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Magad, Ahmad Mohamed. "Strategic planning in SMEs in Singapore : SME multi-agency alliance, environmental impact and SME performance." Thesis, Henley Business School, 2003. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.274792.
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Rydiander, Sandra, and Filip Lindholm. "Tillämpningav SIQ Managementmodell i SME : Tillämpningav SIQ Managementmodell i SME." Thesis, Mittuniversitetet, Avdelningen för kvalitets- och maskinteknik, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-37389.
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Forskningen utgår från framtidens utmaning att öka kunskaperna kring kvalitetsutveckling och lyfta detta både som ledningsfråga och strategisk ägarfråga. Detta ur ett SME-perspektiv som har begränsade resurser och kunskaper att ta sig an kvalitetsutveckling. Studien syftar till att öka förståelsen för hur kvalitetsutveckling, med hjälp av SIQ Managementmodell, kan bidra till en hållbar resultatutveckling inom ett SME, med erfarenhet av kvalitetsledningssystem genom ISO 9001. Studien är baserad på en kvalitativ fallstudie av ett SME. Initialt skedde litteraturundersökning och utformning av workshop med fokus på SIQ Managementmodell i form av en presentation samt diskussionsunderlag för fokusgrupp. Därefter genomfördes workshopen och datainsamling genom individuella intervjuer samt gruppintervjuer och observationer. Studien visar på en ökad förståelse för kvalitetsutveckling genom en påvisad medvetenhet från medarbetarna. Med hjälp av SIQ Managementmodell kunde ett tidigare deterministiskt synsätt på kvalitet göras medvetet för att ge utrymme för ett mer dynamiskt synsätt. Deltagarna blev medvetna om en möjlig hållbar resultatutveckling och ett fokus på processutveckling, som kräver delaktighet för framgångsrikt arbete. Detta beslutade deltagarna skulle bli nästa steg i utvecklingsarbetet. För verksamheten som utgjorde fallstudien genererade workshopen en grund att utgå ifrån att påbörja ett kvalitetsutvecklingsarbete. Det skapade även en medvetenhet om förbättringsområden som både ledning och medarbetare kan arbeta med.This research is based on the future challenge of increasing knowledge about quality development and highlights this both as a management question and a strategic ownership issue. This from a SME perspective that has limited resources and knowledge to take on quality development. The study aims to increase understanding of how quality development, with the help of SIQ Management model, can contribute to a sustainable performance development within an SME, with experience of quality management systems through ISO 9001. This study is based on a qualitative case study of an SME. Initially, literature research and design of a workshop took place focusing on SIQ Management model in the form of a presentation and discussion for a focus group. Subsequently, data collection was carried out the workshop through both individual and group interviews and observations. The results of the study show an increased understanding of quality development through a proven awareness of the employees. With the help of SIQ Management model, a previous deterministic approach to quality could be made consciously to allow for a more dynamic approach. The participants became aware of a possible sustainable performance development and a focus on process development, which requires participation for successful work. The participants decided that this would be the next step in the development work. For the firm that constituted the case study, the workshop generated a foundation on which to start a quality development work. It also created an awareness of areas for improvement that both management and employees can work further with.
2019-06-26
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Vorel, Lukáš. "Internet marketing in SME." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2009. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-18169.
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This thesis aims to explore concrete ways of application of internet marketing for promotion of a small service oriented business-to-business (B2B) company in broader context of the so-called new economy. To support the validity of the presented applications the thesis first draws on well-established theory of marketing concepts. In the second part of the paper, the role of internet marketing in business strategy of small and medium sized enterprises is explored. The thesis then continues with detailed description of particular tools of internet marketing and discusses their relevance and most appropriate application in the chosen field. In the application part of this thesis, the tools of Google Search Engine Marketing, which are perceived as the most efficient agent of small business promotion, are field-tested in a real small business promotion campaign. Finally, the thesis concludes with discussion of possibilities of future development in the field of internet marketing and sums up the overall findings of this paper. Throughout this thesis, the examined new technologies are regarded through the lenses of practical experience reported by their users and, at the same time, with consideration to established theoretical framework.
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Ottová, Veronika. "Analýza IFRS pro SME." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2012. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-162267.
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The aim of this thesis is the analysis of the International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium Enterprises (IFRS for SME). The first part deals with reasons for the Standard, its contents, structure and its relationship to the full version of IFRS. Next section is focused on individual parts of financial statements in accordance with IFRS for SME, description of rules and principles for reporting and comparison with full IFRS. Theoretical foundings are illustrated on the financial statements of MES-IMPILO, company which uses IFRS for SME. Final chapters examine possibilities of implementation the IFRS for SME in EU and Czech Republic, countries which have already addopted IFRS for SME and application IFRS for SME in companies.
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Lu, Yunli, and Zhisheng Zhou. "A Critical review of SME internationalization : through two Swedish/Chinese SMEs." Thesis, University of Gävle, Department of Business Administration and Economics, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-4964.
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Background
The internationalization of SMEs can be expected to gain further momentum because the world economy is becoming increasingly integrated with continued declines in government-imposed barriers and continued advances in technology
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design a theoretical framework for the internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises, research, analyst and discuss.
Theoretical Framework
We have created a model of the internationalization of SMEs which includes four elements: Resource, Mode of Entry, Competitor and Marketing. We believe they are primary considerations for the SMEs to develop foreign operation.
Method
We will use qualitative method in our research
Conclusion
Optimize the allocation of resources, suitable way to entry foreign market, determine own Competitive advantage, positioning, decision making and controlling.
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Silberbauer, Christian. "The favourable characteristics of a balanced scorecard for smes within an internal banking rating : a case study of a german sme SME." Universidade de Fortaleza, 2009. http://dspace.unifor.br/handle/tede/81587.
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Previous issue date: 2009-06-25Since the enforcement of the institutional framework Base II, in the beginnings of 2007, banks are required to individually evaluate credit risk (CR) for every loan they disburse in order to comply with the new standard and remain competitive. When compared to international levels, German small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) show a high debt proportion which creates the challenge to satisfy the increased information needs of banks to secure efficient bank lending; otherwise, they would be hindered substantially. Methods such as proactive strategic planning, control, and management systems can assist companies in condensing, manipulating and perfecting information required within rating process by banks. The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) contemplates a holistic management system integrating quantitative and qualitative factors that drive firm s future performance and success. In this regard, it would be important to investigate if a BSC should be considered a valuable and efficient tool for German SMEs in the context of an internal banking ratings processed by German banks. If so, how would companies use and why is such a tool very important for rating concession of loans? In order to investigate these issues, the main purpose of this research is to examine the effect of a BSC on credit rating criteria within an internal banking rating (IBR) in Germany. Overall, this research is based on the enlightened stakeholder theory, which requires a firm to have a single-valued objective: value maximization. This thesis is split up into an exploratory and a theory reviewing section, as well as a methodological part that implements qualitative methods as a means to gather data. Furthermore, qualitative data was gathered through expert banking sector interviews during the exploratory stage as well as during a case study development supported by the theory reviewed. Using enlightened stakeholder theory in combination with empirical results of former research on BSC, the proposition that BSC creates value for a company is validated. Transaction cost economics (TCE), involving asymmetric information, explains actions taken by banks, and gives a theoretical explanation for suitable cooperative designs regarding SMEs as debtors with efficient transaction costs. This combination was used in a case study, where cross case analysis was also applied to analyze if data would fit with the scarce literature on BSC in the context of SMEs. Results showed that BSC is an efficient and valuable tool for SMEs within IBR as long information is redeployed in other management functions, and as long applicants rely on business modelling.
Desde a implantação do modelo institucional Basel II, no começo de 2007, os bancos têm sido levados a, individualmente, avaliar o risco embutido nas concessões de crédito (empréstimos), de modo a preencherem os requisitos do novo padrão e se tornarem mais competitivos. O risco de concessão de credito é avaliado levando-se em conta parâmetros classificatórios que utilizam tanto aspectos quantitativos como qualitativos na análise. Comparação internacional mostra que as empresas alemãs de pequeno e médio porte apresentam altos índices de inadimplência, evidenciando a necessidade dos bancos em manusear e ter acesso a informações relevantes que assegurem empréstimos eficientes, pois caso contrário, a concessão de empréstimos poderei ser negativamente afetada. Métodos como planos estratégicos de prevenção , controle e sistemas gerenciais podem ajudar as empresas na provisão de informações relevantes, necessárias dentro do processo classificatório de análise de risco pelos bancos. O Balanced Scorecard (BSC) contempla uma visão holística do sistema gerencial de uma empresa,integrando fatores qualitativos e quantitativos ligados ao desempenho futuro e sucesso da empresa. Nesse contexto, seria importante investigar se o BSC poderia ser considerado um instrumento valioso e eficiente para empresas de pequeno e médio porte da Alemanha, no que se refere ao procedimento classificatório de análise de avaliação de risco de credito concedido por bancos alemães. Se afirmativo, como então esse instrumento poderia ser usado e por que seria ele de vital importância para empresas e bancos envolvidos nas transações de concessão de crédito? Assim, o objetivo da pesquisa é analisar o efeito do BSC sobre os critérios de classificação de risco de crédito nos procedimentos internos dos bancos e como as empresas que se utilizam desse instrumento poderiam ser beneficiadas na relação tomada/concessão de empréstimos. A pesquisa tem como base conceitual a teoria dos stakeholders, cuja análise requer que a empresa tenha um único objetivo: a maximização de valor. A dissertação é composta por uma seção exploratória e outra de análise de teoria, além de uma seção que contempla a descrição dos procedimentos metodológicos usados. Os dados qualitativos foram coletados por meio de entrevistas com especialistas do setor de bancos da Alemanha durante a etapa exploratória e na fase de desenvolvimento do estudo de caso amparado pelo arcabouço teórico usado. Utilizando a teoria dos stakeholders em combinação com a evidência empírica de outras pesquisas sobre BSC, a proposição de que esse instrumento cria valor para a empresa é validada. A teoria dos custos de transações, envolvendo informação assimétrica, explica as ações realizadas pelos bancos e desenvolve uma explicação teórica para a adequação de designs cooperativos entre empresas alemãs de pequeno e médio porte, classificando-as como devedoras com custo eficiente de transação. Essa investigação foi conduzida através de estudo de caso, considerando também o cruzamento de casos como procedimento metodológico a ser aplicado na análise dos dados de empresas alemãs de pequeno e médio porte em relação à escassa literatura sobre BSC enquanto instrumento usado por tais tipos de empresas. Os resultados mostraram que BSC é realmente um instrumento eficiente e valoroso para empresas alemãs de pequeno e médio porte no processo de classificação do risco de crédito pelos bancos. Isso é evidenciado principalmente quando as informações são disseminadas em outras funções gerenciais dos bancos e quando as empresas tomadoras de crédito utilizam modelos de negócios.
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Do, David, Caroline Svedberg, and Jens Karlsson. "Characteristics of SME outsourcing : A quantatitive study of manufacturing SMEs in Småland." Thesis, Jönköping University, JIBS, EMM (Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Management), 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-481.
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Wang, Jinhua. "SME financing in Zhejiang Province." Thesis, Durham University, 2016. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11675/.
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This thesis laid the emphasis on Zhejiang Province which SMEs play a dominant role and is characterized with informal finance. The current financial system provided little opportunity for the SMEs to raise fund; companies in temporary illiquidity or facing solvency crisis obviously could not possibly rely upon internal capital for financing. Then, informal finance should be deeply studied. Guiding the informal finance to alleviate the SMEs financing difficulties could make contribution the financial and social stability at large. Therefore, it is a meaningful topic to be studied, both in theoretical and practical perspective. In chapter 2, the focus is mainly laid on studying the status quo of the SME financing in Zhejiang Province and exploring the role formal and informal financing play. Through literatures consulting, a tailor made questionnaire has been designed to learn the basic information, business establishment, business growth and funding sources of the firms. The copies of the questionnaire have been disseminated to the sampled entrepreneurs of SMEs across Zhejiang Province. Through the data collected from the valid copies, we could gain a brief understanding of these firms and its financing situation through basic descriptive statistics. With the data collected from the 150 valid copies, we have gained a brief understanding of these firms and their financing situation through basic descriptive statistics. In chapter 3, we tend to adopt various empirical methods to analyze the relationship of usage of formal (informal) lending and other factors. Correlation analysis, binary regression model and ordered logistic regression model is applied on the collected questionnaire data. With this empirical investigation, we try to further explore what impact these reputation and relationship variables may have on the financing practices they try to employ. From the empirical results, we find that firms with strong political ties, higher education, larger turnover and having received credit rating are more likely to employ formal financing practices. No consistent results have been found for informal financing practices. Moreover, we find that more factors work in the case of global financial crisis while only political ties and credit rating status work in the tightened monetary background like the period after year 2010. Combining these results, we conclude that reputation and relationship are vital in obtaining funds from formal financing channels in China. By contrast, all kinds of SMEs’ entrepreneurs are likely to tap the informal financing market. The finding is critical: on the one hand, the criteria necessary to obtain formal loans are quite stringent; on the other hand, the informal market seems to set no threshold for financing. In the light of these considerations, informal financing will inevitably play a dominant role within the financial system. In chapter 4, we firstly consult the extant literatures to learn the SMEs practice around the world. We then hold interviews with five managers from a commercial bank to learn their mindset towards SMEs business. Then, through the combination of what we find from the literature and the interviews, as well as the empirical results from the previous chapters, we propose specific policy suggestions. Policy suggestions are proposed from three different dimensions: the supply side of funds for SMEs financing (including both the formal and informal financial institutions); and the demand side. Such grand view will offer more insightful understanding in SMEs financing. The policy suggestions proposed are explicit, specific and practical.
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Gyanwali, Milan. "SME growth in a recession." Thesis, University of Leicester, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/42331.
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This study examines how a small and medium enterprise (SME) achieved growth in the recession of 2008-09. During the recessionary period, businesses in the UK faced a challenging environment with critical financial shortages and credit squeeze. SMEs, being generally more susceptible in the times of recession, were particularly badly affected. Undeterred by such a difficult economic condition, the case study firm was able to achieve substantial growth in the recession. Although there are a significant number of studies on the growth dynamics of SMEs, they either concentrate on the natural growth in the normal economic situation, study large businesses or use large-scale data to examine SME performance in a recession. Surprisingly, little exploratory studies focused on the SME growth in a recession are found. This research addresses such gap in the literature through an in-depth study of a successful business in a recession. To do so, this study used plural methods to examine the business growth. It employed the participant action research as the main approach, case study as a design and mixed methods as a strategy to collect and analyse the data. It used both quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources to analyse the business performance and identify the growth-making factors. This study found that contextual strategies help SMEs to sustain and grow in a financially turbulent period. The case study firm implemented three management strategies – learning in the organisation, restructuring the organisation and customer-focus – to achieve business performance in the recession of 2008-09. The firm implemented these strategies and associated organisation-works by contextualising and making them ‘fit for the organisation’. All these strategies and organisation-works have a combined impact on the business performance. The outcome of this research, thus, suggests that SMEs may achieve business performance by implementing contextual strategies and associated organisation-works in a systematic way.
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Mareček, Jaromír. "Informační systém procesně řízené SME." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2011. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-114155.
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The thesis deals with the development of an information system in terms of small and medium-sized process-driven organizations. The main objectives of the study is to analyze the requirements of IS process-driven SMEs, further analyze the problems in the creation of this IS, generalize the obtained conclusions and formulate methodical recommendations for the creation of the information process-driven SMEs. The thesis consists of the first, more theoretical part and the second more practical part, which is based on the knowledge formulated in the first part. The thesis builds on experience gained by author in the project of reengineering processes and information system design in a small process-driven organization. All procedures are illustrated for better understanding and verified on specific company from the project. The thesis is written in sufficiently general, however, that its conclusions and recommendations are applicable to the greatest number of process-driven SMEs. The first part presents the basic principles of process management, improvement and reengineering business processes and examines the relationship of information system and business of organization. The contribution of this part is mainly to clarify the role of IS in the process-driven organization, which must be respected in the development of IS. The second part of the thesis analyze the requirements of the IS process-driven SMEs which are necessary to ensure support of business described in the previous section. It also describes ways to acquire and formulate requirements. Then lists the problems that accompany the creation of the IS in an effort to meet the previous requirements. The thesis ends with the formulation of methodological recommendations for each phase of the creating IS and summary conclusions. Especially is accented the importance of BPR and SOA for the final form of the IS.
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Ježek, Michal. "Řízení úvěrových rizik segmentu SME." Master's thesis, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, 2017. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-262903.
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Diploma thesis Credit risk management of SME segment is engaged in the credit process in the segment of entrepreneurs and small business owners, and also part of the segment of the public and nonprofit sectors in an existing bank operating in the Czech market. In the theoretical part there are defined basic approaches in bank risk management and their divisions. Follows overview of the different approaches. Another part is more detail devoted to credit risk. Credit risk is then solved by the credit case, incl. analysis of the credit approval process. Emphasis is also placed on the rating process by which the credit approval begins and ends.
The practical part of the work is focused on the analysis of product portfolio of the bank. The work deals with various credit products of the banks in this segment, in terms of supportability, delinquency, and overall risk. The second part is an analysis of the portfolio in terms of individual sectors, where are evaluated selected risky and less risky sectors.
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Analoui, Farhad, and Mohammed I. Al-Madhoun. "Empowering SME Managers in Palestine." Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/3784.
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NoSMEs create employment, wealth and a potential for future growth. In Palestine they can also mean survival and freedom. In Palestine they are not a choice but a necessity for sustainable development. But by their nature SMEs are vulnerable in a business environment characterized by uncertainty. To give the managers of SMEs in Palestine a realistic chance of success they need training to enable them to meet the challenge of running their enterprises effectively. Drawing on original research undertaken within Palestine this book explores how the challenge is being met (and considers how it might be even more successfully met) by enabling and empowering the owners and managers of these pioneering businesses.
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Thai, Thelin Jenny, and Vadman Ebba Florin. "Harmonisering av redovisningen för SME : Är regelverken princip eller regelbaserade?" Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-10407.
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En önskan om en enad internationell uppsättning av redovisningsstandarder har uppkommit på senare tid på grund av globaliseringen. FASB har i ett försök att närma sig IASB regelverk implementerat mer principer i US GAAP medan IASB har implementerat fler regler i IFRS. Trenden pekar mot harmoniseringen för att lyckas med en enad internationell uppsättning redovisningsstandarder. Globaliseringen påverkar inte enbart börsnoterade företag utan även små och medelstora företag (SME). Arbetet för harmonisering av små och medelstora företags (SME) regelverk har dock inte berörts i lika stor grad. Studiens syfte är att undersöka till vilken grad regelverken IFRS for SME, FRS 102 och FRF for SME är princip- eller regelbaserade gentemot varandra samt att utreda till vilken grad dessa är harmoniserade med varandra.För att uppfylla syftet har en kvalitativ studie utförs med hjälp av en innehållsanalys. Kvalitativ data används i uppbyggnad av den teoretiska referensramen med skriftliga källor i form av vetenskapliga artiklar. Empirin består av delar ur lagtexter av regelverken IFRS for SME, FRS 102 och FRF for SME som analyseras med utgångspunkt i den teoretiska referensramen.Det vi kom fram till var att IFRS for SME och FRS 102 är principbaserade regelverk medan FRF for SME är ett regelbaserat regelverk. När de sedan ställdes emot varandra betraktas FRS 102 precis som IFRS for SME som ett principbaserat regelverk men till en större grad. IFRS for SME och FRS 102 bedöms således som harmoniserade. FRF for SME anser vi å andra sidan vara ett regelbaserat regelverk och när det ställs emot IFRS for SME och FRS 102 anses det därmed svagt regelbaserade. Vi kan följaktligen inte betrakta FRS for SME som harmoniserade med varken IFRS for SME eller FRS 102.Vår studie bidrar därmed till litteratur om harmoniseringen av SME företag samt till IFRS for SME, FRS 102 och FRF for SME är huvudsakligen princip- eller regelbaserad. Dessutom görs en reflektion över om den enda aspekten med redovisningen är jämförbarhet då är det optimala läget för harmonisering när regelverken är stark regelbaserade.AbstractA desire for a united international set of accounting standards has arisen in recent times due to globalization. FASB has in an attempt to approach the IASB regulations implemented more principles in US GAAP, while the IASB has implemented more rules in IFRS. The trend is pointing towards harmonization to succeed in the desire for an united international set of accounting standards. Globalisation does not only affect listed companies but also small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Harmonisation of these small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) framework have not been written about to the same degree as the listed companies. The study aims to examine to which extent regulations IFRS for SME, FRS 102 and FRF for SME's are principle or rule-based to one another. The second purpose of the study is to investigate the degree to which these are harmonized with each other.A qualitative study with a content analyse have been conducted to fulfill the purpose of the study. Qualitative data is used in the construction of the theoretical framework in form of written sources such as scientific articles. The empirical data is also of qualitative character and consists of parts of the legal texts of the regulations IFRS for SME, FRS 102 and FRF for SMEs. The empirical data is analyzed on the basis of the theoretical framework.The conclusion was that IFRS for SME and FRS 102 are principle-based frameworks while FRF for SMEs is a rules-based framework. When they were facing each other FRS 102 was considered as a principle-based regulations but to a greater degree then IFRS for SME. IFRS for SME and FRS 102 is consequently considered harmonized. FRF for SMEs on the other hand is a rules-based framework and when it is set against the IFRS for SME and FRS 102 it is considered weak rule-based. We cannot therefore regard FRS for SMEs harmonized with either IFRS for SMEs or FRS 102.Our study contributes to the literature on the harmonization of SME companies, and whether the IFRS for SME, FRS 102 and FRF for SMEs are mainly principle- or rulebased. In addition, a reflection on if the only aspect of the financial report is comparability then optimal framework for harmonization are one that is strong rulebased.
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VALL, Lucas. "Determinants of Productivity of the Japanese SME Sector: The Impacts of Active and Passive SME Policies." 名古屋大学大学院国際開発研究科, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/2237/11807.
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Hallberg, Amanda, and Oliwia Kastman. "Kapitalstruktur hos svenska SME : En kvantitativ av studie av 12 861 företag inom SME kategorin "små"." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Avdelningen för ekonomi, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-22212.
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Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att studera hur små- och medelstora företags kapitalstruktur påverkas av företagets lönsamhet, ålder, tillväxt, materiella anläggningstillgångar, storlek och bransch. Metod: Studien genomför en kvantitativ undersökning med en deduktiv ansats. Med utgångspunkt i tidigare forskning utformas sex oberoende variabler för att sedan testa dess påverkan på kapitalstrukturen. Data samlas in från företagens årsredovisningar med hjälp av databasen Retriever och behandlas i Microsoft Excel. Data analyseras sedan med hjälp av korrelationsanalyserna Pearson´s r och Spearmans rho samt en multipel regressionsanalys i statistikprogrammet SPSS för att utröna eventuella samband. Resultat & slutsats: Studien erhåller en förklaringsgrad på 7,1 procent samt konstaterar att variablerna lönsamhet och ålder har ett positivt samband med soliditet, och därmed en negativ koppling till belåning. Den oberoende variabeln materiella anläggningstillgångar uppvisar en positiv korrelation med skuldsättningsgraden. Resultaten som studien kommer fram till finner stöd i tidigare forskning med undantag för den oberoende variabeln tillväxt och till viss del bransch. Slutligen fastställer studien att ålder är den oberoende variabel med störst inverkan på kapitalstrukturen. Förslag till vidare forskning: Det skulle vara intressant att undersöka fler faktorer än vad denna studie behandlar, för att se dess påverkan på kapitalstrukturen. Ett ytterligare förslag till fortsatt forskning är att genomföra en mer djupgående analys av branscherna, då dessa genererade varierande samband. Uppsatsens bidrag: Studiens resultat bidrar till ökad förståelse för kapitalstruktur i svenska SME samt verkar som indikator för vilka faktorer som har betydelse för soliditeten. Därmed bidrar arbetet till teoribildningen gällande svensk kapitalstruktur. Uppsatsen kan fungera som en vägledning för befattningshavare vad det gäller företagets finansiella struktur och utgör därför också ett praktiskt bidrag.Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine how Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise’s capital structure is influenced by the company's profitability, age, growth, tangible assets, size and sector. Method: The study carries out a quantitative survey with a deductive approach. Based on previous research six independent variables is designed with the purpose to test their impact on capital structure. The data is collected from annual reports using the database Retriever and processed in Microsoft Excel. The data is analyzed by using the two correlation analysis Pearson’s r and Spearman’s rho and a multiple regression analysis in the statistic program SPSS to determine any correlation. Result & Conclusions: The study receive an explanation rate of 7.1 percent and concludes that the variables profitability and age show a negative correlation with debt ratio, and thus a negative connection to borrowing. The independent variable tangible assets show a positive correlation with debt. The results of the study obtain support in previous research, with reservation for the independent variable growth and, to some extent, a few sector categories. Finally, the study shows that age is the independent variable with the greatest impact on capital structure. Suggestions for future research: It would be interesting to examine more factors than this study addresses, to see its impact on capital structure. A further proposal for future research is to conduct a more in-depth analysis of the variable sector, as it generates varying connection. Contribution of the thesis: The study results contribute to greater understanding of the capital structure in the Swedish SME and acts as an indicator of the factors that are important for the equity ratio. Thereby contributing to the theory regarding Swedish capital structure. The paper can serve as a guide for management in terms of its financial structure and is therefore also a practical contribution.
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nima, Ghasri, and Strid Carl. "Försörjningsstrategier och dess påverkan på SME : En studie på hur försörjningsstrategier för SME kan öka konkurrenskraften." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Malmö universitetsbibliotek, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-45665.
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ABSTRACT In this case study, various strategic methods that influence procurement, purchase and choice of suppliers are discussed. The aim of the study is to provide a clear picture and depiction of different strategies and tools that SMEs can use to increase competitiveness. In this study, a qualitative research method has been used where no measurements or tests have been conducted. The analysis in this case study concludes that the choice of suppliers and procurement strategies for a small and medium enterprises (SME) is not always an easy task, a lot of components should be considered when making a strategy. Although many theories and methods often claim that the economic factors are important, this study shows that it may be good idea for companies and organizations to see the full picture and consider certain other factors into account. The conclusion also shows that small food business companies often is affected by certain criteria like delivery security and lead time. Many of the factor that are value adding to SMEs has been shown in this study to be determined by the customer. This study is suitable for readers who work with purchase strategies and supplier choices. The reader gets through reading this study insight into different strategy related contexts that are adapted to small and medium enterprises (SME). Further research on the subject can be applied with the help of this study using both the methodological and theoretical frameworks. The results and conclusions may also be of importance in further research.
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Dy, Sov Ann. "Importance of SME development in Cambodia." Thesis, London Metropolitan University, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.595304.
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This research is concentrated mainly on Cambodian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are said to playa vital role in economic development and income growth in Cambodia, as they have been the primary source of job creation, not only in urban areas but also in rural areas. However, there are still considerable controversies over whether SMEs are more efficient than large enterprises (LEs) in contributing to economic development in Cambodia. The purpose of this study is to investigate the importance of SMEs in development taking Cambodia as a case study. Three hypotheses are investigated to reveal SMEs' advantages relative to LEs: (1) SMEs are more labour-intensive than LEs and S"MEs provide more jobs for women than LEs; (2) SMEs are as productive as LEs or even more productive than LEs; and (3) srvms are more equitable in distributing the income they generate than LEs. Most of the previous researchers have provided empirical evidences to support the three hypotheses. In this study, however, srvms were found to possess many undesirable characteristics, including the uneconomic use of capital, the inequitable distribution of the income they generate, the low productivity of SMEs, especially in provincial areas, and employing less female labour. Thus, Cambodia experiences the low efficiency of SMEs' performance. This is due to the government's ability to implement an enabling environment for business remaining weak. In particular, the legal framework for supporting SME activity remains weak, infrastructure and communication in rural areas are poor, and labour productivity is relatively low. Therefore, in order to improve SMEs in Cambodia, the government has to improve the efficiency of SMEs, implementation an action plan of the market-oriented framework for SME development, reduce the cost of doing business and related to bureaucratic red tape, improve the access to finance for SMEs, and improve market access for SMEs.
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Nicolas, Théo. "Essays on SME finance and banking." Thesis, Paris 1, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018PA01E049.
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Dans un environnement économique encore fragilisé par la Grande Récession, les PME apparaissent comme un moteur essentiel de l’activité et de l’emploi. Dans cette thèse, j’examine les déterminants et les conséquences des contraintes financières des PME afin d’identifier les formes de financement bancaire les mieux adaptées à leurs situations. Le premier chapitre analyse les effets des modèles d’activité bancaire sur le financement des PME et montre que les banques de trading augmentent les contraintes de crédit de court terme ainsi que les coûts de financement. Surtout, l’externalité négative du trading sur la disponibilité du crédit de court terme est encore plus forte pour les banques fortement capitalisées et dépendantes des produits dérivés. Le deuxième chapitre porte sur l’effet bénéfique de la relation bancaire pour les PME. Nous montrons que les prêteurs relationnels pratiquent des taux plus élevés en période de croissance et des taux plus bas en période de crise. Cependant, en incluant les entreprises monobancaires dans notre analyse, nous constatons que ce mécanisme assurantiel dépend de la capacité des entreprises à diversifier leurs emprunts auprès de plusieurs banques. Enfin, le troisième chapitre se focalise sur les effets réels des contraintes financières. Mes résultats mettent en lumière l’importance capitale du financement de court terme pour l’investissement des PME à travers le canal du besoin en fonds de roulement. Les entreprises qui ont des opportunités d’investissement ne peuvent pas les saisir car les contraintes de crédit de trésorerie les obligent à allouer davantage de cash-flow au financement du besoin en fonds de roulementRepresenting a clear driver for growth and employment, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have gained considerable attention in the aftermath of the Great Recession. In this thesis, I both examine the determinants and consequences of SMEs financial constraints in order to identify the most appropriate types of bank financing for their situations. The first chapter analyzes the effects of trading bank business models on SME finance and shows that trading banks increase both short term credit constraints and funding costs. Importantly, the negative impact of trading-banks on short term credit availability is even stronger for banks with higher capital and derivatives.The second chapter deals with the beneficial effect of relationship lending for SMEs. Following the literature that has investigated the countercyclical effect of relationship lending on interest rates, we show that relationship lenders charge higher rates in good times and lower rates in bad times. However, we include single-banked firms in the scope and find that this insurance mechanism depends on the firm ability to diversify its borrowing.The third chapter focuses on the real effects of financial constraints. While the literature examining the effects of financial constraints on firms’ investment has traditionally ignored loan maturity, my results emphasize the importance of short-term finance for SMEs through the working capital channel. The real effect of short term financial constraints arises when firms with opportunities to invest may be blocked from doing so because rationing may force them to allocate additional cash-flow to finance their working capital needs
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Costa, Ruben Manuel Silva Matos Sobral da. "SME internationalization : the case of JIX." Master's thesis, Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/19048.
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Mestrado em Gestão/MBAO principal objetivo desta tese é obter uma definição estratégica e um plano de internacionalização, que guiarão uma Pequena e Média Empresa (PME) portuguesa no seu processo de internacionalização. Desta forma, será possível definir uma estratégia e metodologia de internacionalização tendo em conta os objetivos de expansão internacional e os principais objetivos comerciais da empresa, nomeadamente: i) alcançar receitas de 5 milhões de euros por ano, dentro de 4 anos; ii) com 100% das vendas no mercado externo e iii) abrangendo 50% do mercado mundial. Num mundo cada vez mais globalizado, as PMEs precisam dos mercados internacionais para aumentar seu desempenho económico-financeiro, aumentar o seu nível de competitividade e assegurarem a sua sobrevivência. A União Europeia passa por uma das maiores crises das últimas décadas e Portugal é um dos países mais afetados, apresentando baixas taxas de sobrevivência das empresas nacionais e com elevada saturação do mercado interno. De forma a assegurarem a sua sobrevivência, as empresas nacionais precisam de investir em novos mercados onde surgem novas oportunidades de negócios, permitindo que invistam no seu crescimento e que sejam criadas condições de sustentabilidade a longo prazo. As empresas portuguesas precisam de defender uma posição no mercado internacional, especialmente no contexto actual da União Europeia. A pesquisa teórica realizada para esta tese explora conceitos, modos e processos relacionados com internacionalização e gestão estratégica de PMEs, e aplica essa base teórica a um plano de internacionalização para um caso específico de uma PME portuguesa.
The main objective of this thesis is to obtain a strategic definition and an internationalization plan that will guide a Portuguese Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) in its internationalization process. Therefore, it will be possible to follow its international expansion objectives and enterprise main objectives, namely: i) to achieve revenues of 5 million euros per year, within four years; ii) with 100% of sales from the foreign market and iii) covering 50% of the worldwide market. In an increasingly globalized world, SMEs need to rely on foreign markets to increase their economic and financial performance, their level of competitiveness and this way their survival. The European Union is going through one of the biggest crises of recent decades and Portugal is one of the most affected countries, presenting a low survival rate for domestic companies and high saturation of the internal market. To survive, domestic companies need to invest in new markets where new business opportunities emerge, allowing them to invest in their growth and create long-term sustainability conditions. Portuguese companies need to defend a position in the international market, especially in the context of the European Union. The theoretical research conducted for this thesis explores concepts, modes and processes related to SMEs internationalization and strategic management, and applies that theoretical base to an internationalization plan for a case of a Portuguese SME.
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Tuominen, J. (Janne). "Capability development in an internationalizing SME." Master's thesis, University of Oulu, 2017. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-201711293188.
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Internationalizing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are often struggling with limited resources. These resources might also set the limits for the opportunities to grow. Capabilities and resources have been studied within context of MNCs, but, SMEs have been left with less attention. Capability development gives a good perspective for the internationalizing SME, and it might give answer for the question of why some internationalizing SMEs perform better than others.
Capability development process starts from understanding resources and capabilities of the SME. Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capability Perspective gives a good grounding for understanding capability development. After the theoretical part, case study has been used for finding more sharpen perspective for finding answers to the research questions. Case study from Finnish firm Gravity has been included for scoping the subject through lenses of real-life SME. Questionnaire was used in a case study for collecting empirical data from the case firm.
This master thesis is aiming to find answer to research question: How an internationalizing SME have to develop their capabilities? In addition, as an additional research question, this master thesis is aiming for finding the answer the following question: How internationalizing SME have to adapt their capabilities in growing stage? In this study, the objective is focusing on the perspective scoped through a case firm. By using a case firm, it is excepted to find the concrete suggestions, the key factors of the capability development for an internationalizing SME.
The results showed that within RBV perspective, firm must know it resources including processes and products before developing capabilities. Internal factors work as a trigger for developing process. DCP emphasizes firm-specific managerial skill as critical aspect, with creating, extending and modifying the resource base for adapting changes in external environment. Both perspectives agree that capability development is much dependent on managerial skills and on perspective of how managers see those resources and capabilities. Resources might set limitations to grow, but these limitations can be stretch a little, e.g. by relationship building. The results give concrete proposition to develop capabilities for the case firm and general findings can be drawn giving answers to the research questions.
The case study strengthens and supported the findings found from the strategic management theories. The study itself offered a fresh perspective for the subject of capability development by bringing the internationalizing of the SME along. Further studies by utilizing bigger sample of internationalizing SMEs could bring more reliable results.
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Skřivánek, Václav. "Kritické faktory implementace IS v SME." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2008. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-12538.
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The topic of this diploma thesis is "Critical success factors of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises" Firstly, the terms enterprise resource planning system, small and medium sized enterprise and critical factor are defined. Part of this thesis is also dedicated to the importance of those systems in small and medium sized enterprises and the supply of products on the market is described as well. The importance of enterprise resource planning systems for this segment of customers is still growing and the number of products offered is quite wide. Customers have unambiguously preferred Czech solutions. Next part of the thesis contains critical factors literature search -- analysis of two studies. Conceptual model of critical factors is made on the basis of findings and comparison of those two studies. The relevance of this model is verified by the analysis of case studies of enterprise resource planning system implementations in small and medium sized enterprises. These case studies were downloaded from websites of system vendors. On the basis of new findings, new model was designed. Each critical factor is described in each part of the thesis to help understand under which circumstances it was used. Finally, the model is assessed.
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Hlohinová, Monika. "Analýza komunikačného mixu v segmente SME." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2009. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-18186.
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The main goal is to carry out a detailed analysis of the communication strategy of a company working in construction industry in the Czech market. Analysis is focused on the issue of the communication mix and appropriate application of instruments, depending on specific projects. Also included is a comparison of instruments used in the communication mix of the company with instruments used in the field on the domestic or foreign markets.
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Hornof, Johan. "Web-Based Information System for SME." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2010. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-74867.
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Nowadays, every single company needs to operate with large amount of data to support daily operation. Although there is pretty good market offer with information systems for managing various kinds of data, only small part of them is suitable for the company that does not deal with sale of goods but provides services, particularly marketing services or IT services (e.g. programming). This thesis describes the design and development of such a system which has a main goal to satisfy the needs of small to medium companies whose needs are still different than what currently marketed products can offer. Such a system will, apart from other functions, be able to manage projects and track work time of employees.
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Gronský, David. "Analýza úvěrového procesu v segmentu SME." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2014. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-193560.
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This diploma thesis deals with an analysis of the credit process in small and medium enterprises. First part describes financial risks, to which banks are exposed with a special emphasis on a credit risk. The next chapter describes the process of a risk management, particularly its individual phases such as identification, measurement, securing and monitoring. The third part discusses each phase of the loan process that represents the risk mitigation strategy on the level of a single trade. In the forth part a loan application of a particular applicant is being thoroughly analysed. The last, fifth part sums up a development of conditions on a credit market in small and medium enterprises.
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Pelletier, Baptiste Jean Jeffrey. "Internationalization of SME and entry mode choice in Brazil: the case study of Ameco, a French SME." reponame:Repositório Institucional do FGV, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10438/11042.
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The research’s goal is to analyze, for a French SME, the attractiveness of two target markets in Brazil in order to support the CEO’s decision making on future investment. To face EU crisis, many French SMEs are currently seeking new opportunities around the world, especially in the BRIC countries. In fact, Brazil appears to be a promising market, offering numerous opportunities for growth. However, compared to traditional MNEs, SMEs have to deal with a lack of capabilities, market power and other resources. Going global is thus risky and costly for SMEs, which implies to evaluate carefully the viability of a foreign implementation. The analysis has revealed that Brazil is a market of approximately 30 million euros for the next 10 years. This is definitely a promising market for a company like AMECO. Taking into account these criteria, AMECO should open a representation office in the following year to canvass new clients and sign new contracts.
O objetivo da pesquisa é analisar, para uma PME francesa, a atratividade de dois mercados-alvo no Brasil, a fim de apoiar a tomada de decisão do CEO sobre o investimento futuro. Para enfrentar a crise da União Europeia, muitas PMEs francesas estão procurando novas oportunidades em todo o mundo, especialmente nos países BRIC. Na verdade, o Brasil parece ser um mercado promissor, oferecendo inúmeras oportunidades de crescimento. No entanto, em comparação com as empresas multinacionais tradicionais, as PMEs têm de lidar com a falta de recursos e de poder de mercado. Ir global é arriscado e caro para as PMEs; o que implica avaliar cuidadosamente a viabilidade da implementação de um investimento estrangeiro. A análise revelou que o Brasil é um mercado de aproximadamente 30 milhões de euros, nos próximos 10 anos. Este é definitivamente um mercado promissor para uma empresa como AMECO. Levando em conta esses critérios, AMECO deve abrir um escritório de representação no próximo ano para angariar novos clientes e assinar novos contratos.
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Gäck, Madeleine, and Mahmutovic Emma Rijalda. "Belöningsystem i Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) : Vilken påverkan har belöningar på medarbetarnas motivation i SME företag?" Thesis, Högskolan i Halmstad, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-45205.
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Sammanfattning Titel: Belöningssystem i Small and Medium- Sized Enterprises (SME) - Hur påverkarbelöningar medarbetarnas motivation? Ämne: Kandidatuppsats i företagsekonomi - inriktning verksamhetsstyrning, 15 HP Författare: Madeleine Gäck & Emma Rijalda Mahmutovic Nyckelord: Motivation, motivationsteorier, SME, Belöning. Problemformulering: Vilken påverkan har belöningar på medarbetarnas motivation i SMEföretag? Syfte: Uppsatsens syfte är att få en djupare förståelse för hur belöningar används i SME företagför att anställda ska känna motivation i sitt arbete samt undersöka för- och nackdelarna som uppstår när belöningar används för att motivera sina anställda. Vi vill undersöka hur medarbetarna upplever motivation kopplat till belöningarnas utformning och om det är någonskillnad på om belöningarna är finansiella eller icke finansiella. Metod: Studien utgår från en abduktiv forskningsansats och en kvalitativundersökningsmetod genom intervjuer med anställda från tre företag som verkar i olikabranscher, för att skapa en djupare förståelse hur belöning påverkar anställdas motivation. Slutsats: Det som tydligt har framkommit med vår studie är att icke finansiella belöningar ärdet som påverkar anställdas inre motivation på en längre sikt. Det har framkommit attfinansiella belöningar som lön även skulle kunna uppfattas som en icke finansiell belöning,eftersom de anställda upplever lön som ett bevis på uppskattning.
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Ahmed, Khondoker Emran, and Suman Karmakar. "Challenges in the initial stage of internationalization : A study of Swedish and Bangladeshi SMEs." Thesis, Högskolan i Jönköping, Internationella Handelshögskolan, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-19549.
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Internationalization is a topic of much importance because of its complex nature. In this study, the focus is on the initial challenges that the SMEs have to face when they go international. The literature suggests that, due to the simple structure and comparatively weaker financial base of SMEs, they face many hurdles when entering into a foreign market. The purpose of the thesis is to investigate what challenges a Swedish and a Balangedishi SME are faced with in the initial stage of the internationalization process. We have used a qualitative method and collected empirical data through interviews. For the analysis, we use a theoretical framework that emphasizes the Uppsala Internationali-zation Model. Our main results show that the SMEs suffer because of the challenges to collect appropriate information and to reduce cultural differences. With this thesis we hope to contribute with a new understanding of challenges that can help the SME to better cope with challenges in practice when involving in internationalization.
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Entezarghofran, Yashar. "SME business analysis. : A railway case study." Thesis, KTH, Industriell produktion, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-141018.
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The purpose of this thesis is to study and investigate one department of a SME -active intechnical documentation at railway industry-on the challenges of applying and implementing some strategic management tools on its organization. To understand these challenges, a business planning process has been designed, implemented and documented during the thesis. This process has given the author the ability to answer the research question based on limited experience from this especial case study. However finding of this thesis can be an initial step to study the issue deeper with a group of different case studies to reach general findings. The result from this study provided some starting points to research about reasons why SMEs have such high risks of failure in the initial years of their establishment. On this especial case study, challenges were about two main issue. 1. The process of using strategic management tools were not rather a simple collection of strategic information but a complicated process of defining, answering and deciding serious strategic questions. 2. Lack of an independent organization inside the SME company in which the only responsibility is to ensure that strategies are being implemented on all levels. This can bean extra burden on the executive management team since they are dealing with everyday tasks related to everyday operations and could damage the task of ensuring that strategy is being fully implemented. The thesis act as an initial investigation and further investigations must be applied on big diverse groups of case studies to reach to general finding which can be applied and benefited by industry.
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Nicholls, Tom. "How SME takeover targets affect regional productivity." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2010. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/55503/.
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This thesis uses a new data set (BSD) of nearly all British firms that allows the study of small businesses in a spatial context, with particular attention to the market for SME control. The aim is to understand whether this market contributes to the productivity gap between core (London and the South East) and peripheral regions in Britain. It might do so if larger firms attempted to compensate for a lack of internally generated innovation by acquiring and absorbing productive small enterprises. Regular culling of top performing small firms in the periphery by 'outside' businesses could then stunt a region's capacity for indigenous development. On the other hand, acquisition by larger firms (perhaps from the core) may enable SMEs to improve their performance and thereby enhance a region's economy. In fact contrary to the experience of large firms, more productive small businesses have a higher likelihood of being acquired -- although there is a lower rate of takeovers more generally in the peripheral regions than in London and the South East. Takeovers also increase the chances of SMEs exiting, but this effect is stronger for the core region as well. Takeovers raise productivity after acquisition but by less, or even with deleterious effects, for the most productive SMEs. Combining the rate of takeovers with their effect on exits and performance, the overall, net beneficial, impact on regional productivity from the targets of SME acquisitions is slightly larger in the core than in the periphery. This is due to the differential rate of takeovers between locations. Rather than regarding the effects on SMEs from acquisitions as harmful to periphery regions, policy makers should attempt to understand why takeovers are less frequent there, and consider ways of improving the operation of the market for small businesses, especially in the periphery.
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Zuelli, Nicola. "Manufacturing process optimization within a furniture SME." Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 2010. http://oleg.lib.strath.ac.uk:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=12804.
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Kaufmann, Alexander, and Franz Tödtling. "SME innovation and support in Upper Austria." Institut für Wirtschaftsgeographie, Abt. Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, 1999. http://epub.wu.ac.at/264/1/document.pdf.
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This report is the Austrian contribution to the European TSER research project "SMEPOL" ("SME policy and the regional dimension of innovation"). The objective of this project is to analyze innovation policies aiming at SMEs, to evaluate their effectiveness and to propose potential improvements. For this purpose, important innovation support instruments for SMEs in several European regions - Upper Austria, the Triangle region in southern Jutland (Denmark), Lombardy and Apulia in Italy, Limburg in the Netherlands, Wallonia, northern and south-eastern Norway, Valencia in Spain, parts of London and its outer metropolitan area - have been investigated. This report focusses on the region of Upper Austria. It has four major parts: First, an introductory text describing the conceptual model of the research, its design and methodology, and presenting the investigated Austrian region. Second, a description of the national and regional innovation support system in general and an analysis of those support instruments which are most important for innovation activities of SMEs in particular. Third, an investigation of the innovativeness of SMEs in Upper Austria, the innovation barriers, and the effects of the selected support instruments on the firms' innovation activities. Fourth, conclusions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the innovation support instruments and proposals for improvements. (author's abstract, ed. M.Putz)Series: SRE - Discussion Papers
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Abouzeedan, Adli. "SME Performance and Its Relationship to Innovation." Doctoral thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för ekonomisk och industriell utveckling, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-71349.
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Current SME performance models suffer from a number of disadvantages. The models use intensively a business ratio approach, they look at SMEs as a homogenous group, they consider firms to be closed systems, they do not directly incorporate the impact of an enterprise’s innovation activities, and finally they are complex and rely on sophisticated statistical refining methods making them unpractical to use by SME managers. There are four major challenges when one tries to build SME performance models that lack these deficiencies. The first challenge is that the desired performance evaluation model must optimally incorporate both quantitative and qualitative input. The second challenge is that the model must incorporate non-financial input parameters, such as firm size and age (among others), in the performance evaluation models. The third is that the model must consider the variety of SMEs as concerns their business sectors, nationalities, sizes, and ages. The final challenge is that the model must be able to utilize existing limited information available from the SMEs bookkeeping practices in an optimal way. The thesis addresses three questions related to constructing a better SMEperformance model, namely (1) What are the advantages and disadvantages of the existing models used in evaluating SME performance? (2) What characterizes a comprehensive model for measuring SME performance with acknowledgement of the firm’s innovation activities? (3) How can a firm’s innovation activities be enhanced in relation to the firm’s external environment? To construct a model that copes with these challenges, I used a literature-based selection of parameters as well as a theory-based selection. I used both a conceptual approach and an empirical approach to discuss and propose a model, the Survival Index Value (or SIV) model, as an alternative to the existing performance models for SMEs. The major contributions of this thesis to the field of SME performance can be summarized in three outcomes: the SIV model as a new model of SME performance evaluation, the ASPEM as a new tool for strategic utilization of SME performance models, and a new approach to account for innovation in relation to the external environment of the firm using the IBAM tool. The work adds to the theory of the firm, as it presents a new way of evaluating firm performance. It also contributes to bridging the theory of the firm to organizational theory, by elevating the significance of networking and its impact on SME efficiency.
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Vogt, Oliver. "Collaborative electronic purchasing within an SME consortium." Thesis, Durham University, 2008. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1328/.
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The main function of purchasing is to assure the supply with required goods and services. Large organisations have both finances and knowledge to implement optimised purchasing resources, typically using information and communications technology (ICT) to improve efficiency. On the contrary, within individual small and medium sized enterprises electronic purchasing is conducted predominately through supplier's sales web sites.
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Abrahamsson, Caroline. "Swedish SME companies revisited ten years after." Thesis, Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för ekonomi, teknik och naturvetenskap, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-33063.
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Huallpa, Edgar Apaza. "Emissão magnética espontânea (SME) na transformação martensítica." Universidade de São Paulo, 2016. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/3/3133/tde-08122016-084445/.
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A presente tese de doutorado avalia a Emissão Magnética Espontânea (SME), fenômeno descrito recentemente no grupo de pesquisa do professor Hélio Goldenstein e que já demonstrou ser uma ferramenta promissora para monitorar a transformação martensítica nos aços. O SME é utilizado para monitorar a velocidade de propagação de plaquetas de martensita; identificar a temperatura em que ocorre o inicio da primeira transformação (Ms); observar martensita induzida por deformação ou tensões durante a deformação de aços contendo austenita metaestável e também estudar a transformação isotérmica da austenita em martensita. A duração dos picos individuais magnéticos emitidos no início (Ms) e no final (Mf) da transformação martensítica durante o resfriamento contínuo foram medidos e comparados com os tamanhos médios das placas de martensita, obtidos através da metalografia quantitativa. O SME, um fenômeno mais sensível do que outras medidas globais como a resistividade, dilatometria, Ruído Magnético de Barkhausen (MBN), etc., não exige um volume crítico de transformação para ser detectado, e é capaz de detectar sinais de placas individuais crescentes.This PhD thesis evaluates the Spontaneous Magnetic Emission (SME), a phenomenon recently described in the research group of Professor Hélio Goldenstein that has proved to be a promising tool to monitor the Martensitic Transformation in steels. The SME is used to monitor the speed of propagation of martensite plates; to identify the temperature at which the first transformation occurs (Ms); to observe martensite straininduced or stresses during deformation of steels containing metastable austenite and also study the isothermal transformation of austenite in martensite. The duration of individual magnetic peaks issued at the start (Ms) and in the end (Mf) of the martensitic transformation during the continous cooling were measured and compared with the average size of the martensite plates obtained by quantitative metalography. The SME, a phenomenon more sensitive than other global measures such as resistivity, dilatometry, Magnetic Barkhausen Noise (MBN), etc., does not require a critical volume of transformation to be detected, and is able to detect signs of growing individual plates.
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Shi, Jiwei. "Enterprise development : SME growth through e-business." Thesis, Liverpool John Moores University, 2010. http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/5947/.
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The opportunity for SMEs growth through its use of e-b/c has long been advocated by government, practitioners and academics. This research identifies the opportunities, benefits and impact of developing a e-business/ e-commerce framework/tool for this. It reviews e-business/ecommerce definitions, driving forces, initiatives, uptake, progress, barriers, success factors, models, strategies and best practice. It also reviews the characteristics and the importance of small and medium sized enterprises and their impact on the economy. In addition, the research explores the purpose and use of benchmarking and self-assessment tools for improving business performance. The research identified similarities and differences between small, medium and large companies. Due to the differences in nature and best practice strategies adopted by larger companies may prove to be unsuitable and impractical for smaller companies to follow. Through a number of case studies the research identified that the current e-b/c activity level is very low amongst SMEs (studied firms were mainly based in the Merseyside region), therefore e-b/c system integration appears to be an unrealistic target for the vast majority. Although there is no pattern or formula for e-b/c success, it is possible to evaluate the level of e-activity in each main business area to reflect the level of systems integration, and also to evaluate their e-b/c involvement and key actions for growth. The research identified that e-b/c success is driven by business needs, supported by ICT competence and executed by actions based on priorities. More importantly, a range of critical success factors that may have significant influence over e-b/c adoption and development were also identified. Certain factors can be advanced in order to improve a firm's overall e-b/c performance whereas other factors cannot be improved within a short time frame. The key findings of the research contribute to the current body of knowledge by identifying a set of enabling factors that may potentially influence an SME's capability to be successful in e-b/c adoption and development. It exposed a range of specific (fixed) factors which are typically difficult to implement within SMEs. In contrast, variable factors have the potential to be improved. Eight variable factors were specifically highlighted, forming a unique '8 dimensions factor' model and subsequently used as the basis for a proposed e-b/c self assessment framework. The research confirms that it is feasible for the e-b/c self assessment tool to be implemented and validated for commercial purposes and it could be specifically tailored for a business sector or country. The research outcomes set a natural scene for future research in a wider and global context, encompassing additional business sectors and global companies.
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Slavětínský, Radek. "Analýza cloudových řešení Business Intelligence pro SME." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2017. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-358847.
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The thesis is focused on the analysis of presently offered products supporting Business Intelligence (BI) which are affordable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Current BI solutions available to SMEs are mostly offered via Cloud computing, specifically in the form of Software as a Service (SaaS) as it requires low initial acquisition costs. The objectives of this thesis are to analyse the work in applications for BI in cloud that can be used by SMEs and to analyse in detail the comparison the worldwide extended reporting tools distributed as SaaS in the lower price category. The theoretical part provides a description of the Cloud computing and the BI system. In the practical part are selected following products: IBM Watson Analytics, Qlik Sense Cloud, Zoho Reports, Tableau Public and Microsoft Power BI. Practical testing of these applications was based on evaluation of the selected metrics with weights calculated by using the Fuller's triangle. Analyses and the information form the basis for comparison of selected applications. The contribution of this thesis is in discovering the strengths and weaknesses of these BI solutions. The output of this thesis can be used as a source for the selection of BI applications for SMEs.
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M'zungu, Simon David Munyaradzi. "SME Brand Management: Strategic and Operational Perspectives." Thesis, Griffith University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367331.
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Corporate brands are widely accepted as valuable intangible assets of organisations, which require competent management to create and safeguard their equity. There is a large body of corporate branding literature, which is fragmented along several disciplinary domains and biased towards large organisations. While the economic contribution of the small-to-medium enterprise (SME) sector in both emerging and developed economies is recognised, corporate branding research has neglected this sector. SME corporate brand management research could enhance the economic efficiency of the sector. However, SME branding research is still in an emergent phase and in need of further research. The main objective of this research study is to develop a holistic understanding of SME corporate brand management, incorporating both strategic and operational perspectives. A holistic model of corporate brand management, which considers both strategic and operational perspectives of SME brand management, could not be found in the current corporate branding literature. Consequently, prior to this study a theoretical framework on which to base the study of corporate brand management in the SME sector is still missing.
Therefore, another objective of the research study is to develop a coherent holistic process-based conceptual model of corporate brand management that incorporates strategic and operational perspectives, based on the available corporate branding literature. The preliminary conceptual model that was developed as the conceptual framework for the study of SME brand management consists of five stages namely, (1) strategic front end, (2) corporate strategy-operations/internal brand management interface, (3) operations/internal brand management, consisting of internal brand communication, brand enabling and ensuring consistent brand delivery, (4) brand performance and (5) environmental feedback. The conceptual model is the investigative lens employed to study SME corporate brand management practices. It serves several purposes including guiding data collection and data analysis, as well as providing a preliminary framework for answering the primary and subsidiary research questions.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Griffith Business School
Griffith Business School
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Gasparini, Giulia <1990>. "Internationalization process of Italian SME in Brazil." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/4997.
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Nowadays internationalization is a strategy adopted by many firms in different sectors.
Nevertheless it is a delicate process that needs attentive analysis and a particular focus on the target country.
The purpose of this research is to define the international strategy of Italian small-and-medium enterprises addressing the Brazilian market.
Starting from the choice of the final market, and going back to the obstacles encountered and goals reached.
In conducting interviews in the field, addressing a questionnaire directly to the firms, it is possible to collect the data related to the strategy followed to enter the Brazilian market.
This qualitative information, including success factors, difficulties, perceptions and initiatives undertaken, gives a representation of the process, underlying common features and sector-specific ones.
An important aspect that seems to be fundamental for all the enterprises contacted so far, is the recognition of the quality related to “Made in Italy” products perceived by Brazilian clients, that together with an ad hoc entry strategy and some support resulted to be a successful choice.
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Poblete, Leon, and Elin Grimsholm. "Internal and External factors hampering SME growth : a qualitative case study of SMEs in Thailand." Thesis, Gotland University, Institutionen för humaniora och samhällsvetenskap, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hgo:diva-529.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand are very important to economic growth and considerably essential to generate employment as in many other developing countries. SMEs account for 99.5% of the overall enterprises in Thailand while their contribution to the overall employment account for around 76% of all jobs. However, SMEs growth rate is still at a low level. Hence, this is qualitative study of the external and internal factors hampering the growth of SMEs in Thailand. Regarding external factors, there are a number of obstacles constraining their growth such as access to finance, competition, corruption, barriers to trade and macroeconomic factors as amongst some of the most significant issues. In terms of internal factors, there are also important constrains hindering their growth, for instance, poor management competences, lack of skilled labour, deficiencies in marketing strategies, little efforts on R&D, lack of new technology and low awareness concerning CSR are identified as some of the most important obstacles.
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Agyeiwaa, Owusu Jacqueline, and Aguirre Gonzalez Victor Raul. "ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMEs: A Case Study from a Ghanaian SME." Thesis, Högskolan Dalarna, Företagsekonomi, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:du-28512.
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Aim: The purpose of this research is to develop an in-depth understanding on the environmental factors that influence the internationalization of SMEs in an emerging African market environment. Methods: The study was conducted by using a qualitative research design. To fulfil the purpose of this research, the researchers adopted the use of a single case study to explain the different aspects of the topic being studied within the emerging market context. The research was supported with primary data obtained directly from the company through interviews and also with secondary data in order to support and compare the results obtained from this research. Results were analyzed using thematic analysis with the use of the NVivo software to represent data collected. Results: The main findings of this research indicate the internationalization process of financial SMEs in an African country like Ghana is heavily influenced by the socio-cultural factors in their home market environment and the technological factors in their host markets. Again, it was realized that the internal resources of the firm, particularly the competitive advantage, remained highly relevant and influential in the internationalization process on both markets. Furthermore, it was found that the internationalization process was not only influenced by the firm’s resources or the environmental factors but also by the firm’s organizational internal processes, international activities, level of foreign experiences and firm identity. Conclusions: Environmental factors have both positive and negative influence on the internationalization process of financial SMEs in an emerging economy like Ghana. Some factors have more impact on the home market than on the host market and vice versa. In addition, the internationalization process of financial SMEs in Ghana can mostly be initiated and successful when the firm has a market gap or foothold strong enough to sustain competitive advantage in the long run on both host and home markets. More importantly, this unique edge must be buttressed by ample firm resources.
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Schmuck, Ludger, and Veronika Vintish. "SMEs offline: why? : A multiple-case study of Swedish micro SMEs." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Företagsekonomi, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-111569.
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The Internet is becoming a more and more influencing factor in our everyday life. It affects many of our daily tasks and it is a determining factor we built our decisions on. Especially in Sweden, retrieving information about products or services online prior to the purchase is a matter of course and emphasizes therefore its importance. A website offers a costefficient potential for smaller firms with limited resources to be visible for consumers and to compete on the larger market. However, the website adoption has been neglected amongst 41% of Swedish micro Small- and Medium sized Enterprises (SME), which raises the question why this phenomenon exists. Existing literature does not provide a solid explanation of this occurrence and this is where our study steps in. In order to answer our research question and to fill this gap, the study is designed as a qualitative multiple-case study with twelve semi-structured interviews conducted amongst the owner-managers of micro SMEs in different parts of Sweden. The study aims to fill the theoretical gap by identifying and explaining the reasons why micro SMEs in Sweden do not adopt a website. The empirical contribution is the development of managerial recommendations about how micro SMEs can overcome the barriers to adopt a website. This research was guided by a conceptual framework, including strategic, consumer and customer, communication and interaction perspectives, as well as the perspective of the perception of websites. In order to carry out a profound analysis, we decided to apply two steps. The first step of the analysis was to connect the themes itself to theory in order to explore what the collected data represents so that reasons explaining why micro SMEs do not adopt a website could be found. The second step of the analysis included the exploration of the identified reasons in order to understand why these exist. The results from this study are expressed as six reasons why the owner-managers of micro SMEs in Sweden have not adopted a website. These reasons are: a wrong perception of a website, the lack of resources and competences, precaution, being a contractor to an umbrella company, being unaware of a website’s impact on the business and having successful network and offline-communication methods. The findings leave practitioners and researchers with an idea about what reasons are leading owners of micro SMEs to neglect a website and why these reasons exist.
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Rizza, Adam. "Business Intelligence i SME och stora organisationer : En studie om skillnaden mellan BI användande i SME och stora organisationer." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för datavetenskap, fysik och matematik, DFM, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-22028.
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Omvärlden ändras snabbt, vilket sätter press på moderna organisationer. Organisationer kan därför använda sig av Business Intelligence (BI) till att fatta bra och effektiva beslut. Enligt författare till litteratur, skribenter på Internettidningar, och debattörer på Internet, kan det dock vara skillnad på hur BI används i små och stora organisationer, då dessa inte har samma förutsättningar till BI användande (Chang, 2009). Vid påbörjandet av denna studie var det oklart hur SME och stora organisationer använder BI, samt på vilket sätt BI användande i SME och stora organisationer skiljde sig, och vad denna skillnad bestod av. Det fanns alltså kunskapsbrist inom detta område inom BI. För att berika ämnet BI med ny kunskap gjordes därför en studie där BI användandet i SME och stora organisationer beskrevs, samt redogjordes det för de skillnader som upptäcktes mellan BI användandet i SME och stora organisationer. Andra författare hade visserligen skrivit om BI användande i SME, fast de hade inte gjort någon typ av jämförelse mellan BI användande i små och stora organisationer. Även detta sågs som kunskapsbrist. En induktiv ansats med kvalitativ metod användes när empiri insamlades. Fokus var att samla mycket information av bra kvalitet om få enheter, vilket dessa metoder lämpade sig bra till. Totalt intervjuades sex enheter. Fem enheter intervjuades personligt, och en enhet fick svara på enkätfrågor samt intervjuades via telefon. För att kunna beskriva de fenomen som uppstod i empirin utifrån en "BI synvinkel" användes en teoretisk bakgrund när studien gjordes. Den teoretiska bakgrunden beskrev bland annat vad BI är för något, hur det används, varför det används, samt de komponenter och aktiviteter som hör till BI. I diskussionskapitlet redovisades och diskuterades SME och stora organisationers BI användande, samt den skillnad som upptäcktes gällande BI användandet. Dessa resultat kopplades också till den teoretiska bakgrunden för att beskrivas utifrån en "BI synvinkel". Resultaten kopplades även till den tidigare forskning som var gjord om detta ämne för att se vilka likheter och skillnader som fanns. Slutsatserna i uppsatsen tydde på att det inte fanns särskilt många skillnader mellan SME och stora organisationers BI användande. Slutsatserna tydde även på att resultaten inte var generella, då få enheter undersöktes. Resultaten ansågs dock som konkreta då skillnaderna(och likheterna) som faktiskt fanns, framkom tydligt. Slutligen gavs förslag på fortsatt forskning till läsarna och förslag på hur en studie likt denna kan bli mer "generaliserbar".
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Lin, Kunyi, and Wang Zheng. "Internationalization Process and Strategy Of Born Global SME." Thesis, Halmstad University, School of Business and Engineering (SET), 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-1597.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the internationalization process of Chinese Born Global SMEs and attempt to reveal the uniqueness. Base on the literature review and former studies, in this paper the Born Global SME internationalization process is assumed to depend upon the firms’ entrepreneurs’ experience, background and network; Product characteristics; Degree of Internationalization; Environment and Globalization.
In the study, a qualitative study was conducted in order to generating the understanding why and how Chinese Born Global company internationalization.
More specifically, the problem was investigated by using cases study and conducting in-depth interviews of key employees in four case enterprises. The case companies were selected from a pool of respondents to a survey, all of which are located in Zhejiang Province, Eastern China and founded in 1990s.
After analyzing the empirical data and comparing them with theories, the result demonstrates that Born Global SME is extremely international, and their internationalization process is totally different from the traditional internationalization theories.
The main conclusion of the study is Born Global SMEs growing rapidly in China, however, Chinese Born Global SMEs still on initial stage, OME mode is a wide used mode to enter international market by Chinese Born Global SMEs, at the end, some recommendations was also given.
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Pettersson, Linnea. "Implementeringen av REACH : Fallstudie på ett SME-företag." Thesis, Stockholm University, Stockholm Resilience Centre, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-7829.
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The importance of chemical use is enormous for areas such as agriculture, industry and medicine and hence a prerequisite for our modern society. In order to protect humans and the environment from the negative effects of chemical use, chemical regulations have been used at a relatively early stage in our history. The purpose of REACH, the new chemical regulation of the European Union, is to generate new knowledge of chemicals within the European market and to increase the responsibilities of the enterprises when it comes to risk management. Whether the enterprises will implement the regulations or not will be of vital importance for the realization of the law’s intentions.
The purpose of this study was to identify possibilities and problems that can occur when a downstream-user SME is about to implement REACH. Case study is the method by which this study has been carried out. Further, the study includes 20 smaller interviews with focus on smaller enterprises to address the generalization of the case study and to investigate the knowledge about REACH within this group of enterprises. The results from the case study showed three aspects that were important for this enterprise in the implementation process; the chosen enterprise had an active trade organization, the enterprise was a formulator and the size of the enterprise. The results from the telephone interviews showed that 12 of 20 enterprises were not aware of the new legislation but that there are differences between the subgroups of downstream-users. All of the interviewed formulators were aware of the legislation and had also started to work active towards implementing it, within the group of professional users only one of the enterprises were aware of the legislation. Further the telephone interviews did not show any clearly connection between the size of the enterprises and the level of knowledge about the new regulation, something that has been shown in earlier studies. Hence, there is a risk that the lack of knowledge will have a negative impact on the overall goal of REACH; to contribute to a sustainable development. From the results of this study it is motivated with directed information within this group of enterprises to overcome the lack of knowledge and to increase the chance that REACH will be a valuable contribution to a sustainable development within the chemical sector.
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Taylan, Can. "Innovationsprocesser i SME-företag : Från idé till kommersialisering." Thesis, Södertörns högskola, Institutionen för ekonomi och företagande, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-13160.
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Objective: For a long-term and viable economic development to take place in a country it needs to promote creativity and innovation in enterprises. The study applies the process model to study the process of innovation in innovative companies in Sweden. The study also applies the technology commercialization model to indicate the ability of companies to commercialize the technology to the market. Main purpose: The purpose of this work is to study how companies in Sweden proceed with an idea generation and if they manage to commercialize these ideas. Method: This study used a qualitative approach. Multiple case studies & interviews. Conclusion: The innovative ideas in innovative SME:s in Sweden is emerged from randomly events and from systematic developments. Consumer chock is the trigger who draws focus on the idea. Personal stimulations are the factor for the entrepreneur to start an enterprise. Some of the companies are distinctive. The biggest problems during an innovation process are time inadequate and insufficient funds. The management’s criteria distinguish from the R&Ds criteria. The employees do not switch work during the innovation process. The companies cooperate with universities and government-owned institutions. Almost all companies are customer orientated. The companies are successful to commercialize technology to the market.
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Johansson, Markus, and Robin Harding. "Functionality assessment of inventory management software for SME." Thesis, KTH, Industriell Management, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-131212.
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For numerous companies today, one of the key elements for successful competing in the market is an optimized inventory management. Inventory management is about satisfying the customer need, while keeping the inventory costs as low as possible. This report discusses the functionality assessment of inventory management software for small to medium sized enterprises (SME). It is an investigation motivated by the fact that high-end inventory management solutions are becoming financially available for SME via the SaaS technology. The main question that this study aims to answer is therefore what functionalities and functionality characteristics in external high-end inventory management solutions enable competitive advantage for SME’s. A survey complimented by a number of interviews was conducted in order to gain a broad picture of what the SME’s need from these solutions. The answers obtained from the SME respondents were compared to relevant literature, and from that the conclusions were drawn. Furthermore, a QFD analysis was made to evaluate how well an existing high-end-solution matches the SME requests. The result of the study shows that there are many similarities between what the SME need and what the large companies need in terms of functionalities in these systems. However, the study also shows that, for optimal use, these functionalities must be delivered by the system developers in a way that is better suited for SME’s.För många företag idag är en av nyckelkomponenterna för framgångsrik konkurrens på marknaden en optimerad lagerstyrning. Lagerstyrning handlar om att tillfredsställa kundernas behov samtidigt som lagerkostnaderna hålls så låga som möjligt. Den här studien utvärderar funktionaliteter i lagerstyrningsmjukvaror för små till medelstora företag. Det är en undersökning som är motiverad av det faktum att avancerade lagerstyrningssystem blir mer och mer finansiellt tillgängliga för små till medelstora företag via den så kallade molnteknologin. Huvudfrågan som detta examensarbete ämnar besvara är därför vilka funktionaliteter och funktionaliteters egenskaper i avancerade externa lagerstyrningssystem som möjliggör konkurrenskraft för små till medelstora företag. En enkät kompletterad av ett antal intervjuer genomfördes för att skapa en bred bild av vad de små till medelstora företagen behöver från dessa system. Svaren som erhölls från de undersökta företagen jämfördes med relevant litteratur och från detta har slutsatser dragits. Dessutom har en så kallad QFD-analys gjorts för att utvärdera hur bra en existerande system stämmer överens med vad de små och medelstora företagen efterfrågar. Resultatet av detta examensarbete är att det finns många likheter mellan vad de små till medelstora företagen behöver och vad de stora företagen behöver angående funktionaliteter i dessa system. Emellertid visar denna undersökning att, för optimal nytta av dessa system, måste dessa funktionaliteter anpassas för de små och medelstora företagen.
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Hector, Niclas, Jakob Hägg, Philip Hultegård, and Kerim Hanna. "Leverantörsvalets kriterier i SME : I en bytesekonomisk kontext." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för ekonomistyrning och logistik (ELO), 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-44212.
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The European economy today is built on small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) and SME’s recieve a lot more attention in the litterature now. Even though SME’s have earned more attention in the litterature there is a significant lack of information regarding purchasing and supplier selection in these companies’. This report aims to create bigger understanding of SME’s and their purchasing by showing how seven swedish SME’s select their suppliers. The report also try to create understanding regarding the trade economy, that is believed to exist in the certain region where the companies’ in the study are located and in what way this trade economy effects the supplier selection decision in the different SME’s included in the study.
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Major, Edward. "Tailoring Foresight to the needs of the SME." Thesis, Cranfield University, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.323926.
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Mkhaiber, Achraf. "Bank size, locality, SME lending and local economies." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2017. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/419978/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis contains both macro- and microeconomic analyses of banking organisational structure, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) lending and local economic development. The first examination is based on a bank-level analysis to investigate the impact of bank size on bank propensity to small and micro business lending. Secondly, I review the regional banking-growth literature and highlight the need for original investigations of the effects of local small business lending, as a measure of local banking development, on local economic development, emphasising the importance of distributional heterogeneity and spatial effects across regions within a one-country framework. Thirdly, I empirically investigate whether small and micro business lending, provided by small local banks, has an impact on the performance of local economies, taking into consideration the distributional heterogeneity among regions. Finally, I examine whether spatial spillover effects of local banks on local economies are significant. Using an econometric approach and data on over 14,000 U.S banks of all sizes, from 1994 to 2013, the results indicate an inverse relationship between bank size and the propensity of banks to lend to small and micro businesses. The relationship is robust and survives a number of rigorous specification checks. The subsequent review of the literature of regional banking-growth studies reveals that previously employed econometric methodologies do not account for distributional heterogeneity and spatial spillover effects in the examination of the regional banking-growth relationship. I also offer the small business lending channel as a proxy measure for local banking development. Furthermore, the subsequent analyses of the local banking-growth nexus indicate a boosting impact of local banks on the local economies through the small business lending channel. Besides, such impact varies in accordance to the regions’ level of economic development and the magnitude of the spillovers of SME loans from one region to another. Important policy implications can be drawn from my empirical findings. The inverse association of bank size with propensity to small business lending indicates that small banks are superior in SME lending through their form of relationship lending. Accordingly, small banks can be the optimal financial machinery to facilitate credit to and support the growth of SMEs. Moreover, the results emphasise the importance of small locally-operating banks to development of the local economies through small business lending, as well as confirm the existence of heterogeneous effects and significant spatial spillover effects of small local banks on the growth of the regions. The policy implication is that policy-makers need to ensure that localisation effects are sustained, because of the comparatively minimal cost required to minimize individual (in relation to aggregate) uncertainties and local stability can be relied upon to achieve global stability. Both can be done by supporting the creation and continued viability of small local banks. For this, a positive yield curve is required – which currently central banks in many countries are not delivering.