Critical Success Factors for SMEs in the UK Chemical Distribution Industry: The ‘Brexit’ Effect

2020 ◽  
pp. 155-177
Author(s):  
Evripidis Lampadarios ◽  
Niki Kyriakidou
Keyword(s):  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Chemical Distribution ◽  
The Uk

scholarly journals Critical Success Factors for SMEs: An Empirical Study in the UK Chemical Distribution Industry

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evripidis Lampadarios
Keyword(s):  
Work Experience ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Regulatory Compliance ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Strategy Formulation ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Chemical Distribution ◽  
The Uk

<p>The UK chemical distribution industry, which is a well-established, fragmented, subject to strong consolidation, significant part of the chemical industry and a major contributor to the UK economy and employment, remains largely unexplored, with no research in the factors contributing to SMEs success. This is the first study to identify the factors critical to small business success and provide an integrative perspective in the specific industry. The research is based on the opinions of owners and very senior managers (Managing Directors, Directors, CEOs and CFOs), an approach extensively used by other researchers. A total of 180 SMEs fulfilling the criteria of this study are identified with 118 owners/managers participating, generating a very satisfactory response rate of 65.5%. Regulatory Compliance, Entrepreneurial Orientation, Customer Relations Management, Market and Product development, Prior Work Experience and Management Skills, Human Capital, Economic Environment and Strategic Planning are established as critical success factors (CSFs). Findings suggest that success is a multidimensional phenomenon where both firm-internal and firm-external factors need to be optimal simultaneously; satisfying one or two factors does not necessarily guarantee success. Strong interrelationships are also revealed amongst the critical and non-critical success factors. The paper contributes towards the integration of SMEs success factors theories and provides guidelines to various stakeholders and policy-makers to improve strategy formulation and decision-making process in supporting chemical distribution SMEs.</p>

Critical success factors of an effective repairs and maintenance service for social housing in the UK

Facilities ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 226-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Tucker ◽  
Martin Turley ◽  
Sam Holgate
Keyword(s):  
Social Housing ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantitative Research Methods ◽  
Service Levels ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Maintenance Service ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the critical success factors of an effective repairs service by initially identifying what the important considerations are. Design/methodology/approach – Using quantitative research methods the study then examines how important each of the factors is considered from the perspective of those responsible for such services in the Northwest of England, the level of implementation throughout the region is also examined. Findings – Respondents felt that all 11 factors are perceived as “very” important but only nine are “always” implemented within their place of work. Sustainability and innovation are identified as the two factors that are least critical. It can also be said that although important and well implemented, the in-house skills factor does not appear to be considered as critical in comparison to the other factors. Originality/value – The UK housing sector is under an enormous amount of pressure to meet the needs of a growing population in extremely uncertain financial conditions. Social housing is a potential solution but providers are currently contending with reduced budgets and cuts to staffing levels together with an expectation that service levels will be maintained and value for money maximised. Repairs and maintenance of their stock is at the forefront of their challenge to meet these expectations and it is therefore vital that the service they provide is effective.

Critical success factors for PPP/PFI projects in the UK construction industry

2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 459-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bing Li ◽  
A. Akintoye ◽  
P. J. Edwards ◽  
C. Hardcastle
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
The Uk

scholarly journals The critical success factors for stakeholder management in the restoration of built heritage assets in the UK

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 304-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chijindu V. Nwachukwu ◽  
Chika Udeaja ◽  
Nicholas Chileshe ◽  
Chimene E. Okere
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Cultural Significance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Built Heritage ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Road Map ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Built heritage or historic assets (BHAs) constructed in the pre-nineteenth century in the UK are perceived to have certain characteristics which instill cultural significance in them and have seen them become valuable to the economy of the country. The heritage sector makes significant contributions to the UK economy through provision of tourist attractive sites, construction and servicing of heritage assets, heritage conservation, research, and commercial activities carried out within and around heritage assets. These benefits have seen them draw considerable interests from diverse stakeholders within and outside the heritage sector. Hence, a lot of attention is drawn toward restoration of such assets, from stakeholders of different interests, ranging from advocacies for no alteration to complete alteration of the heritage assets. As with construction projects, conflict of interests amongst stakeholders affect the outcome of restoration projects and the purpose of this paper is to examine the critical success factors (CSFs) for managing the stakeholders to achieve the projects’ objectives. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the views and experiences of practitioners in the heritage sector who have been involved with BHA restoration projects. A total of 32 CSFs for stakeholder management, obtained through rigorous reviews of literature, were subjected to a severe scrutiny with eight restoration experts to determine the importance of the CSFs in restoration projects. The outcome of the exercise was a modified list of 20 CSFs which were further tested on 52 restoration practitioners in the UK using a structured questionnaire to determine the degree of importance of each of the CSFs in restoration projects and their relationships as perceived by the practitioners. Findings The results of the analyses performed on the data show that most of the CSFs were perceived by restoration practitioners as truly critical and vital for successful management of stakeholders in restoration of BHAs. The results also indicate that there is a strong consensus amongst over 50 percent of the practitioners on the rankings of the CSFs. Practical implications The identified CSFs could be used by the restoration practitioners as a “road map” for the development of appropriate solutions for successfully managing stakeholders associated with the promotion and BHAs restoration assets. Originality/value Although CSFs for stakeholder management in construction have been studied by many scholars, no specific research could be identified prior to this study to have been done in defining the CSFs for stakeholder management in restoration projects.

Using structural equation modelling (SEM) to understand the relationships among critical success factors (CSFs) for stakeholder management in construction

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jurbe Joseph Molwus ◽  
Bilge Erdogan ◽  
Stephen Ogunlana
Keyword(s):  
Latent Variables ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Best Fitting ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Stakeholder management plays a significant role in successfully delivering construction projects. However, being able to carry out effective stakeholder management in construction is contingent upon understanding the interrelationships among critical success factors (CSFs) for stakeholder management in construction and how they are related to project success (PS). This would enable the persons responsible for stakeholder management to know the logical process for addressing the CSFs in order to get stakeholder management right. The understanding of this relationship has not been addressed. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interrelationships between the CSFs for stakeholder management and PS in construction. Design/methodology/approach From an extensive literature review, 23 CSFs for stakeholder management in construction were identified. A conceptual structural equation model (SEM) of the relationships between CSFs was developed (including measurement and structural models) using the groupings of the CSFs for stakeholder management in construction. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from construction industry practitioners. The data so collected were analysed using SEM in analysis of moment structures (AMOS). Findings The SEM analysis of data collected resulted in the best fitting measurement model comprising 16 CSFs as indicators of four latent variables, namely, stakeholder characteristics and project characteristics (SCPC); stakeholder analysis (SA); stakeholder dynamics (SD); and stakeholder engagement/empowerment (SE). Furthermore, it was found that only SE has a direct positive impact on PS. The other three constructs SCPC, SA and understanding SD collectively impact on PS through the construct, SE. Research limitations/implications The research reported in this paper was carried out in the UK; hence, the findings may have portrayed the UK construction professionals’ opinion. However, the theoretical principles on which the research was based are general and similar research could be replicated in different countries whose construction procurement processes and industries are structured like those of the UK or otherwise. Practical implications The main contribution of this study to existing knowledge is an empirical evidence of the interrelationships among the CSFs for stakeholder management in construction through their latent variables which is portrayed in the best fitting structural model showing the relationships between the constructs of CSFs for stakeholder management and PS. This should serve as a guide to construction project management team or responsible professionals for undertaking stakeholder management in construction projects. Originality/value The paper contributes to theory by empirically identifying the interrelationships among the CSFs for stakeholder management linking to PS which will serve as a guide to construction professionals.

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