Journal articles on the topic 'Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)'
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Xu, Qikui. "The Impact of COVID-19 on SMEs and Countermeasures." Frontiers in Business, Economics and Management 4, no. 1 (June 13, 2022): 88–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.54097/fbem.v4i1.509.
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The COVID-19 outbreak from Wuhan in 2020 has dealt a major blow to the entire Chinese economy, especially to small and medium-sized enterprises. In this paper, the study found that the influence of new crown outbreak of small and medium-sized enterprises in the return to work and production, costs, capital chain rupture and other practical problems, further to the causes of these problems were studied, finally aiming at the problems of small and medium-sized enterprises under the new crown outbreak was put forward, from the Angle of enterprise itself should accelerate the pace of transformation and upgrading, Make use of digital tools for innovation, improve the operation mechanism of supply chain, improve the anti-risk ability of small and medium-sized enterprises, and introduce managerial and technical talents to optimize enterprise management. From the perspective of government policy, financial support should be strengthened to reduce the financial burden of small and medium-sized enterprises, and national development fund for small and medium-sized enterprises should be established to help small and medium-sized enterprises out of difficulties.
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Kubíčková, L., and A. Peprný. "The internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises in the viticulture." Agricultural Economics (Zemědělská ekonomika) 57, No. 7 (August 1, 2011): 331–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.17221/31/2011-agricecon.
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Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are an important part of the Czech economy, they significantly contribute to the job and GDP creation, they are the source of innovation and technological progress. The paper is focused on the internationalization of SMEs, specifically in the wine sector, which is a specific sector closely linked to the specific area and it is significantly subjected to natural and climatic conditions. The authors focused on the specification of the most important aspects of the internationalization of Czech wine-growing small and medium enterprises based on the research via interviewing 450 SMEs wineries. The authors thus identified the key success factors in the process of internationalization of SMEs in the wine business.
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Jin, Yuhuan, and Sheng Zhang. "Credit Rationing in Small and Micro Enterprises: A Theoretical Analysis." Sustainability 11, no. 5 (March 4, 2019): 1330. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su11051330.
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One of the features of credit markets is that borrowers are sometimes rationed in the amount that they can borrow, which differentiates them from other markets. Small and micro enterprises (SMEs) are more likely to be eliminated than large and medium-sized enterprises under credit rationing. However, SMEs play a significant role in employment creation and growth of gross domestic products in developing countries. So, it is of great significance to study the reasons why SMEs are more vulnerable to credit constraints. By considering the differences in characteristics between SMEs and large and medium-sized enterprises, we established a theoretical model with endogenous enterprise size, and by considering banks’ screening principles before and after the loan approval, we have analyzed the micro-mechanism in which there are significant differences in credit availability between SMEs and large and medium-sized enterprises. Our conclusion indicates that credit rationing in SMEs is the result of the rational choice by banks for the purpose of profit maximization.
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Truong, Chuong Minh. "Small and medium sized enterprises: clustering and owner manager’s typology." Science and Technology Development Journal 18, no. 4 (December 30, 2015): 25–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.32508/stdj.v18i4.967.
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SMEs are established and managed by owner managers. Their personality traits, demographics impact the enterprise’s managerial system and performance. This study aims at clustering the SMEs to find out the clustering structure via these stated above factors, then, defining a set of criteria to recognize the owner managers’ typology and predicting the enterprise performance. Clustering method has been applied to analyze 240 enterprises into 3 clusters differentiating with each other basing on the personality traits, particularly, innovation, demographics, strategic management and organizational functional structure. These factors are encapsulated into a set of criteria for owner manager’ typology definition and prediction of the enterprise performance. Relations among these factors in each cluster were also recognized.
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Hameed, Waseem Ul, Hisham Bin Mohammad, Javed Iqbal, Shazma Razzaq, and Nadeem Maqbool. "Debt Financing Management The Modes of Debt Financing for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SEMs) in Pakistan." iRASD Journal of Management 2, no. 2 (December 31, 2020): 56–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.52131/jom.2020.0202.0016.
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Purpose – The basic purpose of this paper is to analyze the debt financing of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan through different modes from conventional and non-conventional (Islamic) institutes.
Design/Methodology/Approach – Data is publicly available on databases and websites about debt financing of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of Pakistan, thus data is collected from these databases and websites in the form of articles and handbooks about Pakistan.
Findings – It is found from the analysis that a lot of financing choices and modes are available for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. These modes are provided by both conventional and non-conventional (Islamic) financial institutes. All the debt modes are discussed in the paper. In addition, there are some drawbacks of debt financing that arises from conventional and non-conventional (Islamic) financial institutes, which alleviate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from adopting these modes
Research Limitations/Implications – Some financial institutes, especially banks, lack knowledge and information about small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. Banks could lessen it by acting as a mediator for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Originality/Value – This review paper's main contribution is to analyze the contribution of financial institutes in debt financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. Paper discusses all the modes available for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan thoroughly through conventional and non-conventional (Islamic) financial institutes.
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Lavruk, Vitalii Valeriiovych, Svitlana Ivanivna Plotnytska, and Hanna Volodymyrivna Zaporozhets. "RISKS MANAGEMENT IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES." SCIENTIFIC BULLETIN OF POLISSIA, no. 4(16) (2018): 72–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.25140/2410-9576-2018-4(16)-72-79.
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Urgency of the research. SMEs has a significant role in the economic development of most countries of the world and have become engine of economic growth. In Ukraine SMEs account for more than 99% of the total number of enterprises in Ukraine but its share in GDP of the national economy is only 15%. Therefore, the SMEs growth is one of the most challenging problem for Ukraine. Target setting. It is estimated that only half of SMEs are well doing after the first two years’ operation period. The main cause is high risks in the small business sector. So the improvement of SMEs risk management system is one of the most challenging issue for Ukraine. Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. SMEs development has been investigated broadly. The impact of risk on SMEs is tried to evaluate by Hudáková, M., Buganová, K., Dvorský, J., Shuying, Z., Mei, Z. and others. Uninvestigated parts of general matters defining. Issues of the SMEs risks management in the context of globali-zation in emerging economies continues to be actively explored. However, despite the rigorous contribution to this area the problem is not resolved completely. The research objective. This research paper aims to discuss the problems of risk management for SMEs. The statement of basic materials. We identified the crucial risks for SMEs, namely financial risks. In our investigation we based on a dataset obtained via questionnaire surveys in Kharkiv region of Ukraine. The theoretical basis for the application of methods and tools for managing financial risks are substantiated on the law of downward impact. A new approach to SMEs financial risks managing are developed. Conclusions. As a result of the research a new approach to SMEs financial risks managing has been developed that should be taken into account in order to adjust the SMEs development strategy taking into account the level of financial risk and improve the SMEs performance indicators.
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Gökmen, Aytaç. "Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Development Prospects." International Journal of Applied Management Sciences and Engineering 8, no. 2 (July 2021): 21–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijamse.2021070102.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of a country. SMEs create most of the employment opportunities and comprise 90% to 95% of economic activities. Therefore, these make SMEs indispensable for the development of a country. Also, SMEs are the source of innovativeness, and they are the ones that respond to niche market needs that are ignored by large businesses. Small and medium-sized enterprises are an important instigator for the improvement and renewal of national economies. Thus, the aim of this paper is to review the concept of SME, differentiating features of SMEs, market economy, and state the importance of SMEs for the Republic of Turkey.
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Odoom, Raphael, Priscilla Mensah, and George Asamoah. "Branding efforts and SME performance – an empirical investigation of variations across firm sizes and business sectors." Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship 19, no. 1 (July 10, 2017): 59–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jrme-06-2016-0017.
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Purpose This paper aims to draw on the organizational ecology theory to examine variations in branding efforts and performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across enterprises sizes and business operating sectors. Design/methodology/approach A four-stage analysis involving principal component analysis, Pearson correlation, ANOVA and logistic regressions was used on a sample of 430 SMEs within an emerging market. Findings Principal component analysis identified four brand marketing efforts relevant to the SMEs. These efforts were used in fluctuating extents among small-sized versus medium-sized enterprises, as well as manufacturing versus services SMEs. Additionally, proportionate levels of performance corollaries were found to be accruable across the enterprise sizes and operating sectors. Originality/value The paper first identifies four brand-building efforts germane to SMEs within an emerging market and examines their precise contributions to firm performance within enterprise sizes and business operating sectors. It further reinforces the relevance of brand marketing programs to the growth of SMEs by establishing the likelihood and extent to which brand-building efforts impact on SME performance across enterprise sizes, as well as operating sectors. The study also presents issues of potential research and managerial interest from an emerging market, offering insightful implications to researchers and SME managers.
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Bahaw, Priscilla. "Innovation Implementation by SMEs in Trinidad and Tobago." European Scientific Journal, ESJ 13, no. 10 (April 30, 2017): 186. http://dx.doi.org/10.19044/esj.2017.v13n10p186.
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Innovation has become an important contributing factor to firms’ competitive advantage. However, little research has been carried out in understanding innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises in the English-speaking Caribbean countries, particularly in Trinidad and Tobago. This study evaluates the degree to which small and medium-sized enterprises in Trinidad and Tobago engage in innovative activities within their businesses’ operations and identifies the major barriers to innovation that are experienced by these firms. This exploratory study utilized primary data collected through delivery and collection survey questionnaires from 350 randomly selected small and medium-sized enterprises with a minimum active operation period of five years in Trinidad and Tobago. The questionnaire, administered to the longest serving employees of the small and medium-sized enterprises, was designed to collect information on each small and medium-sized enterprise about their innovation experiences, the innovative environment, and innovation barriers. Some of the variables measured were adapted from the Community Innovation Survey found in previous research done by Sileshi Talegeta (2014). The key findings from the research revealed that there are limited efforts of small and medium-sized enterprises in Trinidad and Tobago to implement strategies for encouraging innovation within their organizations. More specifically, it was found that there are low levels of product innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation, and organizational innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises in Trinidad and Tobago. The data suggested that the main barriers to innovation present in small and mediumsized enterprises in descending order of intensity are as follows: organizational culture, lack of reward and recognition, lack of finance, lack of skilled personnel, and lack of knowledge, lack of co-operation, market barriers, and legal barriers. The conclusion from the research findings showed that internal and external factors hindered the small and mediumsized enterprises in Trinidad and Tobago innovation capabilities
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Defillateli, Fazrin, Bambang Sugiharto, and Indah Umiyati. "PENGARUH PENGETAHUAN STANDAR AKUNTANSI KEUANGAN ENTITAS MIKRO KECIL DAN MENENGAH (SAK EMKM), COMPUTER SELF-EFFICACY, DAN FACILITATING CONDITIONS TERHADAP MINAT MENGGUNAKAN APLIKASI AKUNTANSI." JABI (Jurnal Akuntansi Berkelanjutan Indonesia) 3, no. 1 (March 2, 2020): 96. http://dx.doi.org/10.32493/jabi.v3i1.y2020.p96-116.
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Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Indonesia will continue to grow from year to year, which will support Indonesia's economy. The aim of this research was to find out and analyze the influence of knowledge effects of Financial Accounting Standards of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Computer Self-efficacy, and Facilitating Conditions to the intention to using accounting applications Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The study used three independent variables that are the knowledge of Financial Accounting Standards of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Computer Self-efficacy, and Facilitating Conditions, while intention to using accounting applications as a dependent variable. The sample of this research were Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Subang Regency, West Java Province. Sampling Incidental of non-probability sampling was used as a sampling method with the total sample of 205 people. Validity, reliability, descriptive analysis, classical assumption test, and multiple regression analysis is used for this study. The results of this research indicate that knowledge of Financial Accounting Standards of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Computer Self-efficacy, and Facilitating Conditions have a positive effect to the intention in using either accounting application, the results of tests on each variable or simultaneously. Keyword: Knowledge of Financial Accounting Standards of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs); Computer Self-efficacy; Facilitating Conditions; Intention To Use; Accounting Application
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Ubreziova, Iveta, Anna Diacikova, Oksana Sokil, and Stefan Apostol. "Innovation Ecosystems for the Moldovan Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises." Marketing and Management of Innovations, no. 2 (2020): 298–312. http://dx.doi.org/10.21272/mmi.2020.2-22.
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In the last decades, the word 'innovation' can be heard more and more on the entrepreneurial side. It has a crucial role in satisfying the customers, competition with other companies, and increasing the turnover of the enterprises. SME's economic performance is directly affecting the national budget. Still, there is not a precise method of assessing and improving the innovation process at neither firm nor national level. The paper aims to analyze the current innovative performance of Moldovan SMEs. The analysis will explore factors affecting enterprise innovation. It will determine how the existing innovation ecosystem affects the one in an enterprise, and what methods should be applied to improve innovation as well as the ecosystem. To gain insight, the study conducted an email survey of 150 companies, which were the object for research in the Republic of Moldova. The primary purpose of the study is to emphasize the importance of innovation issues related to increasing SME's competitiveness, in connection with presenting the theoretical aspects in the field, proving basic concepts and quantifying them in the study of innovation as well as various forms, types, and factors influencing innovative organizations. The objective of these enterprise questionnaires is to accumulate substantial and reliable information that is significant to responding to the fundamental research questions. Methodological tools of the research methods were the tools for statistical analysis based on using primary data from the questionnaire research. The reference period for statistical research was 2013 and 2017. The author collected the data between August and September 2018 based on questionnaires filled in on paper or sent through the email by the enterprises included in the research. The results of the study provide the following insights: product innovation is the primary innovation type among Moldovan SMEs; the country lacks financial resources for innovation support. Also, Moldova's weak innovation ecosystem and lack of highly qualified workers slow down the development of enterprises. At the end of the thesis, several recommendations for enterprise managers as well as high-level government organizations were provided. Keywords ecosystems, entrepreneurs, innovation, small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, Moldova.
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Park, Kyung Jin, and Youngtae Yoo. "Improvement Of Competitiveness In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises." Journal of Applied Business Research (JABR) 33, no. 1 (December 28, 2016): 173–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.19030/jabr.v33i1.9888.
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While SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) contribute much to the economy, their competitiveness compared to that of large enterprises is negligible. Periodic evaluation of the overall competitiveness of SMEs is important to determine the reasons behind their relatively low growth rate. In order to maximize the effects of support for SMEs through government policies, determining the best means of providing support and enhancing competitiveness is necessary. Government funds or other sources of support for SMEs must be supplied according to the circumstances surrounding each enterprise. For instance, if the government invests in tangible assets, SMEs must be the target, because their size guarantees that despite their lower flexibility, competitiveness will improve. If investment is made in research and development, the firm’s long-term capacity for growth must be evaluated rather than its profitability, since there is an immediate increase in costs. There are differences in the effects of investment on flexibility, immaterial capital, and the ability to compete according to the size of the firm and the number of years it has been in business; these factors must be taken into account. Also, in allocating supporting funds to SMEs, the sites at which the funds are to be used must be examined. Active use of funds in areas where SMEs cannot invest in themselves is encouraged, rather than investment in general.
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Dufour, Julien, and Pierre-Etienne Son. "Open innovation in SMEs – towards formalization of openness." Journal of Innovation Management 3, no. 3 (October 19, 2015): 90–117. http://dx.doi.org/10.24840/2183-0606_003.003_0008.
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Open innovation has been widely debated in management literature. However, little attention has been given to how small and medium sized enterprises manage to open up their innovation process. Consequently, various questions remain unanswered. In particular, we want to shed light on the following issue: how small and medium-sized enterprises manage organizational changes in their journey from closed to open innovation. A literature review examines how small and medium-sized enterprises open up their innovation process based on nine perspectives. Then, the reference framework addresses the organizational changes embedded in evolving from closed to open innovation. In this sense, we use acknowledged concepts on organizational change research to carry out an in depth-case study on a small and medium-sized enterprise evolving in the sports equipment industry. The results demonstrate that, in its journey from closed to open innovation, the small and medium-sized enterprise has to stimulate and to manage changes to four company’s dimensions i.e. corporate culture, networking, organizational structure and knowledge management systems. The paper concludes by highlighting the diverse organizational changes undertaken by the company on these four dimensions. Based on this paper’s conclusion, managerial implications and discussion for future research are drawn.
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Moon, Karen Ka-Leung, Fung-Yi Tam, Mei-Mei Lau, and Jimmy M. T. Chang. "Production Outsourcing: Perspectives from Small and Medium-sized Enterprises." Research Journal of Textile and Apparel 18, no. 2 (May 1, 2014): 65–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/rjta-18-02-2014-b009.
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Given the intense international competition brought on by globalisation, an organization's profit is largely determined by how it leverages its internal and external resources. This paper studies the production sourcing strategies adopted by the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the clothing industry together with their motivations for outsourcing, adoption of buyer-seller relationships, and satisfaction with their production sourcing performance. A conceptual framework was developed from the literature and tested using a questionnaire survey. Quantitative analysis showed that motivational factors (MFs) can affect an SME's satisfaction with its operational achievement; while host-country and location MFs can affect its strategic achievement. In addition, firms adopting a pure transaction approach seemed to be negatively motivated by the total-cost factor; and those adopting a more diverse sourcing strategy were more likely to be motivated by the corporate factor so as to develop appropriate buyer-seller relationships with vendors, and to be satisfied with their operational performance. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of business networking from the perspectives of SMEs in regard to their pursuit of production sourcing; and demonstrates how clothing SMEs adopt production sourcing strategies to improve their production sourcing performance.
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Okoi, Innocent, Ije Ubi, Maryjoan Iheanacho, Enya Emori, and Ezekiel Sunday. "Strategic entrepreneurship practices and performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in Nigeria." Problems and Perspectives in Management 20, no. 1 (January 26, 2022): 108–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.20(1).2022.10.
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The paper examines strategic entrepreneurship practices and performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria’s hospitality industry. The necessity of this study is due to strategic entrepreneurship practices and the performance of SMEs in Nigeria’s hospitality industry is being critical for providing a solution as to how entrepreneurs can exploit and explore the business environment and remain competitive. The purpose of the paper was to examine the relationship between strategic resource management and the quality of SMEs services/products, as well as ascertain the relationship between entrepreneurial innovation and increased sales volume of SMEs in Nigeria’s hospitality industry. A survey design was used as a questionnaire instrument and had been constructed and issued among 400 sampled respondents drawn from 1,294 employees from selected SMEs of the Nigerian hospitality industry, 365 respondents were filled and retrieved. This represents 91.25% of the total sample administered. The multiple linear regression techniques were used to test the research hypotheses. The results showed that strategic resource management and entrepreneurship innovation have a significant influence on the performance of SMEs in Nigeria. The result also showed that strategic resource management enhanced performance of SMEs in Nigeria and entrepreneurship innovation supports creativity of organizational performance. Therefore, managers should progressively incorporate new decision-making styles, processes, and behavior that will place a firm in a competitive and advantageous position during penetration into a new market. AcknowledgmentsWe express our gratitude to anonymous reviewers, the Journal editor, and all the authors whose works were used in one way or the other in this paper. We thank Mrs. Comfort Innocent Okoi for her untiring effort in type-setting and editing work. Our gratitude goes to the management of selected supermarkets, eateries/fastfood, hotels, and stores in Nigeria for approving prompt responses to our questionnaire instruments on strategic entrepreneurship practices and the performance of small and medium enterprises in Nigeria.
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Veza, Ivica, and Marko Mladineo. "SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH PRODUCTION NETWORKS." Management and Production Engineering Review 4, no. 4 (December 1, 2013): 76–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/mper-2013-0035.
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Abstract Global economic crisis has brought into question sustainability of many industrial enterprises, especially Large-sized Enterprises (LEs). However, the strength of the European economy are not Large-sized Enterprises, but Small and Medium-sized industrial Enterprises (SMEs). As an alternative to LEs there is networking of SMEs into flexible production networks. Inside production network SMEs can collaborate on new product development forming Virtual Enterprise. SMEs collaborating as one Virtual Enterprise can be seen as a sustainable Large-sized Enterprise. However, to achieve sustainability through production networks, i.e. Virtual Enterprises, it is essential to choose an optimal combination of SMEs in Virtual Enterprise formation process. Since it is a complex task that requires the use of multi-criteria decision-making methods, in this paper PROMETHEE method is used.
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Li, Qing, and Jing Xian. "Research on the Financing Capability of Chinese SMEs." BCP Business & Management 19 (May 31, 2022): 21–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.54691/bcpbm.v19i.652.
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The evaluation of financing ability is very important to promote the small and medium-sized borrowing capacity of science and technology, and it is the first premise to clarify the financing obstacles of enterprises. However, the traditional view only emphasizes the role of self-ability and neglects the research of financing environment. With the development of national economy, science and technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises have received extensive attention, mainly because science and technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises are the main force to promote national economic development. Because of their own and external factors, small and medium-sized science and technology enterprises generally have financing problems. Improving the financing ability of small and medium-sized enterprises is an effective way to solve the problem of capital shortage. At the same time, many small and medium-sized enterprises face more risks in their development, and their growth is unpredictable, which makes it difficult for financial institutions such as banks to make loan decisions. However, at present, some small and medium-sized enterprises still have many unsolved problems in the financing process, which affects the development of high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises. This requires relevant departments to pay full attention to the optimization of their financing system, constantly innovate financing methods and lay a solid foundation for their subsequent development.
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Sahoo, Saumyaranjan, and Sudhir Yadav. "Lean implementation in small- and medium-sized enterprises." Benchmarking: An International Journal 25, no. 4 (May 8, 2018): 1121–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/bij-02-2017-0033.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which lean management practices are adopted by small- and medium-sized manufacturing organizations in India and their impact on firm’s operational performance (OP). Also, the paper makes an attempt to identify the barriers and challenges faced by Indian SMEs that are striving to succeed with improvement efforts based on lean manufacturing. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, acceptability and implementation of lean manufacturing in Indian Manufacturing SMEs were analyzed using three constructs, namely, process improvement (PI), flow management (FM) and waste minimization (WM). The responding firms were categorized into “lean-Beginners,” “In-transition lean” and “lean” group based on their phases of lean implementation. Using a survey questionnaire, data were collected from 121 manufacturing SMEs in India. Lean tools and barriers, identified from the literature review, were also included in the survey. The reliability and validity of the practice and performance measures were evaluated. Correlation analysis was employed to investigate the effects of three constructs on OP. Findings The results indicate that all the three lean constructs are significantly related to OP. In the context of Indian manufacturing SMEs, “PI” and “WM” practices have shown a higher level of significance on OP, compared to “FM” practices. “5S -workplace organization” was found to be the most practiced lean tool. “Attitude of workmen” was highlighted as the main obstacle in successfully implementing lean. The findings suggest overall positive effects as a result of applying lean tools and philosophy in Indian SMEs. Research limitations/implications The research results may lack qualitative justification because of the chosen research approach. Therefore, the researchers are encouraged to explore the inter-relationship among various lean tools/practices and performance criteria by conducting a qualitative study in the form of a case study or action research. Practical implications This paper is a beneficial source of information that highlights the contribution of lean implementation in enhancing manufacturing productivity. The major tools and techniques used by Indian SMEs have been highlighted and discussed; it could be a genuine source of motivation to lean practitioner and entrepreneurs of SMEs to go in for lean implementation. The findings are also expected to benefit the lean practitioners and entrepreneurs of SMEs to focus on vital issues to facilitate successful lean implementation in an organization. Originality/value The paper demonstrates that practical implication of lean implementation can bring real breakthroughs in productivity to small- and medium-scale manufacturing firms.
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Palmieri, Stefano. "The European system of small- and medium-sized enterprises." Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research 13, no. 1 (February 2007): 27–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/102425890701300106.
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As the European Commission has indicated, SMEs have a key role to play in stimulating job creation and in improving European competitiveness. This article provides an overview of the position of SMEs in the economic system of the European Union and highlights the weaknesses that constrain SMEs in fulfilling that key role. The article also explores the factors that promote profitability in SMEs at the expense of productivity, including low pay, poor working conditions and long working hours. It proposes that there is a contradiction between the representation of SMEs as a strategic lever in pursuit of the Lisbon goals, and the reality that European SMEs are generally incapable of generating either technological innovation or continuing education and training, leaving them ill-equipped to compete in global markets.
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Hou, Jia Chen, and Dai Zhong Su. "Web Oriented System Supporting Small-Medium Sized Manufacturers." Key Engineering Materials 450 (November 2010): 409–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.450.409.
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. Small and medium sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) are challenged with the task of producing customized products in a timely and cost-effective manner. Winning competitive advantage is an imperative strategy for SMEs to compete with large sized organizations. The purpose of this research is to establish a Web oriented system to help SMEs to gain a competitive position with particular focus on the issues of product life cycle, supplier selection and product design specification. This is achieved by integrating three models, including Customer-Manufacturer-Competitor Orientation Analysis, Strategy-Position based Supplier Selection, and Component Based Partial Product Design Specification, into the system with the support of Web techniques including Enterprise Java Beans (EJB), JSP, Java Servlet, Java application, etc.
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Ogechukwu Obokoh, Lawrence, James Unam Monday, and Udechukwu Ojiako. "Microfinance banks and small and medium sized enterprises access to finance: the Nigerian experience." Banks and Bank Systems 11, no. 4 (December 22, 2016): 111–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/bbs.11(4-1).2016.01.
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The paper explored the extent to which current microfinance lending impacts on indigenous SME access to finance and how the intermediation services of the microfinance banks (MFBs) contributed to or otherwise to the development of SMEs. A total of 800 such indigenous SMEs were identified, however, data were obtained from 300 of the identified indigenous SMEs from a questionnaire survey in four states (provinces) within the country that make up the Niger Delta region. The result shows positive contribution of microfinance lending to the development of such enterprises. However, it appears that a number of factors including cumbersome process, poorly packaged business plans and perceived high cost of credit still limit the access of indigenous SMEs to credit. Keywords: microfinance banks, SMEs, entrepreneurship, financial services. JEL Classification: G21, L26, M13
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Southernwood, Joanna, Grigoris K. Papagiannis, Erudino Llano Güemes, and Luisa Sileni. "Energy Efficiency Solutions for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises." Proceedings 65, no. 1 (January 5, 2021): 19. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2020065019.
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Few small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have undertaken an energy audit to date and even fewer have taken action to implement energy-saving measures. Lack of time, knowledge, and finance, coupled with the low priority that SMEs give to energy management, are the most commonly cited barriers to effective energy management in SMEs. Four projects funded by Horizon 2020 (SPEEDIER, SMEmPower Efficiency, E2DRIVER, and Innoveas) have developed innovative capacity-building programmes designed to eliminate these barriers and encourage SMEs to undertake energy audits and implement the recommended energy efficiency measures. This paper presents an overview of the innovations being tested and suggests a series of policy recommendations that could help to drive uptake of energy audits in SMEs.
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Nenzhelele, Tshilidzi Eric. "Competitive intelligence tools used by small and medium-sized enterprises." Journal of Governance and Regulation 4, no. 3 (2015): 191–200. http://dx.doi.org/10.22495/jgr_v4_i3_c2_p1.
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Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) contribute highly to the gross domestic product, reduction in unemployment, wealth creation and improvement in the quality of life. Due to technology and globalisation, SMEs now compete with enterprises beyond the borders of their country. To survive in this global competitive business environment, SMEs seek for tools that offer competitive advantage. Competitive Intelligence (CI) provides competitive advantage to enterprises that practice it. While CI practice has been widely research for larger enterprises, there is lack of research on CI practice pertaining to SMEs. This research establishes tools used by SMEs in CI practice. The research was quantitative in nature and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collected data from owners/managers of SMEs.
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Kotane, Inta. "THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES." Latgale National Economy Research 1, no. 9 (November 30, 2017): 67. http://dx.doi.org/10.17770/lner2017vol1.9.2749.
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The number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) comprises a significant share in total number of enterprises in national economies, the SMEs are considered to be the backbone of economic growth, and most often their significance is valued by the gross value added and a number of new jobs created. Notwithstanding the established role of SMEs in national economies and the research studies conducted by Latvian scientists, the author considers that the theoretical and practical aspects of the SME's performance have not been sufficiently studied and published in Latvia. The purpose of the current study is to explore the theoretical and practical aspects of the SME's performance. The theoretical study is based on the analysis of the research publications, and the practical aspects are analysed using statistical information. General scientific research methods – information analysis and synthesis, the logical construction, monographic, data grouping and graphical representation methods – are used in the research. In the result, the theoretical aspects of the SMEs' performance are explored and the main indicators measuring the SMEs' performance are assessed.
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Oanh Le, Thi Tu, Thi Ngoc Bui, and Manh Dung Tran. "Management Accounting Information in Vietnamese Small and Medium Sized Enterprises." Accounting and Finance Research 7, no. 1 (November 27, 2017): 130. http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/afr.v7n1p130.
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The small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam play an increasingly important role in the economy by the amount (representing 97.7% of Vietnam firms), contribute economic development and create more employment opportunities. However, because of economic crisis, financial downturn, unhealthy competitions, free trade agreements and others, the number of SMEs recently is downsizing in firm size, human resources and more and more SMEs go bankruptcy in the context of Vietnam. This situation may be due to the enterprise use ineffective management accounting tools.This article reviews and assesses the creation and use of management accounting information which has an important part to play with respect to planning, decision-making, monitoring and controlling of the activities of SMEs in Vietnam. Data collected from a posted survey of five enterprises with twenty two interviews of directors, chief accountants and management accountants. The results show that management accounting information has not really been interested from managers and accountants. Management accounting information is weak in quantity and poor in quality; administrators are operating firms primarily based on personal experiences. Therefore, management accounting information has not been promoted in the management, monitoring and decision making of SMEs in Vietnam. The addition of management accounting knowledge for managers and accountants is necessary for development of SMEs.
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Lang, Lumi. "Service Strategy Analysis of Big Data Management in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises." Frontiers in Business, Economics and Management 6, no. 2 (November 23, 2022): 224–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.54097/fbem.v6i2.3033.
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As the basic force to promote the development of national economy, small and medium-sized enterprises face many difficulties in their development process. And big data technology can help them improve the efficiency of enterprise management and enhance the viability of enterprises. The rise of the Internet, relying on big data technology, effectively alleviates the financing problems of SMEs. At the same time, it has a great impact on the traditional credit business of commercial banks. The legal service platform for small and medium-sized enterprises, with the development of emerging information technologies such as Internet, big data and sharing economy, has unique service advantages, which can achieve economies of scale and scope in the process of legal services, and has important practical significance for the healthy and rapid development of small and medium-sized enterprises. However, the innovation and development of small and medium-sized technology-based enterprises are difficult to achieve only by themselves, and they need to be provided with targeted and professional knowledge services by internal knowledge service departments, intermediary service agencies, and government departments, so as to improve the knowledge reserves of small and medium-sized technology-based enterprises and promote their development and innovation. This paper analyzes the relationship between SMEs and big data technology, puts forward problems in terms of awareness, technology, policy and talent, and gives corresponding strategies to help SMEs develop.
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Zaheer, Arshad, Kashif ur Rehman Kashif ur Rehman, and Abrar Ahmad. "Organizational Culture Assessment of Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises." LAHORE JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS 11, no. 2 (July 1, 2006): 155–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.35536/lje.2006.v11.i2.a9.
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This paper is an ethnographic study defining and assessing the organizational culture exhibited by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It primarily focuses on four cultural categories: clan, adhocracy, hierarchy and market-driven. These conceptual domains have been examined by the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument. Results from a sample of 162 SMEs in the Rawalpindi/Islamabad area indicate that SME culture lacks creativity, innovation, freedom and risk taking. SMEs are not looking to change in the future, preferring the status quo. The most important finding is that SMEs exhibit a market- oriented culture focusing on results, competition and achievements.
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Odoom, Raphael, Bedman Narteh, and Richard Boateng. "Branding in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)." Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal 20, no. 1 (January 9, 2017): 68–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/qmr-12-2015-0091.
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Purpose Given the significant contributions of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across several economies, calls for investigations into their branding strategies are burgeoning. However, the literature is unclear, scattered and relatively scanty. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the existing literature on branding with a focus on SMEs. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a systematic review by identifying and evaluating peer-reviewed journal publications focusing on branding within the context of SMEs. The systematic design is based on papers published within the period of 2004-2014. Findings The review shows that significant progress is being made in the area under discussion. With several gaps in issues and empirical evidence, as well as in theoretical and methodological approaches, the paper signals promising lines of inquiry for both empirical and theoretical research. Research limitations/implications By highlighting the research issues, as well as providing some pertinent research questions across various themes, the paper aims at directing future research efforts to critical areas which require immediate attention. The implications of the review are discussed in the paper. Originality/value The study identifies and describes the state of research issues and evidence in branding literature within the context of SMEs over a 10-year period, prompting insightful avenues to the academic and practitioner communities.
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Kvitka, Anton, and Anna Kramarenko. "From big business to small and medium-sized enterprises: factors and prospects." Problems and Perspectives in Management 16, no. 2 (April 24, 2018): 42–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.16(2).2018.04.
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The article considers changes in organizational structure (in the context of a shift in favor of small business), the main factors and long-term prospects of these changes. Enhancing the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in many countries of the world is described. The concept of SMEs, as well as the range of indicators measuring organizational structure, is defined. Modern trends that indicate the increasing role of small and medium-sized enterprises are shown. On the basis of dynamics of economic indicators in Europe and the United States, the increasing role of small and medium enterprises is investigated. It is shown that the increase in the share of the service sector is the result of market saturation. The influence of the service sector on the shifts in the organizational structure in the period of global economic changes, as well as the influence on the increasing share of more flexible and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises in total employment and income, is argued. Increased competition in the process of saturation of the market is shown as one of the factors of the development of personal needs that promote individual entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators, for whom a complex and rigid structure of large organizations is the factor which limits the growth and interferes with their becoming the engines of scientific and technological progress. It is proved that in conditions when large corporations find themselves unable to identify a new micro niche quickly, small and medium enterprises are becoming the most convenient form for the realization and promotion of innovation. The transition from the dominance of large corporations to the dominance of SMEs in the process of substitution of technological modes is investigated. The increasing role of small and medium firms in the context of long-term trends of economic development is considered.
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Lima, Francisco Valdivino Rocha, and João Antonio Belmino dos Santos. "Intellectual Property Management in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises." International Journal for Innovation Education and Research 6, no. 9 (September 30, 2018): 109–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol6.iss9.1161.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been prominent in the world economy, contributing significantly to the generation of jobs. Despite the relevance in the economy, SMEs underutilize the mechanisms of protection and appropriation of intellectual property. In order to gather and synthesize strategies, managerial models and good practices related to the intellectual property management in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this article aims to analyze systematically the literature, as well as to identify important aspects and gaps in existing empirical knowledge. For this, 53 articles from periodicals indexed in the scientific bases Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct were analyzed. It was verified that there is a pattern of management actions in the scope of SMEs with regard to the protection, appropriation and intellectual property management.
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Freňáková, Magdaléna, Oľga Kmeťová, and Pavel Blaščák. "Features of venture capital funded enterprises: evidence from Slovakia." Problems and Perspectives in Management 17, no. 3 (August 1, 2019): 111–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.17(3).2019.09.
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This article contains an exploratory study of micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) funded by venture capital in conditions of the Slovak Republic. Their features specifically the number of employees and the affiliation to the industry branch in compliance with technological or knowledge demandingness were investigated. For that purpose two scientific hypotheses were verified. Verification of hypotheses was performed by the exact tests on the research sample consisted of 61 venture capital funded SMEs in the Slovak Republic in the time period 2001–2006. According to affiliation of enterprises to the category of micro, small and medium sized enterprises in our research sample, our assumption that the micro and small sized enterprises are more venture capital driven than medium sized enterprises was confirmed. The results showed that the majority of venture capital funded SMEs are micro-enterprises representing 60.66% and small sized enterprises with a share of 27.87%. According to affiliation of enterprise to the industry branch in compliance with its technological or knowledge demandingness in our research sample, our assumption that venture capital is related especially to the enterprises in high-tech sector was not confirmed and we can conclude that venture capital is related more to the enterprises operating in low-tech or medium low-tech sector than to the enterprises operating in high-tech or medium high-tech sector. The share of enterprises in high-tech sector was the lowest (only 3.28%) among all the sectors (low-tech, medium low-tech, medium high-tech and high-tech).
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Hardwig, Thomas, Stefan Klötzer, and Margarete Boos. "Software-supported collaboration in small- and medium-sized enterprises." Measuring Business Excellence 24, no. 1 (November 21, 2019): 1–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/mbe-11-2018-0098.
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Purpose This paper aims to understand the current state and challenges of deploying collaborative applications in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 101 SMEs in Germany showed how intensively collaborative applications are used today and the positive and negative effects associated with their use. Analyses proved correlations between the use of collaborative applications, the need for cooperation within SMEs and the effects and benefits of their use. Findings The company representatives surveyed reported a positive balance of their pro and con experiences with collaborative applications. The use of collaborative applications closely interacts with work-related demands: the more complex the requirements of joint action, the broader the benefits and challenges are of their use. The data also revealed three gaps between demand of cooperation and use of specific applications, supporting the argument that implementation of collaborative applications is challenging for SMEs. A successful use requires major changes in work systems and culture of the company. Research limitations/implications The data of the survey are not representative of the population of SMEs in Germany. Originality/value These empirical findings contribute a unique as well as substantive view of today’s state of digitalisation of project communication and management within SMEs, specifically their deployment of collaborative software.
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Dankova, Alena, and Marta Telus. "Financial Logistics of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises." Applied Mechanics and Materials 708 (December 2014): 205–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.708.205.
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The aim of this paper is to focus on the issue of financial logistics within conditions of small and medium enterprises, especially by gaining and using of financial resources by companies in selected regions in Slovak Republic.The main idea of this paper is to define possible recommendations and ideas based on the acquired knowledge for more effective use of supporting financial systems for SMEs. The aim is to eliminate regional disparities on selected area as well as possibility of using alternative sources of financing SMEs.
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Chang, She-I., Shin-Yuan Hung, David C. Yen, and Pei-Ju Lee. "Critical Factors of ERP Adoption for Small- and Medium- Sized Enterprises." Journal of Global Information Management 18, no. 3 (July 2010): 82–106. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jgim.2010070104.
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Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a vital and pervasive role in the current development of Taiwan’s economy. Recently, the application of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have enabled large enterprises to have direct contact with their clients via e-commerce technology, which has led to even fiercer competition among the SMEs. This study develops and tests a theoretical model including critical factors which influence ERP adoption in Taiwan’s SMEs. Specifically, four dimensions, including CEO characteristics, innovative technology characteristics, organizational characteristics, and environmental characteristics, are empirically examined. The results of a mail survey indicate that the CEO’s attitude towards information technology (IT) adoption, the CEO’s IT knowledge, the employees’ IT skills, business size, competitive pressure, cost, complexity, and compatibility are all important determinants in ERP adoption for SMEs. The authors’ results are compared with research on IT adoption in SMEs based in Singapore and the United States, while implications of the results are also discussed.
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Bestvinová, Viera. "Implementation of controlling in conditions of micro, small and medium industrial enterprises." IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1256, no. 1 (October 1, 2022): 012031. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/1256/1/012031.
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Abstract This paper deals with the implementation of controlling in a group of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises (SMEs) in Slovakia. The business environment characterized by rapid and abrupt changes forces enterprises to innovate not only products, but also internal processes and management system. Enterprises therefore implement controlling, whose role is to support the management of the enterprise in making important decisions. This paper will analyse the application of controlling in SMEs based on interviews with business managers and a questionnaire survey. Large enterprises have implemented controlling, but SMEs face the task of implementing it. Therefore, the paper will describe the tasks that need to be accomplished in the different phases of building controlling in SMEs. It will conclude by highlighting the benefits of implementing controlling for the management of SMEs.
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Herbane, Brahim. "Threat orientation in small and medium-sized enterprises." Disaster Prevention and Management 24, no. 5 (November 2, 2015): 583–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/dpm-12-2014-0272.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the experience, impact and likelihood of an acute business interruption, along with the perceived ability to intervene, influences the “threat orientation” of owner-managers in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. The concept of “threat orientation” is introduced in this study as a way to eschew the binary view of whether an organisation does or does not have processes and capabilities to respond to acute interruptions. Design/methodology/approach – “Threat orientation” is operationalised and survey data are collected from 215 SMEs in the UK. Data from owner-managers are analysed using multiple regression techniques. Findings – The results of this study provide empirical evidence to highlight the importance of firm age rather than size as a determinant of the propensity to formalise activities to deal with acute interruptions. Recent experience and the ability to intervene were statistically significant predictors of threat orientation but the likelihood and concern about specific types of threat was not found to positively influence threat orientation. Research limitations/implications – Although the data are self-report in nature, the respondents in the study are the chief decision and policy makers in their organisations and thus it is essential to understand the influences on their threat orientation. Results are generalisable only to UK SMEs. Originality/value – The findings of the paper contribute to a nascent understanding of planning for acute interruptions in SMEs and (despite the cross-sectional nature of the study), the findings clearly reinforce the need for continuing longitudinal research into how resilience develops in smaller organisations.
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Lutfi, Muhtar, Pricylia Chintya Dewi Buntuang, Yoberth Kornelius, Erdiyansyah, and Bakri Hasanuddin. "The impact of social distancing policy on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia." Problems and Perspectives in Management 18, no. 3 (October 12, 2020): 492–503. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.18(3).2020.40.
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This study aims to investigate the impact of social distancing policies on SMEs in Indonesia. It used a quantitative method with a survey design. Respondents were all SMEs in Indonesia that are affected by social distancing policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It involved a total of 587 SME samples selected randomly. The data were collected through observations, questionnaires, and literature studies. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with SPSS software to determine the mean value. The result showed that social distancing policies affect SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is indicated by the decreasing income and demand for SMEs products, and even some have no income (mean values of 2.40) due to the social distancing policies. Besides, the policy’s impact is also shown in the increasing cost of raw materials and production costs due to supply chain problems (mean values of 4.79). The policy’s impact raises anxiety for SMEs to survive so that business actors change their plans by utilizing information technology (mean values of 4.81). This change is a strategy to survive due to the impact of the applied policies. Although social distancing policies affect SMEs’ survival during the pandemic, research findings show that SMEs in Indonesia did not terminate employment (mean values of 4.37) due to the presence of economic stimulus policies that helped SMEs survive and grow during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Solilová, Veronika. "Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and transfer pricing." Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis 60, no. 2 (2012): 349–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.11118/actaun201260020349.
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Small and medium sized enterprises have very important position in the EU economy, mainly in the area of growth and employment. However, most of SMEs are active only in their home country and only a few of them participate in cross-border activities. Furthermore, their activities in the internal market are limited by great deal of obstacles, mainly in the form of different tax systems which generate excessive compliance costs of taxation and the existence of different SMEs definitions for various purposes in Member states. In addition, from the view of the international taxation issues, the most important obstacles can be considered a transfer pricing and cross-border loss compensations. In this area, SMEs are facing specific problems and have specific needs. The aim of the paper is to analyze and evaluate the specific transfer pricing issues of SMEs and propose recommendations for them.
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Uryadnikova, Marina, and Diana Gizatullina. "E-LEARNING FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES." Russian Journal of Management 9, no. 2 (August 31, 2021): 111–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.29039/2409-6024-2021-9-2-111-115.
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This article is aimed at studying the advantages and disadvantages of the e-learning system and distinguishing the concepts of e-learning and distance learning. The companies in question were representatives of the Russian domestic market and did not operate abroad. The introduction of gamification in particular and e-learning in general can be considered a useful strategy for improving organizational performance not only in large companies, but also in SMEs. Moreover, given the lower cost of online training compared to traditional training courses, online training remains an excellent alternative for SMEs, since the costs of its implementation will be fully recouped from the profit received.
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Kokko, Ari, and Fredrik Sjöholm. "The Internationalization of Vietnamese Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises." Asian Economic Papers 4, no. 1 (January 2005): 152–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/asep.2005.4.1.152.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been important for Vietnam's rapid economic development. This paper investigates the ways in which Vietnam's SMEs have been affected by the ongoing internationalization of the Vietnamese economy and points out the challenges that lie ahead if the country's plans for further trade liberalization are realized. The basis of our analysis is a unique database on the activities of a large sample of Vietnamese SMEs during 1990, 1996, and 2002, with quantitative data about company operations, as well as qualitative information about the entrepreneurs' perceptions of the current business environment and their expectations about the future.
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Odoom, Raphael, and Priscilla Mensah. "Brand orientation and brand performance in SMEs." Management Research Review 42, no. 1 (January 21, 2019): 155–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/mrr-12-2017-0441.
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Purpose This study aims to investigate the moderating effects of innovation capabilities and social media capabilities on the relationship between brand orientation and brand performance among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing on the size differential feature from the organizational ecology theory, the paper further tests variations in these conditions across disaggregated SME levels. Design/methodology/approach The empirical part of the study was carried out with a sample of 484 enterprises in an emerging market context via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, along with a moderated hierarchical regression. Findings Results from the moderated hierarchical regression analysis indicate that although the two capabilities generally offered positive moderating effects across all enterprises, these are conditional and not invariant when disaggregated based on enterprise sizes (small vs medium). Originality/value The study suggests the need for enterprise owners/managers to identify optimal combinations of enterprise capabilities, based on their sizes, for which their complementarities with brand orientation efforts are more potent.
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Wallo, Andreas, and Henrik Kock. "HR outsourcing in small and medium-sized enterprises." Personnel Review 47, no. 5 (August 6, 2018): 1003–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/pr-03-2017-0066.
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Purpose Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly outsourcing human resource (HR) activities to outside labour market intermediaries. In this paper, the focus is on a specific type of labour market intermediary, the HR intermediary (HRI). The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss SME outsourcing of HR services to membership-based HRIs, and potential problems and benefits that may arise in this process. Design/methodology/approach The empirical foundation comprises case studies of three Swedish HRIs and 12 of their SME clients. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a document study. Findings The findings show that social aspects such as trust, shared values, communication and commitment are crucial characteristics of the cooperation between HRIs and SMEs. These social aspects are a result of the owner/membership structure, and a distinguishing feature of the studied HRIs in comparison to other types of labour market intermediaries. Research limitations/implications The results of the study underline the need for increased research related to the intermediary concept and its meanings in different contexts. There is also a need for more empirical research on HRIs, e.g. comparisons between different types of HRIs, and studies of the emergence of virtual intermediaries. Future studies should focus on the role of LMIs and HRIs in regional development processes. Practical implications Companies that interact with HRIs should reflect on the different pros and cons that this cooperation may result in, both in the short term and in the longer term. Originality/value The study provides an enhanced understanding regarding the relations between SMEs and HRIs, based on the two broad types of SMEs (with low/high internal HR skills) and two types of HRIs (with short/long-term orientation).
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A. Harris, Mark, and Karen P. Patten. "Mobile device security considerations for small- and medium-sized enterprise business mobility." Information Management & Computer Security 22, no. 1 (March 4, 2014): 97–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/imcs-03-2013-0019.
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Purpose – This paper's purpose is to identify and accentuate the dilemma faced by small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who use mobile devices as part of their mobility business strategy. While large enterprises have the resources to implement emerging security recommendations for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, SMEs often lack the IT resources and capabilities needed. The SME mobile device business dilemma is to invest in more expensive maximum security technologies, invest in less expensive minimum security technologies with increased risk, or postpone the business mobility strategy in order to protect enterprise and customer data and information. This paper investigates mobile device security and the implications of security recommendations for SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper reviews mobile device security research, identifies increased security risks, and recommends security practices for SMEs. Findings – This paper identifies emerging mobile device security risks and provides a set of minimum mobile device security recommendations practical for SMEs. However, SMEs would still have increased security risks versus large enterprises who can implement maximum mobile device security recommendations. SMEs are faced with a dilemma: embrace the mobility business strategy and adopt and invest in the necessary security technology, implement minimum precautions with increased risk, or give up their mobility business strategy. Practical implications – This paper develops a practical list of minimum mobile device security recommendations for SMEs. It also increases the awareness of potential security risks for SMEs from mobile devices. Originality/value – This paper expands previous research investigating SME adoption of computers, broadband internet-based services, and Wi-Fi by adding mobile devices. It describes the SME competitive advantages from adopting mobile devices for enterprise business mobility, while accentuating the increased business risks and implications for SMEs.
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Colacelli, Mariana, and Gee Hee Hong. "Productivity Drag from Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Japan." IMF Working Papers 19, no. 137 (July 1, 2019): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.5089/9781498317474.001.
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Productivity growth in Japan, as in most advanced economies, has moderated. This paper finds supportive evidence for the important role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in explaining Japan’s modest productivity growth. Results show a substantial dispersion in firm-level productivity growth across sectors and even across firms within the same sector. SMEs, on average, exhibit lower productivity growth than non-SMEs in Japan, with smaller and older SMEs showing particularly low productivity growth. Estimates suggest that boosting productivity growth in all of the worst-performing SMEs could improve overall productivity growth by up to 1.8 percentage points. The SME credit guarantee system, SME financing constraints, demographic factors, and lack of intangible capital investment are discussed as contributors to the slow productivity growth of Japan’s small and old SMEs.
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Haddad, Monther I., Irene A. Williams, Mohamad Saleh Hammoud, and Rocky J. Dwyer. "Strategies for implementing innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises." World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development 16, no. 1 (November 4, 2019): 12–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/wjemsd-05-2019-0032.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore innovation strategies that managers of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) used to implement innovation in their organizations to meet performance goals. Design/methodology/approach The participants in this multiple case study research comprised randomly selected managers from SMEs operating in Dubai, United Arab Emirates with specialist expertise in successfully implementing innovation in their organizations. Individual interviews were undertaken with participants to gain both an insight and understanding regarding which innovation strategies are best suited to improve performance goal outcomes. A further analysis of workplace internal documents, policies, procedures, SMEs’ websites, review websites and press releases afforded additional insights related to the application of innovative workplace practices which supported productivity improvements in relation to performance goal outcomes. Findings The findings of this study identified that the role of the top management in cultivating an innovative culture, the identification of ideas as the starting point for innovation and the recognition of customers as resources for the company. Practical implications Implementing the findings from this study may support job creation, economy protection in downturns and contribution to economic growth, since thriving SMEs have a positive impact on community development through the generation of the employment. Furthermore, the results of this study can help in creating an increase in improving the productivity of Dubai SMEs in Dubai’s GDP, improvement in investment opportunities; better working conditions for employees and possibilities for expanding the operations of Dubai SMEs globally. Originality/value This study is of value because its findings may contribute to local and global economic growth. Exploring successful innovation implementation strategies in SMEs can result in useful guidelines that SME managers can use to reach the performance goals of their SMEs. Since governmental policies are critical to improving business performance, the Government of Dubai may benefit from this study by addressing key success factors for SMEs through policies and regulations. This study has particular value given the lack of studies that address the issue of innovation implementation in SMEs, especially for SMEs in emerging economies.
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Cotrino, Alberto, Miguel A. Sebastián, and Cristina González-Gaya. "Industry 4.0 Roadmap: Implementation for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises." Applied Sciences 10, no. 23 (November 30, 2020): 8566. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app10238566.
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The Industry 4.0 era has resulted in several opportunities and challenges for the manufacturing industry and for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME); technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Virtual Reality (VR) or Cloud Computing are changing business structures in profound ways. A literature review shows that most large-sized enterprises have rolled out investment plans, some of which are reviewed during this research and show that Industry 4.0 investments in such companies exceed the turnover of SMEs in all cases (<€50 million), which makes access to those technologies by SMEs very difficult. The research has also identified two gaps: firstly, the recent literature review fails to address the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies in SMEs from a practical viewpoint; secondly, the few existing roadmaps for the implementation of Industry 4.0 lack a focus on SMEs. Furthermore, SMEs do not have the resources to select suitable technologies or create the right strategy, and they do not have the means to be fully supported by consultancies. To this end, a simple six-step roadmap is proposed that includes real implementations of Industry 4.0 in SMEs. Our results show that implementing Industry 4.0 solutions following the proposed roadmap helps SMEs to select appropriate technologies. In addition, the practical examples shown across this work demonstrate that SMEs can access several Industry 4.0 technologies with low-cost investments.
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Zadeh, Amir Hassan, Bolaji Akinsola Akinyemi, Anand Jeyaraj, and Hamed M. Zolbanin. "Cloud ERP Systems for Small-and-Medium Enterprises." Journal of Cases on Information Technology 20, no. 4 (October 2018): 53–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jcit.2018100104.
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Organizations recognize the need to adopt Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in order to become more competitive, efficient, and productive, although the adoption and implementation of an ERP system is a costly and risky endeavor. Recently, cloud computing has become a viable and competitive means by which most organizations, especially Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), can implement an ERP system in a short time frame and cost-effective way. The authors' research examines the feasibility of cloud-based ERP systems for SMEs through a case study. The case emphasizes the potential of cloud-based ERP systems for SMEs as well as some of the challenges and peculiarities involved in their efforts to obtain an affordable and versatile ERP system. Their findings can potentially guide SMEs to make well-informed decisions throughout their cloud-based ERP adoption process.
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Kornecki, Janusz. "Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises on the Public." Equilibrium 6, no. 2 (June 30, 2011): 23–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/equil2011.010.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises are believed to be a key driving force of economic vitality, innovation and new job creation. For a few years the European Union has been monitoring SME performance and the quality of public procurement procedures to make access of SMEs to the public procurement market easier and provide for their greater participation in this market. These activities have their origin in the assumption that having in mind the size of the public procurement market and public resources involved, suitable shaping of this area may improve effectiveness of selected policies at the EU level and in particular member countries. The directives concerning public procurement should ensure opening the market of public procurement for all enterprises irrespectively of their size. Recently the public procurement market in Poland has been continuously growing which doubtlessly resulted from Poland’s accession to the European Union. The aim of this paper is to give evidence of SME position on the public procurement market and to attempt to answer two basic research questions. Firstly, is the market potential fully used as far as applying for awarding public contracts by SMEs is concerned? And secondly, what are the main obstacles determining the access of SMEs to the public procurement market? This is done by reference to available statistical data and two studies that were carried out by the author.
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Ubrežiová, I., K. Wach, and J. Horváthová. "Entrepreneurship in small and medium-sized enterprises: Comparative study between Slovakia and Poland for the years 2001–2007." Agricultural Economics (Zemědělská ekonomika) 54, No. 8 (August 22, 2008): 358–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.17221/299-agricecon.
Full textAbstract:
The main attention of the submitted paper is devoted to the comparison of development of entrepreneurship in Slovak and Polish small and medium-sized he enterprise sector. The conditions for blooming entrepreneurship are created in the national economy. Especially the role of SMEs in the transition economy, both in Slovakia and Poland, has the impact on SMEs. The entrepreneurship of small and medium-sized enterprises is extended in the whole Slovakia. From the viewpoint of the regional structure, most enterprises are located in the Bratislavský region (30.4%), Košický region (11.8%), Žilinský region (10.1%) and Trenčianský region (10.1%). On the other hand, the least of enterprises were registered in the Nitrianský region (8.9%), Trnavský region (9.2%) and Banskobystrický region (9.6%). Small and medium entrepreneurship is diversed throughout Poland. The average small and medium entreprenership ratio is 44.5, while the highest is in the Mazowieckie region – 55.2% and the lowest in the Podkarpackie region – 30 %. The supporting system for private entrepreneurship in both countries, Slovakia and Poland, is very similar and the entrepreneurs are satisfied with its offer and help.
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Padachi, Kesseven, and Soolakshna Lukea Bhiwajee. "Barriers to employee training in small and medium sized enterprises." European Journal of Training and Development 40, no. 4 (May 3, 2016): 232–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ejtd-02-2014-0018.
Full textAbstract:
Purpose Training is an important component of successful business concerns. However, although there is growing acceptance amongst scholars that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are engines that drive economies across nations, through their contribution in terms of job creation and poverty reduction; extant research portray that these organisations often lack the resources required to undertake training. Mauritius, as a small island developing state, is not an exception. Similar to other economies, the Mauritian business landscape is characterised by a larger number of SMEs, representing 97 per cent of the business stock and accounting for nearly 47 per cent of the national workforce. To ensure a smooth transition along the business life cycle and fulfil their objectives, it becomes important to gauge into the training practices of these SMEs. This paper therefore aims to investigate into the barriers which SMEs face in the provision of training to their employees in the Republic of Mauritius. Design/methodology/approach Through a survey questionnaire, the study attempted, inter alia, to mainly identify the importance and perception that owner managers of SMEs attach to the concept of training and, consequently, identifies the various barriers faced by the SMEs to impart training. Findings Data obtained were analysed using SPSS 20.0 through descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The analysis of the findings showed that training practices among SMEs in Mauritius rhymes with extant general literature. Originality/value Research pertaining to SMEs is still in a state of infancy in the Republic of Mauritius, without mentioning that it is practically non-existent as far as the training function is concerned. This paper thus attempts to provide both policymakers and researchers’ scientific data regarding the barriers which SMEs face when indulging in training.