scholarly journals Sustainability Goals and Firm Behaviours: A Multi-Criteria Approach on Italian Agro-Food Sector

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5589
Author(s):  
Lucia Briamonte ◽  
Raffaella Pergamo ◽  
Brunella Arru ◽  
Roberto Furesi ◽  
Pietro Pulina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food System ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Food Sector ◽  
Sustainable Development Goal ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Desk Research

Today, the transition to a more sustainable model of the agro-food system is increasingly impellent, requiring all actors’ commitment. In particular, small and medium agro-food business (SMABs) play a decisive and central role in the food and economies of national and underdeveloped areas. Our study aims to identify, through desk research, the level of commitment and communication to the sustainability of SMABs operating in southern Italy. In this study, we followed the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) approach to implementing such a transition, using their principles as a diagnostic tool to interpret business operations. The data were analysed using two approaches: a regime analysis to assess which FAO principles are commonly followed to make the above transition possible, and an extension of the Abraham and Pingali (2020) framework to describe the commitment of SMABs to the Agenda 2030 goals with respect to the behaviour of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). We found that the SMABs’ behaviours are more oriented towards some FAO principles: those that explain their commitment to improving natural resources and livelihoods, fostering inclusive economic growth, and achieving sustainable development goal 7 of Agenda 2030 than towards others. The contribution of our study lies in providing detailed insights into sustainable actions taken by SMABs while testing the FAO’s principles as a new model to evaluate business operations.

scholarly journals Circular Business Models and Circular Agriculture: Perceptions and Practices of Dutch Farmers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1282
Author(s):  
Hans Dagevos ◽  
Carolien de Lauwere
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Food System ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Business Management ◽  
Dutch Government ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Production Practices ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

Although it is not clear yet what a full-grown circular economy (CE) is going to look like, it is clear that the challenges of transitioning to a CE are both impressive and urgent. The Dutch government has expressed the ambition to establish a CE in the Netherlands in 2050. In the wake of this, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality laid down a vision on circular agriculture (CA). A key question with respect to both CE and CA is if and to what extent this means business as unusual: How distinct is circular business from normal business operations? The ways in which the notions of CE and circular business models (CBMs) are often introduced suggest a big difference. However, closer scrutiny also reveals that in practice the impact of circularity is less obvious. Against the backdrop of such opposite observations, this paper examines how Dutch farmers perceive circularity and what implications this has for their production practices. Interviews (n = 13) with Dutch farmers show that circular business is adapted in normal business management by some and regarded as a genuine alternative to the conventional food system by others. By taking Dutch farmers as an example, this paper aims to contribute to our understanding of how CE is interpreted in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Practice of information systems

2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milind Kumar Sharma ◽  
Rajat Bhagwat
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Day To Day Operations ◽  
Medium Enterprises

PurposeTo provide the outcome of information system (IS) related practice survey designed to identify current trends in Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThis research is exploratory in nature, a survey methodology is used for study and the focus of study is cross‐sectional. Two companies have been selected for detailed case studies. The objective of the study was to become more familiar through survey and information collected to one point in time. The methodology was based on a questionnaire survey and personal interviews.FindingsThe outcomes, based on a survey of 210 SMEs, reveal that though SMEs understand and acknowledge the importance of the IS in day‐to‐day operations management in the present dynamic and heterogeneous business environment but these are yet to implement, operate and exploit it fully in a formal and professional manner so as to enable them to derive maximum business gains out of it. SMEs are not found equipped adequately with the IS resources to suit their needs.Research limitations/implicationsThe target of the study is the SMEs operational in the western part of India and hence it has the limitation in terms of the scope. However, the overall results are encouraging with 70 percent response rare in the survey and underline the need for more such studies. The results have implications for all managers responsible for IS, any SME in the era of globalization.Originality/valueThe paper presents IS‐related practices going on in Indian SMEs. Findings reported in the paper provide SMEs operators the utility of IS in day‐to‐day business operations.

Cloud computing system for small and medium corporations

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1.1) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
R. Vijaya Arjunan ◽  
K. Vinayaka Kamath
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Data Storage ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Computing System ◽  
Software As A Service ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Cloud Computing System ◽  
Medium Enterprises

Cloud computing provides services that allocate infrastructure resources using the Internet as a medium and data storage on an external server. Small and medium corporations are the foundation of any flourishing economy for a growing nation which seeks new and innovative methods to reduce the way they manage their resources. Over a couple of decades, Information technology (IT) has created a significant impact in improving the lives of people and alsoon the global economy due to tremendous digital transformation. With the growth of the Small and medium corporations, IT is creating some real impact in enabling these industries to undergo adigital transformation of their business processes while they continue to grow. Small and medium enterprises (SME’s) are usually identified as the dominant force for the growth of any country's economy. In the cloud computing environment, the SME's need not have the in-house infrastructure so they can give up on any initial expenditure for setting up and instead they can utilize the resources available on the cloud and pay as per their requirement and usage.This paper presents the results of a comprehensive interpretation to research some of the most commonly used SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) implementations in the domain of Cloud Computing firstly to identify the weaknesses of the traditional computing approach for SME’s, and secondly to identify the aspects of these weaknesses that can be overcome by implementing cloud computing.In this paper, we provided the overview of various cloud computing models and literature survey of these models. This study extends to create an own cloud computing system for small and medium corporations. We will be using Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) approach and see how small and medium corporations can leverage on this for their business operations.

scholarly journals The Motivation to Adopt E-commerce Among Malaysian Entrepreneurs

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-202
Author(s):  
Wei-Loon Koe
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Shed Light

E-commerce is important in creating a knowledge society and cashless business environment in the era of the fourth industrial revolution (IR 4.0). However, not all Malaysian entrepreneurs are ready for this digital way of performing business. The e-commerce ecosystem is still less matured, and the e-commerce adoption rate is still low among entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the factors that influence the entrepreneurs’ motivation to adopt e-commerce. Self-determination theory (SDT) was employed in determining the factors that influence the motivation to adopt e-commerce. This study employed a quantitative research method and surveyed 273 entrepreneurs through self-administered questionnaires. It used multiple regressions analysis to analyse the data and test the hypotheses. Based on the results obtained, it concluded that competence, relatedness and autonomy positively and significantly influenced entrepreneurs’ motivation to adopt e-commerce. Relatedness was found to be the most important factor, followed by autonomy and competence. This study contributed to entrepreneurship literature by applying SDT in understanding entrepreneurs’ motivation in e-commerce adoption. It also shed light on the importance of individual psychological factors in decision making among entrepreneurs. The study suggested that building a strong connection among the entrepreneurs, providing freedom to business operations and developing knowledgeable entrepreneurs are some crucial steps in motivating entrepreneurs to adopt e-commerce, especially in a developing country like Malaysia.

scholarly journals Small and Medium Enterprises Business Strategy in Pandemic COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Darwis Harahap ◽  
Ferry Alfadri ◽  
Ayu Damayanti
Keyword(s):  
Public Transportation ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Swot Analysis ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Business Strategies ◽  
Food Sector ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Narrow Space ◽  
Medium Enterprises

The COVID-19 pandemic that has hit the world including Indonesia since early 2020 has had a significant impact on the Indonesian economy, especially in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) sector. This study aims to determine an efficient business strategy to survive the COVID-19 pandemic in Padangsidimpuan City. This study uses descriptive qualitative analysis techniques with semi-structured interview methods using purposive sampling in selecting sources and then analyzed with SWOT analysis and described in the form of a matrix so as to produce several alternative SME’s business strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that several sectors in Padangsidimpuan City felt the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the areas of public transportation and tourism which experienced a decline. Meanwhile, in the food sector it is still stable, but in services such as expeditions and delivery it has increased. The narrow space of movement between sellers and buyers that is happening now makes selling online the main solution. Businesses need to open up insight in thinking to start choosing e-marketing as a promotional path for goods and services to increase the number of sales transactions while still adhering to health protocols.

scholarly journals The Development of an Automated Multi-Spit Lamb Rotisserie Machine for Improved Productivity

Machines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 165
Author(s):  
Xun Wei Chia ◽  
Poh Kiat Ng ◽  
Robert Jeyakumar Nathan ◽  
Jian Ai Yeow ◽  
Way Soong Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Temperature Stability ◽  
Product Reviews ◽  
Sustainable Development Goal ◽  
Food Manufacturing ◽  
Development Goal ◽  
Stable Temperature ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Roasting Time

Innovations in food manufacturing support the agenda for sustainable development goal 9 (SDG9) on industry, innovation and infrastructure. Pursuant to this goal, this study aims to develop an automated multi-spit lamb rotisserie machine that potentially improves the lamb-roasting productivity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The conceptualisation involved patents, scholarly literature and product reviews of lamb-roasting devices. The design and analysis are performed using Autodesk Inventor 2019. A scaled-down prototype is developed and tested with (1) roasting output, (2) roasting time and (3) temperature stability tests. The data for test (1) are analysed by comparing the means between control and experimental groups. The data for tests (2) and (3) are analysed using the t-test and Mann–Whitney U test, respectively. Significant differences are observed in tests (1) and (2), with outcomes being in favour of the proposed invention. The prototype cooks 92.27% faster with 700% more meat than a regular lamb roaster. It also cooks at a stable temperature. The cost analysis indicated that this invention could be sold at USD 278 if mass-produced. The design is structurally simple, inexpensive and easy to manufacture, allowing SMEs that rely on traditional spit-based machines to enhance their ability in producing roast lamb.

Pelatihan Dan Pendampingan Sistem Informasi Manajemen Di Era New Normal

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-212
Author(s):  
Ni Luh Putu Sariani ◽  
Ni Made Satya Utami Satya Utami
Keyword(s):  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Quality Of Services ◽  
Online Networks ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Excellent Service ◽  
World Economic ◽  
The Government ◽  
Medium Enterprises

Bali has a charm nature, unique culture that captivated the hearts of foreign tourists and domestic to visit. Since the pandemic covid-19 struck the world, economic growth in Bali the year 2020 has decreased, because one of the economic incomes of the business sector tourism. Efforts The government Bali restore the economy, turn on the micro, small and medium Enterprises (SMES). Peken Facebook is the SMES take the opportunities businesses trading through online networks and social media that continues to innovate using digital technology in the pandemic covid-19. Based on observation and interview found a weakness, the absence of application of Management Information System (SIM) the better. The purpose for apply SIM in the running of the operational business Peken Facebook so the quality of services increased as well as customer satisfaction achieved. Methods the activities of socialization, provides training and the practice of direct application of SIM and mentoring. The results of the activity show the high enthusiasm of the participants, Peken Facebook apply SIM in the running of their business operations to support service activities to meet the needs of the consumer. Conclusion, the service is done to increase the quality of human resources and partnerships, understand the concept of SIM as well as can give the satisfaction of consumers. Advice, Peken Facebook expected can apply the SIM properly, perform the evaluation in accordance with the development of market conditions so that it can create, innovate, following the development of better technology, particularly in terms of the provision of excellent service to the consumer.

Blockchain Application to the SMEs in the Food Industry

2022 ◽  
pp. 19-42
Author(s):  
Daniel Ruzza ◽  
Lorenza Morandini ◽  
Alessandro Chelli
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Food Sector ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Implementation Costs ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Trace Components

The agri-food sector is the highest application of blockchain technology to track and trace components and raw material along the supply chain. Blockchain presents many potential advantages; however, small and medium enterprises often lack the means and knowledge to exploit this technology fully. This chapter presents a case study of blockchain application, namely Trusty, a platform for the notarization of fully traceable information on blockchain in the agri-food sector. Thanks to its limited up-front implementation costs and its modularity, it seems particularly suitable for use by SMEs. The authors' goal is to identify some useful issues for practitioners and inspiration for future research for academics. The most relevant topics that will be placed are (1) needs and expectations of SMEs in the agri-food sector towards the blockchain, (2) difficulties of introducing blockchain into SMEs, (3) the agnostic approach to blockchain, (4) the different value of notarized information for B2B and B2C companies, and (5) limits of some blockchains compared to others.

AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF FACTORS INFLUENCING INTERNET/E-BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES ADOPTION BY SMES IN CANADA

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (04) ◽  
pp. 731-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
PRINCELY IFINEDO
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Of Innovation ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
External Pressure ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Relative Advantage ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Complexity Management ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Medium Enterprises

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) around the world engage in e-commerce and e-business to support business operations as well as to enhance revenue generation from nontraditional sources. Internet and e-business technologies (IEBT) are the pillars of e-commerce and e-business. Despite the universal appeal of IEBT, it has been reported that the adoption of such technologies by SMEs is influenced by contextual imperatives. The objective of this research is to investigate factors impacting the adoption of IEBT in SMEs based in the Maritime region of Canada. A research model based on the diffusion of innovation (DIT) and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) frameworks was used to guide the discourse. Such factors as relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, management support, organizational readiness, external pressure, and government support were used to develop relevant hypotheses. Questionnaires were mailed to key informants in SMEs. Data analysis was performed using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. Predictions related to relative advantage, management support, and competition's pressure were confirmed. The study did not support the constructs of compatibility, complexity, government support, customers' and partners' pressures as significant predictors of IEBT adoption by the SMEs in the region.

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