Job challenges are hindrances too: examining experiences of managers and employees in Finnish SMEs

PurposeThe study aims to explore job demands experienced by employees and managers in micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing on the job demands framework, the study discusses the experienced demands from the perspective of challenges that create opportunities for learning and achievement and hindrances that create obstacles for work. The study builds on the idea that the same demand can be perceived both as a challenge and a hindrance. That approach opens a path to responding to challenges by reformulating working practices and removing hindrances by designing, developing and crafting jobs and tasks.Design/methodology/approachThe authors analyzed open-ended survey responses (N = 306) to study experienced job demands in 50 micro-enterprises and SMEs, how the perceived demands differ between employees and managers and whether they represent challenge or hindrance demands.FindingsThe authors identified 17 job demand categories most including both challenge and hindrance demands. Time management and prioritization was the most central challenge and hindrance category for both employees and managers. For employees, sales and stakeholder relationships represented the second largest challenge category and communication and information flow was the second largest hindrance category. For managers, the second largest challenge and hindrance categories were organization and management of activities and the fragmentation of work, respectively.Originality/valueBy focusing on employee experience, the achieve a more nuanced understanding of the SME context, which has been dominated by managerial evaluations. The study also advances the discussion on job demands by extending our knowledge of demands that may be experienced both as a challenge and a hindrance.

CEO Information Ability, Absorptive Capacity, and E-Commerce Adoption among Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises in China

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between chief executive officer (CEO) characteristics, absorptive capacity, and e-commerce adoption in SMMEs. To achieve this objective, the study analyzed primary data gathered from 2675 small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in China. A logistic regression model was employed to estimate how the CEO characteristics and absorptive capacity of SMMEs influenced their e-commerce adoption. The study revealed a significant positive relationship between CEO information ability, confidence, and e-commerce adoption. Additionally, this study confirmed a positive relationship between absorptive capacity and the adoption of e-commerce.

Studies on Improving the Performance of Small and Micro Enterprises through Green Innovation

It is an important goal of China’s 2025 Strategy to build an environmental governance system with the government as the leading role, enterprises as the main body, and social organizations and the public all participate actively. In this context, whether and how small and micro enterprises, as a force of rejuvenating the country through science and technology, participate in the construction of environmental governance system is discussed in this paper. This study uses the 12th China small and micro enterprise survey database to deeply analyze the direct and indirect effects between green innovation and small and micro enterprise performance, and finds that: in the direct effect analysis, the direct promotion effect of green innovation on the financial performance of small and micro enterprises is related to the development stage of small and micro enterprises, which is significant in the initial stage and mature stage, but not significant in the growth stage; in the indirect effect analysis, green innovation can indirectly improve the overall performance of small and micro enterprises by improving their environmental and social responsibility performance. At the same time, green innovation can amplify the role of other factors in promoting the overall performance. This study not only enriches the research scope of green innovation theory from the subdivision dimension, provides a new perspective for the integration of green innovation and social responsibility theory, it also provides theoretical reference and guidance for the green innovation practice of small and micro enterprises.

A Decent Work and Economic Growth

Asnaf entrepreneur is a micro SME entrepreneur who plays a significant role in the contribution of the economic sectors. In 2018, Malaysia registered a total of 907,065 SMEs, with micro-enterprises accounting for 2.3% (20,612) of the total. The poor and needy entrepreneur is also part of the successful key to support Malaysian to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The objective of this study is to identify the potential of poor and needy entrepreneur in Kedah Zakat Board (LZNK) to achieve SDGs. This paper uses a conceptual study method and explore the literature as a guide for enhancing knowledge on this area. This paper suggests a potential sustainable development model with four variables of poor and needy entrepreneurs in achieving SDGs goals. The contributions and implications of the study are discussed at the end of this paper.

Implementing the Innovation Strategy in International SMEs

Thanks to a relationship of mutual interdependence developed between the formulation of the internationalization strategy and innovation, on a larger scale they are entitled as decisive factors in the process of lasting growth of SMEs. The aim is to study the connections between internationalization, innovation and strategy as well as the results in terms of business competitiveness, covering a relatively consistent gap in terms of knowledge and inconclusive or even diffuse interactions regarding these interactions. In terms of internationalization, innovation and strategy, failure rates are quite high and have correspondingly consistent costs for companies. These are related to implementation details. Assuming there is a poor implementation of internationalization, innovation and strategy and to the extent that firms examine in detail each dimension of their business, they will tolerate an increase in costs. Even in these conditions, contrary to their weight, many SMEs do not have structured processes and protocols for internationalization, innovation and strategy. In entrepreneurial micro-enterprises, which is the main object of research, this aspect is particularly important and real. Identifying the tools used by companies to design the processes of development and implementation of internationalization, innovation and strategy, determinants and causes is very important to identify the main factors with particular impact on business performance and how these effects act or occur.

EFEKTIVITAS PROGRAM BANTUAN PEMERINTAH BAGI USAHA MIKRO DI KABUPATEN PONOROGO

One of the government's efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected several sectors, one of which is the economic sector, is by launching the Government Assistance for Micro Enterprises (BPUM) program. This BPUM aims to support and maintain the sustainability of micro-enterprises as well as a form of saving the national economy during the COVID-19 pandemic that threatens the national economy. This program was only issued during the 2019 covid pandemic, so it is still very new and there is still not much research on this program. The problem in this research is how the effectiveness of achieving the objectives, integration, and adaptation of the Government Assistance for Micro Enterprises (BPUM) program is. This research program uses a field method using a qualitative approach and uses a descriptive type of research. The results of the research are, firstly, the measure of achieving the goals has not been effective because the targets have not been fully accurate and the management of aid funds is still not in accordance with the objectives. Second, the integration measure has not been effective because there is no socialization from related parties to the prospective recipients of the BPUM program. And third, the adaptation measure has not been effective either because the implementing party did not conduct monitoring before or after receiving this assistance program. Salah satu upaya pemerintah dalam mengatasi pendemi covid-19 yang mengakibatkan beberapa sektor terdampak, salah satunya sektor perekonomian yaitu dengan mencanangkan program Bantuan Pemerintah bagi Usaha Mikro (BPUM). BPUM ini bertujuan untuk mendukung dan menjaga keberlangsungan usaha mikro serta sebagai bentuk penyelamatan ekonomi Nasional pada masa pandemi covid-19 yang mengancam perekonomian Nasional. Program ini baru dikeluarkan pada saat pandemi covid tahun 2019, sehingga masih sangat baru dan masih belum banyak penelitan tentang program ini. Permasalahan dalam penelitian ini adalah bagaimana efektivitas pencapaian tujuan, integrasi, dan adaptasi program Bantuan Pemerintah bagi Usaha Mikro (BPUM). Program Penelitian ini menggunakan metode lapangan dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dan menggunakan jenis penelitian deskriptif. Hasil penelitian yaitu, pertama pada ukuran pencapaian tujuan belum efektif dikarenakan target sasaran belum sepenuhnya tepat serta pengelolaan dana bantuan yang masih belum sesuai dengan tujuan. Kedua, pada ukuran integrasi belum efektif karena tidak adanya sosialisasi dari pihak terkait terhadap calon penerima program BPUM. Dan ketiga, pada ukuran adaptasi juga belum efektif karena pihak pelaksana tidak melakukan pemantauan sebelum maupun sesudah menerima program bantuan ini.