scholarly journals Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Competing in the Global Business Environment: A Case of Malaysia

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd Zulkifli - Muhammad ◽  
Abdul Kamal Char ◽  
Mohd Rushdan bin Yasoa’ ◽  
Zakiah Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Medium Enterprises

The Role of Market Orientation in Internationalization of SMEs

2013 ◽  
pp. 242-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosmeriany Nahan-Suomela ◽  
Satu Lautamäki
Keyword(s):  
Market Orientation ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Cultural Factor ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Market Knowledge ◽  
New Type ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Medium Enterprises

A rapidly changing business environment generates a growing demand for enterprises to understand their markets. Knowledge about markets is a strategic resource and enterprises are advised to invest in understanding their markets, competitors, and customers. Market orientation is widely studied as a concept describing how enterprises generate and respond to market knowledge. Market orientation is a cultural factor which we analyze in the framework of organizational culture. We examine market orientation as a cultural factor, as adopting a new type of culture inside and outside an organization can be particularly challenging for Small- and Medium-Enterprises (SMEs). SMEs have not been considered as very active participants in global business, where market knowledge is of utmost importance. For example, Keskin (2006) finds that market orientation is an antecedent of learning orientation in SMEs and market intelligence guides their learning processes. This chapter examines both theoretically and empirically how market orientation as a cultural factor is related to the internationalization processes of SMEs. This hopefully helps us to understand how SMEs can develop their businesses to a global level. We will present a qualitative study of four Finnish SMEs representing different phases of internationalization. Finally, discussion on the results and future research directions will be presented.

scholarly journals Micro and Macroeconomic Approaches Regarding Foreign Direct Investments Throughout Offshore Entities

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 180-183
Author(s):  
Alexandru Trifu
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Free Market ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
The Other ◽  
Foreign Direct Investments ◽  
Global Business ◽  
National Budget ◽  
Offshore Industry ◽  
Medium Enterprises

Offshore companies represent a key-link of the current operations of the multinationals, banking institutions and, even, of the small and medium enterprises (SME) and are able to perform complicated tasks in a special business environment. These jurisdictional entities offer, mainly, fiscal benefits, comparative with other types of jurisdictional entities. The advantages are targeting the enterprises or companies which establish their social headquater, or to individuals who are resident in these territories. The final scope is represented by attracting the expanding companies, by attracting capital and stimulating the rise of the necessary activities to ensure economic and social balance, so desirable in the economic games of win-win type. Therefore, we are in the presence of fine plaition of micro approach with macroeconomic one. On the first side, the desire of transnationals to obtain profits with less efforts and investments and, on the other hand, globalization (influenced by these entities) pursuit the shrinkage of all markets and businesses all around the world, inclusive using the offshores centers (or ,,fiscal paradises”). These institutions of free market are actioning both on the developed and developing countries. The last ones are affected by the imposibility of tax collect to the national budget and in the infrastructure investments. At the same time, using offshore companies in offshore zones, the multinationals gain neloial competitive advantages over the other companies, unable to spread theirs economic power and influence. We may speak about a sound offshore industry , which has turned into global business and range of activities. We try to underline the importance of the general development process in the actual world and, first of all, the direct connection beteen investments and offshore activities, in the benefit of either parties. It is an organic liaison between investments and offshore entities, including transitional hard developing countries as Romania.

Innovation Strategies in SME

2014 ◽  
pp. 315-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neeta Baporikar
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Development ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Global Business ◽  
The World ◽  
New Business ◽  
Innovation Strategies ◽  
Medium Enterprises

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in a country's economic development. The current trend of economic growth and rapid industrial development has made many countries open up their economies to the world. In conjunction, governments the world over are devoting and designing SME development plans to assist the SMEs in meeting new business challenges in the competitive global business environment. The focus of this chapter is identifying and analyzing innovation strategies in SMEs, drivers of innovation in SMEs from global perspective, and understanding the need of effective HRM to drive innovation. This will help in getting an idea about the competitiveness facing SMEs in the global business environment since challenges of SMEs in a globalized market together with economic turmoil is the reality. Further, two mini-cases reflecting SME innovation strategies are provided for better understanding.

The Effects of Culture on Planning and Technology in the Internationalisation of Medellín’s SMEs

2013 ◽  
pp. 365-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Bustamante
Keyword(s):  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Cross Cultural Management ◽  
Medium Enterprises

As an emerging market, global business is of greatest importance in Colombia and several efforts are implemented to keep up with the international competitive environment. However, these efforts should be accompanied with the development of entrepreneurial capabilities in a wide range of ambits, among others, cross-cultural management. This chapter describes cultural influences in internationalisation activities of Medellin’s small and medium enterprises based on original research results using descriptive multi-case methods within five companies and documentary review of business publications. It starts with an overview of the Colombian SME and cross-cultural management theories; then, the cultural influences on planning and internationalisation are listed, suggesting that systematic plans during internationalisation are not followed and technology tools are not properly seized due to management styles, a changing business environment, and small education levels.

The Effects of Culture on Planning and Technology in the Internationalisation of Medellín’s SMEs

2014 ◽  
pp. 758-776
Author(s):  
Luis Bustamante
Keyword(s):  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Cross Cultural Management ◽  
Medium Enterprises

As an emerging market, global business is of greatest importance in Colombia and several efforts are implemented to keep up with the international competitive environment. However, these efforts should be accompanied with the development of entrepreneurial capabilities in a wide range of ambits, among others, cross-cultural management. This chapter describes cultural influences in internationalisation activities of Medellin’s small and medium enterprises based on original research results using descriptive multi-case methods within five companies and documentary review of business publications. It starts with an overview of the Colombian SME and cross-cultural management theories; then, the cultural influences on planning and internationalisation are listed, suggesting that systematic plans during internationalisation are not followed and technology tools are not properly seized due to management styles, a changing business environment, and small education levels.

scholarly journals Extrapolative Collaborative Filtering Recommendation System with Word2Vec for Purchased Product for SMEs

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7156
Author(s):  
Kyoung Jun Lee ◽  
Yu Jeong Hwangbo ◽  
Baek Jeong ◽  
Ji Woong Yoo ◽  
Kyung Yang Park
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Filtering ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Recommendation System ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Share Data ◽  
Artificial Intelligence Technology ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Start Ups

Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) want to introduce recommendation services to boost sales, but they need to have sufficient amounts of data to introduce these recommendation services. This study proposes an extrapolative collaborative filtering (ECF) system that does not directly share data among SMEs but improves recommendation performance for small and medium-sized companies that lack data through the extrapolation of data, which can provide a magical experience to users. Previously, recommendations were made utilizing only data generated by the merchant itself, so it was impossible to recommend goods to new users. However, our ECF system provides appropriate recommendations to new users as well as existing users based on privacy-preserved payment transaction data. To accomplish this, PP2Vec using Word2Vec was developed by utilizing purchase information only, excluding personal information from payment company data. We then compared the performances of single-merchant models and multi-merchant models. For the merchants with more data than SMEs, the performance of the single-merchant model was higher, while for the SME merchants with fewer data, the multi-merchant model’s performance was higher. The ECF System proposed in this study is more suitable for the real-world business environment because it does not directly share data among companies. Our study shows that AI (artificial intelligence) technology can contribute to the sustainability and viability of economic systems by providing high-performance recommendation capability, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups.

scholarly journals Strategic Planning and Competitive Advantage of ICT Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary B. Awino
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Balanced Score Card ◽  
Medium Enterprises

The Paper is the research findings on the role of strategic planning and competitive advantage of ICT Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya. Literature suggests that the contemporary business environment in which organisations operate is increasingly becoming uncertain and unpredictable. Significant changes are mostly driven by technological changes, globalisation and trade liberalisation. As a result, like large enterprises, SMEs are facing new and unexpected challenges that threaten their competitiveness. While most countries acknowledge the critical role that SMEs contribute to their economies, both as an engine of growth and sustainable development, many questions still remain unanswered as to the determination of the critical challenges facing SMEs and how these challenges could be addressed to improve their competitiveness. These challenges have increased the need for empirical information which is essential for decision making in addressing issues that are likely to enhance SMEs survival and growth. It is noted that there has been no adequate research studies on the role of strategic planning and competitive advantage of SMEs. This study contributes to the need to address the research gaps and thus explored the role of strategic planning and competitive advange of SMEs in Kenya. The study population consisted of 238 ICT SMEs from Nairobi and its environs. A sample size of 146 firms constituting 61 per cent of the total population was selected through stratified sampling. The study aimed to collect data from 438 respondents from top, middle and lower management teams. Structured questionnaires with closed and open ended questions was used for data collection, 239 responses were received from 123 ICT firms a response rate of 55 per cent and 84.2 per cent respectively. Key characteristics of strategic planning including formality, environmental analysis processes both internal and external orientations, strategies adopted, and implementation and control were recorded. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, t-test, ANOVA, correlation, correlation matrixes and regression analysis. The key findings revealed that strategic planning has significant and positive influence in performance of SME’s. The test of hypothesis revealed that strategic planning has positive and significant influence on competitive advantage. The study demonstrated strategic planning as a learning tool and a strategic resource which is consistent with the underlying assumptions of resource based theory, systems theory, chaos theory and balanced score card model assumptions. It is envisaged that, this kind of research is likely to generate useful discussions on the role of strategic planning and performance, of SMEs. It is apparent that entrepreneurs of SMEs cannot ignore strategic planning as significant changes in competitive advantage is the result of change or effective application of strategic planning. Policy makers and academicians may need to address the capacity needs of SMEs and develop strategic planning model that address the challenges that SMEs encounter in a dynamic environment.

scholarly journals Women Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh- Challenges and Determining Factors

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Afroze ◽  
Md Kashrul Alam ◽  
Eliza Akther ◽  
Nahid Sultana Jui
Keyword(s):  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Sales Promotion ◽  
Social Constraints ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Medium Enterprises

The aim of this study is to find out the major challenges that hinder smooth operation of women entrepreneurs of Bangladesh. It also finds the reasons behind the success of the women entrepreneurship. Both primary and secondary data have been used to conduct the study. The questionnaire included questions about economic problems, family related issues, social constraints and other limitations faced by women entrepreneurs and the reasons behind their success. Women involved in various small and medium enterprises take on the challenge to work in a male-dominated society, competitive and complex economic and business environment. However, the identified challenges are inadequate capital, sales promotion, getting permission to start-up a business, gender discrimination, illiteracy and lack of knowledge among women, non-availability of training program and technical support, lack of managerial experience, in some cases young people make ill talk about the enterprise and so on. Personal qualities such as hard work and perseverance, management skills and marketing skills, support provided by their spouses or family are the main reasons behind the success of the women entrepreneurs. The level of participation of women in mainstream economic activities remains insufficient and the percentage of women in business is still much below than that of their male counterparts.Journal of Business and Technology (Dhaka) Vol.9(2) 2014; 27-41

scholarly journals Internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises from Arusha Tanzania: Market Information, Financial Resources and Product Quality Setbacks

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Liliane Pasape
Keyword(s):  
Product Quality ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Packaging Materials ◽  
Market Information ◽  
Processing Machinery ◽  
Key Players ◽  
Processed Products ◽  
Medium Enterprises

The small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are key players towards reviving the economy and livelihood development in Tanzania, yet their involvement in international business is still unsatisfactory. This study therefore assessed the three major setbacks for industrialization of Arusha’s SMEs namely as information, finance and quality. A cross-section research design was conducted using questionnaires. Through non-probability sampling, 50 respondents were stratified selected from SMEs owners, employees, business development support organizations and regulators. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and logit model. The findings on the existing business environment revealed that: majority of the SMEs involve women (68%) dealing with handcraft and tailoring, with less than five years of business experience. Moreover, the major identified information setbacks are low access to information source, use of irrelevancy market information, use of in effective medium of communication and high cost of the information. Besides, other financial related setbacks are limited sources of capital, lack of collateral, poor credibility history and high transaction cost. On quality setbacks include selling semi processed products, poor finished product and packaging materials as well insufficient processing machinery. Thus for SMEs internationalization the following recommendations are established: improving accessibility and affordability of relevant market information; designing various financial products at reasonable lending rates, strengthening entrepreneurial skills and formalization of enterprises; enhancing availability of processing machinery and packaging materials for improving product quality and competitiveness as well as avoiding selling of semi processed products . Above all, the government, regulators, private sector organizations and other key players along the value chain must play their respective relevant role towards supporting SMEs.

scholarly journals Small and Medium Enterprises in Mexico and the Craft Beer Sector in Baja California: Dynamic Capabilities, Culture, and Innovation

2022 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-203
Author(s):  
Araceli Almaraz
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Baja California ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Symbolic Capital ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Capabilities Approach ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Craft Beer ◽  
Medium Enterprises

This article studies how Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operating in emerging economies implement adaptative strategies to respond to constant changes in demand and global uncertainties, such as those stemming from the current SARS-COV2 pandemic. In this study the knowledge management capabilities used by SMEs in the craft beer sector in a region of northern Mexico are the focus of analysis. The objective is to present the competitive capabilities that craft beer sector has demonstrated in Baja California region and how small companies compete with the national industrial brewery and survive. Sources are data from a sample of companies and interviews with brewery owners, with which the analysis approaches, also, the Baja California business environment. The article highlights the routes of creativity, innovation, and symbolic capital of the companies in the region, and uses ideas from dynamic capabilities and knowledge management theoretical frameworks, to understand the craft brewery milieu. The conclusions in this article include the confirmation about the usefulness of these analytical frameworks based in the capabilities approach and the territorial knowledge. Also, the description of the existence of a complex Baja Californian milieu, where a multimodal scheme of craft beer characterized by different places of distribution and types of beer container, food-districts, at Mexicali, Tijuana, and Ensenada and a second generation of entrepreneur groups leading local business, is identified.

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