External linkages, innovation and the small and medium sized enterprise: the role and effectiveness of public technology policy in Portugal.

Doutoramento em Economia.

Lessons from natural disasters, tsunami-affected Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises(SMEs) in Sri Lanka

The main objective of this paper is to identify some of the key issues encountered by tsunami-affected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the process of rehabilitation and re-establishment in Sri Lanka. The second objective is to assess how far these affected industries have received various benefits and supports from bodies such as government agencies, private sector firms, donors and NGOs to help them get back into business. The final objective is to recommend policies and strategies to develop the tsunami-affected SMEs in a self-sustaining manner and within a certain time period. The main database of firms for this research has been obtained from the Industrial Development Board, which conducted a survey covering 4,389 tsunami-affected micro- and SMEs. In addition to this, information from various state organizations and NGOs-based sources has been used. This paper identifies the main issues related to tsunami-affected SMEs ranging from basic infrastructure provision up to finance, marketing, machinery, technology, training, product identification and development and so forth. In fact, it is shown that there are no significant differences between issues faced by SMEs in general and tsunami-affected SMEs, apart of course from the effects of a sudden disaster (the tidal wave). Consequently, these issues can be generalized as issues relevant to SMEs in Sri Lanka as a whole. However, under the flood and rain of local and foreign assistance, there have been more pledges and promises than actual deliveries and, so, tsunami-affected SMEs have received comparatively little support and assistance in recovering and no records can be found as to where the colossal amount of foreign assistance received has actually gone. Finally, this paper recommends various types of business incubator centres and entrepreneurial enhancing skill programmes for the revamping of tsunami-affected SMEs in addition to the normal disaster risk management plan.

Heikkojen signaalien hyödyntäminen PK-yrityksissä, tapaustutkimus osaamiskeskuksen toimintamalli

Diplomityössä tutkitaan heikkojen signaalien hyödyntämistä pienissä ja keskisuurissa yrityksissä (pk-yritykset). Tutkimuksen pääkysymys on, miten pk-yritykset voivat hyödyntää kansallisten toimijoiden, kuten FinNode Venäjän ja Finpron, tuottamia heikkoja signaaleita päätöksenteossaan. Tutkimuksessa käsitellään heikkoja signaaleja ja ulkoista liiketoimintatietoa. Käsittely pohjautuu kirjallisuudessa esitettyihin keinoihin ja menetelmiin, jotka liittyvät heikkojen signaalien havainnointiin, lähteisiin, keräämiseen ja hyödyntämiseen. Ulkoisen liiketoimintatiedon perustana on informaatioketju ja uuden tiedon luomisen yhteys ulkoisen liiketoimintatiedon hyödyntämiseen. Kirjallisuusmallien avulla on käsitelty myös haasteita, jotka ilmenevät heikkojen signaalien hyödyntämisessä, ja miten ulkoisen liiketoimintatiedon hankinnassa käytettävää prosessia pystytään hyödyntämään osana heikkojen signaalien seulontaa ja analysointia. Diplomityön tutkimusosassa kerättiin teemahaastatteluilla pk-yrityksiltä ja kansallisilta innovaatiojärjestelmän toimijoilta tietoa. Yrityksiltä saatiin tietoa ulkoisen liiketoimintatiedon ja heikkojen signaalien keräämisestä ja hyödyntämisestä. Kansallisilta innovaatiojärjestelmän toimijoilta kerättiin tietoa rakennetusta ennakointijärjestelmästä ja sen hyödynnettävyydestä pk-yrityksissä sekä osaamiskeskusohjelman roolista tiedon välittäjänä. Kirjallisuus ja haastattelut yhdistämällä tutkimuksessa syntyi toimintamalli Kaakkois-Suomen osaamiskeskukselle. Toimintamallin avulla pk-yritykset voivat hyödyntää kansallisen innovaatiojärjestelmän toimijoiden keräämää, liiketoiminnalleen tärkeää signaalitietoa strategiaprosessissaan. Suomen innovaatiojärjestelmä on toimiva ennakoinnin osalta, kun taas pk-yrityksissä ei useinkaan suunnata resursseja ennakointiin ja heikkojen signaalien keräämiseen. Ajankohta toimintamallin käyttöönotolle vaikuttaa tutkimuksen pohjalta sopivalta, sillä järjestelmää on rakennettu ja testattu jo muutamien vuosien ajan.

Luottamuksen rooli sidosryhmäyhteistyössä - Case: uuden teollisen yrityksen perustaminen

This study examines the role of trust in collaboration between stakeholders when establishing a new industrial company in Finland. Small and medium size company has been established about four years ago and nowadays it employs some tens of employees. Company is handled in this study as anonymous. Growth of the company has been fast, which means that stakeholder collaborations have been successful. The aim of the study is to examine what is the relation between trust and risk while establishing a new company. Secondly, the study examines what are the key expectations of the trust of new company. Third aim of this study is to examine how founders could build up trust among stakeholders The theoretical part of this qualitative research was done by using the theme interviews. The empirical material consisted of theme interviews of 8 persons, who are representing stakeholders of the new industrial company. The results of this study suggest that, when establishing an industrial company with aggressive growth plan, process is vulnerable and trust is having an important role. Stakeholders made some risk studies comparing to trust. Stakeholders were dependent of each others. Founder team consisted of trusted persons, which helped to have success in establishment process. Members of founder team have created all the elements of trust: honest, technical competence and attitude & behavior.

Palveluruokamarkkinoiden innovatiivisen toimintamallin suunnittelu

Diplomityön tavoitteena on ollut kehittää elintarvikeyrityksen palveluruokamarkkinoille uusi innovatiivinen toimintamalli haastattelujen, havainnoinnin ja kirjallisuuden perusteella. Tutkimusongelman päätutkimuskysymys on: Miten yrityksen palveluruoka- eli valmisruokatuotteille suunnitellaan innovatiivinen toimintamalli tuoteperheen ja jakelun suhteen? Tavoitteena on kartoittaa yrityksen palveluruoan nykytilanne ja luoda toimintamalli, joka toisi yritykselle selkeää lisäarvoa ja kilpailuetua. Teoreettisessa osuudessa selvitetään elintarviketeollisuuden, valmisruoan ja elintarvikelogistiikan tilannetta suomalaisesta ja globaalista näkökulmasta. Työssä on tarkasteltu elintarvikepuolen nykytilannetta ja tulevaisuuden suuntauksia tuotteiden, ruokailutottumusten ja logistiikan osalta. Innovaatioiden osalta työ painottuu palveluruokapuolen konseptin ja uuden logistisen yhteistyöhön pohjautuvan mallin kehittämiseen. Työn käytännön osiossa on tehty case-tutkimus ”yrityksen palveluruoan nykytilanne tuotteiden ja logistiikan osalta”. Toimialan markkinatilannetta on kartoitettu, jotta hahmotetaan, missä on potentiaalisimmat markkinat palveluruoalle. Työn tavoitteena on ollut kehittää Hoviruoka Oy:lle palveluruoan segmentointiin ja logistiikkaan liittyvä innovatiivinen toimintamalli. Toimintamallin avulla yritys saa kilpailuetua ja taloudellista hyötyä kilpailijoihin nähden, ja on edelläkävijä kyseisen toimintamallin ansiosta. Työn tuloksissa on käsitelty keskeiset tulokset ja mahdolliset jatkotoimenpiteet. Työssä kehitettiin yritykselle uusi toimintamalli palveluruoka puolelle. Työlle asetetut tavoitteet saavutettiin kaikkien kolmen - tekijän, yliopiston ja yrityksen - kannalta.

Body size and latitudinal gradients in regional diversity of New World birds

Axe latitudinal gradients in regional diversity random or biased with respect to body size? Using data for the New World avifauna, I show that the slope of the increase in regional species richness from the Arctic to the equator is not independent of body size. The increase is steepest among small and medium-sized species, and shallowest among the largest species. This is reflected in latitudinal variation in the shape of frequency distributions of body sizes in regional subsets of the New World avifauna. Because species are added disproportionately in small and medium size classes towards low latitudes, distributions become less widely spread along the body size axis than expected from the number of species. These patterns suggest an interaction between the effects of latitude and body size on species richness, implying that mechanisms which vary with both latitude and body size may be important determinants of high tropical diversity in New World birds.

International Advanced Water Technologies Centre, IAWTC/LADEC and LUT 2013 : Questionnaire Responses from Russian Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants

In this report, information is published concerning Russian water and wastewater treatment plants. The information is based on a questionnaire sent to 70 water and wastewater treatment plants in 2012-2013. The questionnaire was prepared by the International Advanced Water Technologies Centre (IAWTC) and Lahti Development Company (LADEC). The questions dealt with an assessment of the present state, the need for changes, renovation, investments, and how to improve the efficiency of the operation by training and investments. A significant need to renew the old pipelines, constructions, and processes was clearly evident. The aggregated answers can be utilized in Russia as internal benchmarking in order to arrange training and plant visits, which were requested in many of the answers. Sharing this open report with the respondents can aid networking and awareness of HELCOM requirements which relate to waste water treatment plants discharging their waste water directly or indirectly into the Baltic Sea. The aim of this report is to provide information for Finnish small and medium size companies (SMEs) as regards possible water related exportation to different parts of Russia.

A Distributive Comparison of Enterprise Size in Korea and Taiwan

Research to date on the economic development of the Republic of Korea and Taiwan has frequently contrasted the two economies by depicting the former as centered on large-scale enterprises and the latter on small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this study is to see if the appropriateness of this perception will also be verified by the statistical data. In Section I the authors utilized census data on the Korean and Taiwanese manufacturing sectors to compare the distribution pattern of the sizes of enterprises in the two economies. However, on examining the available data for making this comparison, the authors discovered that for Korea the statistics provided are those at the level of the establishment (a physical unit engaging in industrial activities such as a factory, workshop, office, or mine) while the statistics for Taiwan are those at the enterprise level. Mindful of this difference, the authors looked at the portion of the economy accounted for by large-scale establishments in Korea that employed 500 workers or more and by enterprises in Taiwan employing the same number of workers, and they discovered that the portion that these large-scale businesses account for, especially in the area of output, has steadily declined since the 1980s. When comparing the share of total production that these large-scale establishments/enterprises account for in the two economies, the authors concluded that those in Korea accounted for a larger share of that economy's production than did their counterparts in Taiwan. The authors then compared the portion of the economy accounted for by establishments in Korea and enterprises in Taiwan that employed less than ten workers, and they found that the portion of the two economies that these very small-scale production units accounted for has also been on the decline. Section II compares the portions of the two economies accounted for by large business groups. After comparing the percentage of GDP accounted for by the total sales of these business groups, the authors found that large business groups in Korea have played a far more important role in Korean economy than has been the case for such groups in Taiwan. This difference in the importance of such business groups in the two economies has also played an significant part in fostering the perceived dichotomy of large-scale enterprises playing the important role in Korea versus SMEs being the important players in Taiwan. Section III compares the percentage of total exports accounted for by SMEs, and shows that SMEs in Taiwan account for a larger share of exports than do their counterparts in Korea. This section also shows that in Taiwan the share of export sales for SMEs has consistently exceeded that for non-SMEs, while in Korea the relationship between enterprise size and the rate of export sales has been directly proportional. This difference in the size of the major export players is another factor fostering the perception of the Korean economy being centered on big business while Taiwan's is on SMEs. Although there were difficulties and limitations when comparing the data of the two economies, the statistical comparison undertaken in this study shows that in general big business has played the major role in the development of the Korean economy while in Taiwan's economic development this role has been played by SMEs. Thus the statistical data also verifies the perceived dichotomy of these two economies.

ITIL in Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises: toward a proposal based on an ITIL processes implementation sequence and a pofile scheme strategy for implementing the first process in the sequence

The backdrop of actual problematic about the implementation of Information Technology (IT) services management in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will be described. It will be exposed the reasons why reaching a maturity/capability level through well-known standards or the implementation of good software engineering practices by means of IT infrastructure Library are really difficult to achieve by SMEs. Also, the solutions to the exposed problems will be explained. Also master thesis goals are presented in terms of: purpose, research questions, research goals, objectives and scope. Finally, thesis structure is described.

Technological and organisational change in small- to medium-sized manufacturing companies:a learning organisation perspective

This paper examines the extent to which a learning organisation perspective is attainable in small- to medium-sized manufacturing companies. An audit tool is developed from the literature on organisational learning and recognised processes that lead towards becoming a learning organisation. The paper focuses on the application of the audit tool in three UK automotive component suppliers which are all experiencing pressures for change imposed by the major vehicle manufacturers. The main changes are concerned with tiering of the supply chain and substantial delegation of responsibilities to component suppliers including an increasing emphasis on innovation and continuous improvement. The companies presented in the paper are taken from a research project into the impact of changes in supply chain relationships on the operation of small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms in the West Midlands region of the UK. The ways in which the companies are responding to change are presented together with the results of a self-assessment using the developed audit tool. These results suggest that companies of this type tend to focus on change in those areas that involve least challenge to the established power and authority of management.

Risk Analysis and Behavior of Electricity Portfolio Aggregator

The scope of this paper is to adapt the standard mean-variance model of Henry Markowitz theory, creating a simulation tool to find the optimal configuration of the portfolio aggregator, calculate its profitability and risk. Currently, there is a deep discussion going on among the power system society about the structure and architecture of the future electric system. In this environment, policy makers and electric utilities find new approaches to access the electricity market; this configures new challenging positions in order to find innovative strategies and methodologies. Decentralized power generation is gaining relevance in liberalized markets, and small and medium size electricity consumers are also become producers (“prosumers”). In this scenario an electric aggregator is an entity that joins a group of electric clients, customers, producers, “prosumers” together as a single purchasing unit to negotiate the purchase and sale of electricity. The aggregator conducts research on electricity prices, contract terms and conditions in order to promote better energy prices for their clients and allows small and medium customers to benefit improved market prices.

Práticas de gestão de recursos humanos em PME’s portuguesas

O presente estudo tem como principal objectivo caracterizar as práticas de Gestão de Recursos Humanos mais desenvolvidas em pequenas e médias empresas (PME’s) portuguesas. Embora parte integrante de uma investigação mais ampla, a qual resultou numa dissertação de mestrado que pretendeu estudar as práticas de Gestão de Recursos Humanos (GRH) nas empresas de média dimensão do distrito de Aveiro, este estudo pretende apresentar uma das suas principais dimensões de análise. De referir que a investigação inicial abrangia o conceito de média empresa (de 50 a 500 trabalhadores). No entanto, e para conferir originalidade ao estudo que agora se apresenta publicamente, a realidade empírica em estudo foi circunscrita às denominadas PME’s (50 a 249 trabalhadores). Para melhor contextualizar a realidade objecto de estudo, tomou-se como ponto de partida a abordagem teórica sobre as diferentes fases evolutivas do conceito e conteúdo da GRH e, consequentemente, a sua caracterização no nosso país. Adicionalmente é analisado o papel que o departamento de recursos humanos assume no desenvolvimento da GRH no interior das PME’s através da disseminação que faz das suas diferentes práticas, previamente identificadas a partir da revisão de literatura analisada. A partir da literatura revista foi identificado um conjunto de 21 práticas de GRH como as mais comummente desenvolvidas em contexto organizacional. Dado ser objectivo principal perceber se a GRH das PME’s portuguesas acompanha a tendência evolutiva desta disciplina de gestão a nível internacional, fez-se a diferenciação entre aquelas que são consideradas práticas tradicionais e práticas estratégicas de GRH. Delimitado ao distrito de Aveiro, de um universo constituído por 613 empresas, foi aplicado um inquérito por questionário, via postal, tendo sido recolhidos 111 questionários válidos. A análise dos resultados permite concluir que não obstante predominarem em Portugal as PME’s, estas apresentam pouca intensidade no desenvolvimento de práticas de GRH, ao mesmo tempo que se apresentam como limitadoras do grau de intervenção do departamento de RH, no desenvolvimento dessas práticas. Há, portanto, motivos para propor alguns desafios de mudança à GRH vigente neste grupo de empresas, ainda muito dependente dos processos burocrático-administrativos na gestão do recurso mais dinâmico das organizações: as pessoas. É ainda longo o caminho a percorrer para que se possa falar numa efectiva gestão estratégica de recursos humanos nas PME’s portuguesas. Contudo, os primeiros passos estão dados. Este estudo permitiu não só uma primeira aproximação a um conjunto de PME’s portuguesas bem como a obtenção de maior conhecimento da função recursos humanos das PME’s estudadas. As principais conclusões extraídas deste estudo pretendem ser um importante input que auxilie as empresas portuguesas com esta tipologia a melhorarem a sua eficiência no domínio da GRH.

Differences and reasons in IASB accounting standards between small and large companies

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Finance from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Differences and reasons in IASB accounting standards between small and large companies

This paper studies the main differences in accounting standards of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) between small and large companies, materialised in the dissimilarities between the International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sized Entities and the full International Financial Reporting Standards, as of 2010. Another element of this project is the analysis of the reasons behind the differences between the two aforementioned frameworks, which intends to expose the rationale and the mindset that led to an adaptation of the full standards in a stand-alone document designed for small companies.