St. Pierre, 2007). Theoretically this study has been informed by two contrasting schools of thought namely technological determinism and social constructivism, which philosophically underpin both the diffusion and adoption of a technological innovation, in this case e-business developments. Technological determinism provides a broad view of technology diffusion where technology is viewed as the principal root of societal transformation and is a totally independent process beyond all human control (McLuchan, 1970). Social constructivism proffers the alternative view that the development of a technology is a dependent process, involving actors and social groups who engage in strategies to win from the opposition and to shape technology according to their own plan (Brey, 1997) The research employs a sequential mixed methods (survey questionnaire and in-depth interviews) approach. The rationale for this approach is that the quantitative phase provides an exploratory and broad understanding of the research problem, while the qualitative phase refines and explains those statistical results by exploring participants' views in more depth (Creswell, 2003; Rossman and Wilson, 1985; Tashakkori and Teddlie, 1998). The objectives of the study are to: assess the level of adoption and usage of e-business in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; to determine the drivers that influence e-business adoption and the benefits derived from e-business developments; to examine the barriers that influence e-business developments; and to understand the factors that impact upon e-business usage and development in Ireland. The main conclusions drawn from the findings are that within the Irish manufacturing sector, SMEs are adopting and developing e-business at varying degrees. However in the majority of cases e-business adoption is erratic and e-business development remains 11 elementary. It is also the case that the full benefits of e-business are not being realised in the majority of firms. Competitive rivalry is dictating the manufacturing firms' strategic approach to e-business adoption and development and ironically one of the most significant barriers recognised by firms to e-enablement is lack of government support. Contrary to the technologically deterministic school of thought which suggests that e- business is adopted sequentially over time, the findings in this study indicate that within manufacturing SMEs the adoption process is a haphazard affair and takes a diverse, contingent and social route, which concurs with the philosophy of social constructivism. In light of the current study it is evident that a firm's environmental, strategic, managerial, operational and technological context are deemed to influence a manufacturing SME's assimilation of electronic business activities. Several practical recommendations are made to assist manufacturing SMEs in developing their use of JCTs. The research also adds to the knowledge base by making several theoretical contributions that serve to confirm, extend and disconfirm previous knowledge in the wider areas of e-business, manufacturing and SME literature. Future research in this area could be extended to other regions and other sectors. It could perhaps attempt to bridge the theory-practice gap by conducting a three strand study involving government, practitioners and academics. Longitudinal and multiple case studies research approaches could also expand on the current study.
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Ahmed, Saleh. "Strategies to Access Business Loans for Small and Medium Enterprises in Jordan." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7907.
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Business financing is crucial to the development and performance of small and medium enterprises (SME) in developing countries. Obtaining loans by SMEs in Jordan is vital for creating employment, reducing poverty ratio, and augmenting SMEs growth. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to discover strategies SME owners use to access credit. The population comprised of 3 SME owners in Jordan who successfully accessed credit. The conceptual frameworks for this study were the social capital theory and the pecking order theory. Data were gathered using semistructured interviews and companies' archived records. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis; three themes emerged to include sources of finance, education and skills, and social networking. The implications for positive social change include the potential to help SME leaders develop strategies to stabilize and grow their businesses. Business growth can create jobs and decrease poverty in Jordan.
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van, Buuren Rudolph B. "BUSINESS INTEGRATION AS BASIS FOR GROWTH IN SMALL AND MEDIUM AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES." Journal for New Generation Sciences, Vol 6, Issue 2: Central University of Technology, Free State, Bloemfontein, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11462/506.
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Published ArticleIncreased diversity in the agricultural sector in South Africa is forcing farmers to focus on the production of value-added commodities in the face of mounting global competitive pressures. However, many farmers, by operating individually, are unable to expand operations to the scale necessary to become involved in value-adding processing. This requires too much capital, skills, and time. By pooling resources and forming integrated small and medium sized agricultural enterprises even small producers can enter the processing arena successfully. This paper focuses on the specific driving forces, pitfalls and strategies that agricultural SMEs need to pursue in order to survive.
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Kazanis, Phillip, University of Western Sydney, of Science Technology and Environment College, and School of Computing and Information Technology. "Methodologies and tools for etransforming small- to medium-size enterprises." THESIS_CSTE_CIT_Kazanis_P.xml, 2004. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/543.
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The 21st century is an age of conducting business electronically. The benefits of dealing electronically with customers, suppliers, government and others is a fact that will continue the push towards further use of digital technology. This research work aims to address the following research question. How can a small to medium size enterprise (SME)etransform to be competitive in a globalised, rapidly changing, digital world? There are two components to this question; firstly the nature of competitiveness in a globalised environment, and secondly, the issue of how an orgaisation can etransform.The background material investigated at the initiation of this work can be broadly categorised into two types (1)theoretical possibilities; proposing 'potential' uses of internet technologies and (2)case studies reporting on existing ebusinesses. A detailed literature review of eBusiness was conducted to discover what made these organisations different from a traditional business. The next phase in this research work involved development of the eTransformation Roadmap, a tool that served two purposes. Firstly, to measure the current Information Technology sophistication of a business. Secondly, to show the steps that an organisation can take to become an eBusiness. The Roadmap was also used to analyse data collected from a survey of Western Sydney businesses. Overall, this research has provided a holistic view of how an organisation can transform itself to compete in a rapidly changing, digital world.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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Kazanis, Phillip. "Methodologies and tools for etransforming small- to medium-size enterprises." View thesis, 2004. http://library.uws.edu.au/adt-NUWS/public/adt-NUWS20050804.095044/index.html.
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Babalola, Oluwanifesimi Omolade. "Development finance in small and medium enterprises in Matjhabeng Municipality." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020215.
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It has been generally accepted within the developed and developing countries of the world that SMES contributes significantly to employment creation as the world population increases and that it also contributes to the economic growth of the areas they are situated in. Finance is the blood (life) of any business, for a business to be successful it needs steady successful access to funds and post financial support which leads to actualization of ideas, leads to investment and expansion, improves access to market amongst others. This is why the impact of development finance can never be over emphasized. The aims of the study are: To understand the extent to which small and medium businesses are supported through the availability of financial assistance in Matjabeng Municipality. To establish the survival rates of businesses that has been funded and or supported and whether they are or not sustainable. In achieving the aims and objectives of the research, the researcher looked at development funds both from the supply side and the demand side. The supply side which involved semi structured interviews with consultants of government parastatals (the FDC and DETEA) who are involved in financing Small Medium Enterprises in Matjhabeng municipality. The demand side involved administering of questionnaires to Entrepreneurs in the municipality who are registered with the Local Economic Department (LED), which led to the acceptance of the hypothesis of the research that development finance actually helps in the growth of small medium enterprises but in conjunction with post financial support such as bookkeeping, accounting, monitoring and evaluation. The researcher also discovered some findings amongst others which includes: The most effective ways entrepreneurs heard about funding in the municipality are through the media and word of mouth. Most of the entrepreneurs that received some type of funding are startups. More entrepreneurs that had access to funds also got some post financial business support. Financial assistance to entrepreneurs yielded improvements after respondents received financial assistance, the range of goods offered was improved and more jobs were created, entrepreneurs were able to obtain better business premises either by renting or buying and entrepreneurs had access to better equipment. Some of the recommendations of this study includes; The municipal government should help small and medium enterprises in the municipality by linking them to new markets. Effective monitoring and evaluation systems should be put in place by development funders and non-financial support services. Entrepreneurial skills development should be provided by the public and private agencies by organizing workshops for aspiring entrepreneurs in order to expose them to business opportunities that are sustainable and viable.
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Le, Roux Jacobus Petrus. "The influence of strategic management on successful small & medium businesses in the South African context." Thesis, Cape Technikon, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1021.
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Thesis (MTech(Business Administration))--Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 1998The importance of small and medium businesses, (SMB's), and specifically the important role that they perfonn in a country's national economy, have long been realized. In South Africa, the emphasis being placed on promoting small businesses in the government's GEAR strategy is an indication of how important small and medium businesses are regarded, even at national government level. Statistical evidence underlining the valuable contribution ofSME's is frequently quoted in the literature. The following statistics are an indication of the contribution of SME's to the South African economy: • in 1991 there were approximately 800 000 formal businesses in South Africa of which approximately 700 000 or 85% could be classified as 5MB's; • their estimated contribution to the GDP at that stage was in the region of30%; • in 1991 SME's employed more than 2.4 million people (2.7 million people in 1994) which represented about 17% ofthe economically active population of 14.3 million at that stage; • "informal" Small Enterprises in 1991 was thought to be employing about 4.4 million additional people. If the high rate of insolvency's amongst SME's, relative to larger businesses in the economy are to be taken as a guideline, it is clear that the financial risks involved in managing, owning and/or investing in a small to medium sized business are relatively high. With the above being a stated filct, the question was asked as to what can be done to make this important sector ofthe economy more effective. A great deal ofresearch was done in the past as to what actually causes 5MB's to go bankrupt. Problem factors ranging from a lack of funding, high interest rates, hostile labour relations and inflation to unsupportive governments were named in various studies as primary reasons for the failure of these businesses. Previous research has also found that the use ofstrategic management as a management tool in smaller businesses, such as 5MB's, is being neglected by the managers/owners ofSME's.
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Gebramicheal, Zelalem Berhanu, and Tsegahiwot Teketel Habtegiorgis. "Internal Control in Swedish Small and Medium Size Enterprises." Thesis, Umeå University, Umeå School of Business, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-35030.
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Small and medium size enterprises are currently the major part of economic activities through out the world. Nowadays, they represent about 99% of all types of enterprises in Sweden, with providing high job opportunities to its labour force as these enterprises need focus in their development; the internal control mechanism is a means and a way of directing, monitoring and measuring the SMEs resources. It plays an important role in preventing and detecting fraud and protecting the physical and intangible resources as well as leading to high efficiency of the business operation. one since it contributes a lot for the majority of business enterprise involved in SMEs.
This study examines and describes the effectiveness of internal control systems in Swedish small and medium size enterprises. The study focuses on the main five components of internal control and their impact on achieving the company’s objectives. In so doing, the study creates a better understanding of effective internal control that may be applicable to the context of SMEs and establish theoretically the features of an effective internal control for sampled SMEs. To achieve this objective we formulate one research question: system of SMEs comply with the principles of effective internal control? into how closely SMEs follow the virtues of effective internal control in their business operation.
Applying an inductive approach in qualitative interview, the study found out that, contrary to what is generally suggested, SMEs are aware of the importance of having a good internal control system. The findings of the research enabled the emergence of a theory grounded in the collected data. Indeed, the major features of an effective internal control system applicable for SMEs are found to be control activities, effective information and communication system, effective monitoring and evaluation system framework.
Key words: SMEs, internal control, control environment, risk management, control activities, information and communication, monitoring and evaluation
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Cakmak, Aslihan. "Internationalization Strategies of Service Sector Small and Medium Enterprises in Turkey." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4717.
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Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have a significant role in most emerging and developing economies. To increase the probability of survival of their SMEs and achieve sustainable growth, some SME leaders expand their business operations beyond national borders by implementing internationalization strategies. Internationalization is crucial to SME survival. The conceptual framework of this study consisted of a multitheory model including stage model, network theory, and new venture theory. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies that Turkish information communication technology (ICT) SME leaders used to internationalize their business operations. Ten SME leaders, who led a variety of high-tech service SMEs operating in the ICT service sector in Turkey, served as participants for this study. The company documents, reports, and government documents were used to triangulate the interview data. Yin's 5-step method to data analysis resulted in the development of 5 themes: Turkish SME leaders have an active role in internationalization, geographical distance and culture are the 2 main factors of consideration when developing internationalization strategies, managerial attitude supports internationalization, Turkish SME leaders choose low commitment entry methods when entering foreign markets, and relationships is the main source the SME leaders rely on when internationalizing. The findings of this study may help SME leaders to implement successful internationalization strategies to their business operations and achieve sustainable growth of their SMEs, which may contribute to social change by improving both local and host country economies and the well-being of their citizens.
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Great, Humphrey Edereka. "Small and Medium Enterprises' Profitability Elements in Green Energy Transactions." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1781.
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As the primary drivers of Nigeria's economy, small and medium scale enterprise (SME) leaders rely on standby generators for sustainable business operation. Because of this reliance, over 56% of the SMEs operate far below capacity from the effects of power shortages. Guided by the strategic contingency theory, this study explored the profitability strategies of business leaders faced with electricity disruptions within Abuja Federal Capital Territory while adopting corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green practices. Data collection was through face-to-face semistructured interviews using open-ended questions. Participants consisted of 12 business leaders selected from 4 SME categories within Abuja that have imbibed CSR and green practices successfully or were in the process of doing so. The data analysis process involved labeling and coding all data that arose from participant interviews using the modified van Kaam method to identify dominant themes. Data coding and analysis led to the identification of 12 predominant meta-themes, including innovativeness for sustainable green business, strategy challenges and how they were addressed, and the power disruption impact on the effectiveness of CSR and organizational profitability. Findings from this study might contribute to new knowledge and success insights for SME business leaders faced with power shortages, CSR shortages, and losses in Abuja. Social change might result as SME business leaders embrace CSR practices with new environmentally friendly tenets, make sustainable profits, employ more people, and dedicate part of the profits to social services to benefit citizens of Abuja and Nigeria.
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Chipika, Stephen. "Networking and technological learning : small and medium scale manufacturing enterprises in Zimbabwe." Thesis, n.p, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/.
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Bekale, Be Ndong Gael. "Business strategy and organizational sustainability of selected enterprises in Libreville, Gabon." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2998.
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Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of insufficient business planning and good management of SMEs in Gabon have on SMEs’ to survive and grow. Thus, the study examined the relationship between business strategies and SMEs’ organisational sustainability in Libreville (Gabon).The study was a descriptive one which made use of positivist philosophy and adopted quantitative approach. As such a questionnaire which was designed from themes extracted from literature survey was used to gather data from a sample of 30 SMEs. The findings indicated that the lack of business strategy encountered in SMEs in Libreville lead partly to the failure or setbacks of the operation of the organisations. Most common reasons of the failure of SMEs were related to the absence of business plan, the lack of leadership, and lack of appropriate management system. The recommendations are to improve the SMEs in terms of good leadership, importance of business plan, management control system; strategic business management, organisation and employees performance. It further revealed that for the purpose of organisational sustainability, business strategies are regarded as critical aspects to consider for avoiding non-conformances while running businesses. The significance of the study is the framework to identify and optimise business strategies in order to promote successfully SMEs. The study shows the interest of owners of SMEs to set up appropriate business strategies.
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Kirkham, Thomas David. "Business data integration framework for small to medium enterprises (BDIFS) : a service-based framework to support eBusiness data interoperability for small to medium enterprises (SMEs)." Thesis, Bangor University, 2007. https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/business-data-integration-framework-for-small-to-medium-enterprises-bdifs--a-servicebased-framework-to-support-ebusiness-data-interoperability-for-small-to-medium-enterprises-smes(41d3b1aa-d2ff-483c-b9c5-162b11e23ac1).html.
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Ekwem, Ijeoma. "Small and medium scale enterprises development in Nigeria : constraints and policy options." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/21647.
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Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2011.This study was undertaken to find out how the SME sector in Nigeria has developed over time and to what extent it has performed its critical role of driving the country’s industrial transformation and development as it has done in other developed countries. This study has explained in detail, the development of SMEs in Nigeria and identified the economic potential of SMEs, their major problems, challenges and constraints, which have hindered them from playing the vital role in the Nigerian economic growth and development as well as made appropriate recommendations for redressing, reducing and/or eliminating them so that they could occupy their pride of place in the Nigerian economy. It also considered the various programmes implemented by various governments, to support and promote SMEs’ growth and development as well as the roles played by the government and the financial institutions towards promoting the development and growth of SMEs in Nigeria. The study employed primary date via questionnaires which were administered to the sampled financial institutions and SMEs’ operators, and the emanating data was analysed using simple percentages, charts and mean ranking. The Chi-square analytical technique was employed and the empirical analysis indicates that there has not been any significant contribution of government support towards developing SMEs, and also that there is a relationship between the sizes of SMEs and their modes of financing. The study determined, among others, that with the exclusion of lack of finance, the major constraints or challenges of SMEs ranked in descending order are inadequate managerial/board expertise, poor infrastructural facilities, inconsistencies in government policies, lack of financial records, multiple taxes and levies, etc. It also determined that lack of finance is a function of multiple problems and that the major sources of credit available for the financing SMEs in Nigeria are personal savings, family/friend support and commercial banks. The study recommended, among others, SME partnership and equity participation by financiers, loan guarantees, interest rate concession, fiscal incentives, and adequate training for SMEs as the factors that will drive the rapid transformations and development of the SME sector in Nigeria.
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Haddad, Monther I. S. "Strategies for Implementing Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6035.
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Inefficient processes for innovation implementation can prevent owners of small and medium-sized enterprises from realizing goals and growth potential. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that managers of small and medium-sized enterprises use to implement innovation in their organizations to improve performance. The population for this study consisted of 5 managers from 4 small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Dubai. The resource-based view theory was the conceptual framework of this study. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and review of companies' documents. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-step process. After transcribing the interviews and coding the resulting transcripts, the key themes that emerged included: the role of the top management in cultivating an innovative culture, the identification of ideas as the starting points for innovation, and the recognition of customers as resources for the company. Managers of small and medium-sized enterprises might benefit from the results of this study by implementing the recommendations and strategies to improve performance. Implications for social change include the potential to create employment opportunities and improve the living conditions of the employees in Dubai through economic growth.
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Chan, Ki-hung. "Implementation of information technology in small and medium retail and wholesale enterprises /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18837086.
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Aladejebi, Olufemi Adepoju. "Strategies for Improving Internal Control in Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4708.
Full textAbstract:
Researchers and practitioners have recognized the need for business leaders to establish effective internal control frameworks. Some small and medium enterprises (SME) leaders lack strategies for improving internal control systems. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies leaders of SMEs in Nigeria use for improving internal control practices. Building on the internal control theory and transactional leadership theory, semistructured face-to-face and phone interviews were conducted with 8 purposively-selected leaders of SMEs in Nigeria who successfully implemented internal control practices. The 5 themes that emerged from the thematic analysis of the interview data were: segregation of duty; adherence to processes, policies, and procedures; staffing, training, and experience; information technology; and staff empowerment and management commitment. The findings from this study indicate that leaders of SMEs in Nigeria use similar strategies to improve internal control practices. All participants used segregation of duty and adherence to processes, policies, and procedures as strategies for improving internal control practices. SME leaders should possess adequate leadership skills for improving internal control systems in their business. The result of this study may contribute to positive social change by providing SME leaders with knowledge on strategies for improving internal control practices which will minimize loss of assets and boost profitability and business sustainability. With increase in business profitability, leaders of SMEs will increase the firms' corporate social responsibility through payment of more taxes, and provision of employment opportunities and social amenities to the local community.
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Mukwasi, Carrington M. "Enterprise resource planning business case considerations : an analysis of Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises in developing countries." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5666.
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Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems because they promise significant benefits. However, the majority of ERP deployments rarely meet user expectations and often do not yield expected benefits. As a result, the failure rate of ERP implementations at SMEs is estimated to be between 40 and 60 percent. This high rate of failure, together with the resultant impact on SMEs and the consequences for national development is a cause for concern. In order to address this concern, this study aims to explore how SMEs develop their business cases, as well as how the benefits, risks and costs of ERP systems are realised in SMEs. Companies need a clear vision and convincing reasons when they adopt ERP systems. The study used the qualitative research method. Cases from South Africa and Zimbabwe were investigated in a cross-sectional study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using elements of thematic data analysis, grounded theory, and a general inductive approach to analysis. The Design Reality Gap Model formed a theoretical base and was used as lens for data collection and analysis.
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Peters, Yvette Julianne. "Exploring Leadership Skills for the Sustainability of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6854.
Full textAbstract:
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute to the stability and growth of economies by creating employment in rural and urban areas. More than 60% of SMEs do not survive for longer than 5 years; a lack of leadership skills is among the key problems. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the leadership skills owners-managers used to sustain their businesses for longer than 5 years. Research participants were 4 owners-managers of SMEs from the manufacturing industry in Trinidad and Tobago that sustained their businesses for at least 5 years. The contingency leadership model and the skill-based leadership model formed the conceptual lens for this study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and direct observations. Data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman's analytical strategies and Morse's cognitive process of coding, pattern matching, interpreting, and summarizing the data. Five themes emerged from the data analysis: leadership skills, leadership values, development of leadership skills, leadership challenges, and improvement in leadership skills. The findings from this study could influence positive social change by providing insights on leadership skills SME leaders could use to sustain their operations for the longer term, resulting in reduced failure of SMEs. A decrease in the failure rate of SMEs might contribute to improved economic conditions, leading to the reduction of poverty in families and communities.