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.

Strategic orientations and capabilities' effect on SMEs' performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 829-845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Alnawas ◽  
Allam Abu Farha
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Suppressive Effect ◽  
Marketing Capabilities ◽  
Complementarity Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Orientations ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Medium Enterprises

PurposeThis study aims to: first, examine the effect of interaction orientation (IO) and brand orientation (BO) on marketing capabilities and small and medium enterprises' (SMEs') performance, and second, assess the complementarity effect of IO and BO on marketing capabilities and SMEs' performance.Design/methodology/approachA model was developed and tested using a survey methodology. Data were collected from 538 SMEs located in Qatar and analysed by structural equation modelling with AMOS.FindingsFirst, IO affects SMEs' performance only indirectly via marketing capabilities, whereas BO affects SMEs' performance both directly and indirectly. Second, contrary to expectations, the complementarity between IO and BO produced a destructive/suppressive effect, rather than a synergistic effect, on both marketing capabilities and SMEs' performance, reflecting the importance of a trade-off to enhance both marketing capabilities and SMEs' performance.Originality/valueTo the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper to examine the complementary effect of BO and IO on marketing capabilities and performance.

An examination of strategies under the financial tsunami

2010 ◽  
Vol 110 (9) ◽  
pp. 1319-1336 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.T.S. Ho ◽  
K.L. Choy ◽  
S.H. Chung ◽  
C.H.Y. Lam
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Strategies ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the factors, such as the different strategies adopted and the size of the company, that have a significant determining impact on the financial performance of companies in extreme circumstances.Design/methodology/approachThe research target of this paper is the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong. This is quantitative research and it is done on a survey basis, which includes hypothesis setting and statistical analysis. In addition, constructive suggestions are given to companies after analyzing the current situation.FindingsIn total, ten factors from four dimensions are determined as the critical strategies for the company to adopt in an uncertain financial situation. The result shows the influence of different factors on return on investment for the companies with different backgrounds.Practical implicationsThe business environment today is full of turbulence and uncertainties; this, along with the fierce global competition, means that manufacturers are all struggling to survive. The financial tsunami that has swept across the global economy is believed to be the most catastrophic in living memory. Therefore, this research will be especially valuable and useful to companies which wish to achieve excellence in business performance in spite of such a global disaster.Originality/valueManufacturers worldwide have suffered badly from the impact of the financial tsunami. The SMEs in Hong Kong are certainly not an exception. However, under the same adverse conditions, some have been able to maintain their stability or even thrive. The findings suggest some specific corporate strategies which will enable companies to survive and remain competitive.

Unravelling SMEs’ participation and success in public procurement

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmela Di Mauro ◽  
Alessandro Ancarani ◽  
Tara Hartley
Keyword(s):  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Public ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Medium Enterprises

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the role of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within the Canadian public procurement, by seeking to identify barriers and supporting factors of MSMEs’ participation and success in public tenders. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis builds on a unique survey run by the Canadian federal government, which addressed firms either participating or not participating in public tenders. Model estimation on the survey data relies on sample selection methodologies, which allow separating determinants of MSMEs’ decision to participate from determinants of success. Findings Results provide evidence that costs stemming from asset specificity and uncertainty (e.g. costs of bidding, requirements for participation, bundling of contracts and award rules based on minimum price) affect participation in public procurement. Within MSMEs, micro-firms are the most discouraged from participating. However, after controlling for factors affecting participation, micro-firms emerge as having a higher success rate, possibly because of high specialization and joint participation with larger firms. Research limitations/implications Because of the cross-sectional nature of the data used for hypotheses testing, endogeneity may arise if ex post variables affect ex ante decisions. This may apply if participation in procurement feeds on success in past tenders. Social implications Findings may inform policies for the inclusion of smaller firms in the public marketplace. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempting to disentangle determinants of participation in public tenders from determinants of success. Separating the two aspects helps fine-tune SME-friendly public procurement policies, by identifying actions that effectively facilitate success of MSMEs in public tenders.

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 Strategic Orientations and Absorptive Capacity on Economic and Environmental Sustainability: A Study among the Batik Small and Medium Enterprises in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 8957
Author(s):  
Noorshella Che Nawi ◽  
Abdullah Al Mamun ◽  
Raja Rosnah Raja Daud ◽  
Noorul Azwin Md Nasir
Keyword(s):  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Customer Orientation ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Matrix Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Strategic Orientations ◽  
Performance Matrix ◽  
Medium Enterprises

This research intended to evaluate the effects of innovation orientation (INO), customer orientation (CSO), supplier orientation (SPO), network orientation (NWO), and absorptive capacity (ABC) on economic and environmental sustainability among the Batik small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. This study adopted a cross-sectional design and collected quantitative data using self-reported adopted scales from 213 randomly selected Batik SMEs from Kelantan and Terengganu, Malaysia. The results revealed that INO, CSO, and ABC had a positive and significant effect on the economic sustainability (ECS) of the Batik SMEs in Malaysia. The effects of SPO and NWO on ECS were positive but not statistically significant. It was found that ECS significantly and positively affected the environmental sustainability (ENS) of the Batik SMEs in Malaysia. Besides that, ECS mediated the effects of CSO and ABC on the ENS of the Batik SMEs in Malaysia. Furthermore, important performance matrix analysis revealed that the most important factors for ENS were Batik SMEs’ ECS, absorptive capacity, and INO. For the performance of ENS, the most important factors were CSO, SPO, and NWO. The Batik SMEs and entrepreneurial development programs and policies should focus on innovation and CSO as well as improving ABC to sustain in today’s competitive business environment.

Factors affecting the entrepreneurial leadership in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of Pakistan

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahadur Ali Soomro ◽  
Naimatullah Shah ◽  
Shahnawaz Mangi
Keyword(s):  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
Entrepreneurial Leadership ◽  
Quantitative Methodology ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Strategic Factor ◽  
Top Managers ◽  
Medium Enterprises

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that affect the entrepreneurial leadership in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework is developed after reviewing a vigorous literature. This is a quantitative methodology in which cross-sectional data are collected from top managers and founders in SMEs of Pakistan through a survey questionnaire. The random technique is applied for the collection of data. The total samples are 352. Initially, 500 survey questionnaires are distributed through personal visits in different cities of Pakistan. The returned rate is noticed as 70 percent.FindingsThe data are analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 24.0. The overall Cronbach’sαreliability is 0.866. On the other hand, theαfor all variables (dependent and independent) is observed within the adequate ranges. The overall findings reveal that there is a positive and significant relationship among strategic factor, motivational factor, personality factor, communicative factor and entrepreneurial leadership.Practical implicationsThis study may contribute to existing efforts to assimilate the arenas of strategy, motivation, communication, leadership and entrepreneurship. In addition, by reviewing the outcomes of present study, the policy makers and planners may further concentrate for promoting SMEs sector that is famous as a backbone for economic development.Originality/valueThis study is original and valuable with respect to data and context. The findings of such study may play a substantial role in the stability of the economy in Pakistan through enriching the SMEs sector.

scholarly journals The influence of absorptive capacity and networking capabilities on small and medium enterprises

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Watson Munyanyi ◽  
David Pooe
Keyword(s):  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Technological Transformation ◽  
Rate Analysis ◽  
Day To Day Operations ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Relational Capabilities

Background: In response to the ever-growing complexity in the business environment that has resulted from the dramatic technological transformation, businesses have altered the way they conduct business. The influence of the external business environment is increasing in significance, rendering traditional methods of operating business outdated and forcing the adoption of new methods.Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate how organisational capabilities influence small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) operational performance (OP), by specifically looking at absorptive capacity (ACAP), networking capabilities (NCs) and customer relational capabilities (CRCs).Setting: This study was conducted in Zimbabwe and was spread across the 10 provinces, focusing on 388 randomly selected SMEs.Methods: Data were collected through self-administering questionnaires to respondents, using the drop-off or pickup technique and making telephonic follow-ups to increase the response rate. Analysis of the data in this study was largely quantitative in nature and it was performed using a two-step structural equation modelling approach.Results: The results of the study indicate that CRCs lead both ACAP and NCs to improve OP.Conclusion: This study enlightens both SMEs’ managers and policymakers on the significance of capabilities, as opposed to resources, in the growth of the SMEs sector. In light of the results, it is imperative that firms orientate themselves to embrace networking and ACAP as central tenets of their day-to-day operations while attending to customers timely and innovatively.

Institutional framing and entrepreneurship capital in Uganda

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Mpeera Ntayi ◽  
Henry Mutebi ◽  
Kenneth Byangwa ◽  
Susan Georgina Kamanyi
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Moral Values ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Entrepreneurship Capital

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide policy and managerial implications required in solving the daunting problem of the existing low-entrepreneurial capital in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach – A large-scale comprehensive survey using a sample of 11,105 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from 40 high-growth towns was selected and undertaken from five regions of Uganda. The response rate was 40.5 per cent, translating into 4,498 usable questionnaires. Findings – Results reveal that institutional framing, entrepreneurship human capital and entrepreneurial moral values predict entrepreneurship capital in Uganda. These results are presented and discussed in detail in this paper. Research limitations/implications – The study applied a cross-sectional approach to study behaviour, yet studying behaviour requires time. Therefore, there is need for scholars to undertake a follow up study to test the hypotheses using longitudinal data. Practical implications – The paper provides implications for the review and development of supporting institutional frames for entrepreneurship, promoting generalized forms of human capital and entrepreneurial ethics moral values. Originality/value – The motivation for the study is derived from the observation that the legal and regulatory framework in Uganda is biased against SMEs. This is manifested in the high-regulatory burden of registering and running enterprises in Uganda. For example, the cost of registering a business in Uganda is high. Legal proceedings in Uganda are inefficient, complex and costly only favouring firms with resources and connections. This may restrict enterprise development and increase the costs of running businesses, distort human capital and entrepreneurial moral values thereby affecting entrepreneurship capital.

scholarly journals Logistics benefits and challenges: The case of SMEs in a South African local municipality

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengedzai Mafini ◽  
Osayuwamen Omoruyi
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Local Municipality ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Descriptive Survey

<p>Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the lifeblood of every economy. However, in order for them to sustain their role of contributing to the mainstream economy, SMEs have to implement effective strategies in all of their business operations, inclusive of logistics. The function of logistics is important to SMEs because it is the quintessence of the organisation’s relationship with suppliers and customers. The aim of this study was to investigate the challenges encountered as well as the benefits realised by SMEs during the implementation of logistics strategies. A quantitative approach using the cross-sectional descriptive survey technique was used in which a three-section questionnaire was administered to a randomly selected sample of 131 SME owners and managers in Emfuleni Local Municipality in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Data analysis was conducted using simple descriptive statistics. The results of the study reveal that financial constraints, the lack of logistics skills among the workforce, high costs of information technology and rapid technological advancements were the most important challenges to SMEs. Challenges related to inventory and environmental management emerged as the least relevant. Enhanced competitive advantage, increased sales and a reduction in operational costs were the most important benefits to SMEs. Reduction in labour turnover and innovation emerged as the least important benefits. Based on the findings, several recommendations were proposed.</p><p><strong>Key Words:</strong> SME, benefits, challenges, Emfuleni Local Municipality</p>

scholarly journals Determinants of entrepreneurial small and medium enterprises performance with the interaction effect of commercial loans

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-173
Author(s):  
Muhammad Asif Khan ◽  
Asima Siddique ◽  
Zahid Sarwar ◽  
Le Thi Minh Huong ◽  
Qaiser Nadeem
Keyword(s):  
Interaction Effect ◽  
Trade Credit ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Correlation And Regression Analysis ◽  
Trade Credits ◽  
Commercial Loans ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
First Time

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the interaction effect of commercial loans in between trade Credit, retain earning, and entrepreneurial small and medium enterprises (SMEs) performance. Design/methodology/approach In this research, the cross-sectional research design was used, and data were collected from 362 SMEs located in Pakistan by using a questionnaire. Correlation and regression analysis was adopted to establish the interaction effect of commercial loans in between trade credits, retain earning and entrepreneurial SMEs performance. Findings The results demonstrated that commercial loans, trade credit and retain earning have a positive relationship with entrepreneurial SMEs performance. The findings also confirmed the interaction effect of commercial loans in between retain earnings, trade credit and entrepreneurial SMEs performance. Originality/value The study examined the association and interaction effect of commercial loans in between retain earnings, trade credit and SMEs performance in the emerging state (Pakistan). So, this is the first time to study the relationship between these variables, which highly contributes to entrepreneurial SMEs literature.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document