The Critical Role of Relationship Quality in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprise Internationalization

ABSTRACT

Due to limited resources, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) carefully develop and leverage relationships with foreign, independent intermediaries. This article investigates “relationship quality,” a collection of intangible organizational resources in the exporter–intermediary relationship that support the internationalization and foreign performance of SMEs. Four dimensions of relationship quality—communication, cooperation, trust, and commitment—are modeled and linked to intermediary performance. Findings highlight the significance of relationship quality, its dimensions, and how they support intermediary performance. Cooperation and commitment are significant performance antecedents. Trust is a significant antecedent of commitment, and communication drives cooperation, trust, and commitment. The study provides SMEs a way to enhance the quality of relationships with, and to help improve the performance of, their intermediaries in export markets.     

中小企业网络营销发展探析

随着现代信息技术的不断发展,中小企业的营销环境也发生了巨大的变化,网络营销正成为一种更加有效的营销形式。以网络营销的内涵分析为基础,分析了中小企业网络营销存在的问题,提出了相关对策建议。     

Exploring brand identity and entrepreneurship as drivers of small specialist retailer internationalisation: a German case study

While the comparatively sparse literature on small specialist retailing typically supports a proactive interpretation of the drivers of retail internationalisation, a more differentiated picture exists with regard to understanding the role of the brand construct in this process. The wider marketing literature recognises that brand identity, as well as brand image, can inform the process of internationalisation; yet, research focusing on small specialist retail internationalisation remains underdeveloped in this regard. Neither the notion of a multi-faceted brand concept nor its function as a strategic device in the internationalisation process has been analysed with sufficient depth. Furthermore, a better understanding of how and to what extent brand identity is interdependent upon the characteristics and activities of the entrepreneur is yet to emerge. This paper explores the construct of brand identity and its role within small specialist retail internationalisation, and the related influence of the entrepreneur on the internationalisation process. A case study approach is adopted, examining one German small specialist retailer. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with owner-managers and other senior management, an assessment of company documentation as well as participant observation, providing in-depth insights into distinctive internationalisation patterns. The study finds that a simple ‘either-or’ approach, in terms of characterising the retailer’s motivation to internationalisation as being either reactive or proactive, is inadequate in understanding this particular case. Whilst initial motivation was characterised as being reactive, the motivations underpinning further planned internationalisation are determined to be more proactive. More particularly, analysis reveals how brand identity is considered to play an important role in the internationalisation of the case study retailer, and highlights the numerous ways in which the characteristics and activities of the entrepreneurial owner-managers impact the firm’s internationalisation. This research contributes to retail and management research concerning SME internationalisation as well as to the retail branding literature.     

嵌入服务利润链的永康中小民营企业内部营销对策探究

我国民营经济在改革开放后发展迅速,同时也暴露出管理落后等问题,造成员工满意度和忠诚度较低,影响了企业的营销绩效。以永康中小民营企业为例,将内部营销理念导入制造行业,通过问卷调查和深度访谈分析目前永康中小民营企业存在的问题,据此在嵌入服务利润链模型的内部营销理论指导下,借助类似营销技术提出了在永康中小民营企业内实施内部营销活动的策略组合,以期提升员工满意度,最终提升企业营销绩效。     

论中小民营企业良好内控环境的构建

内部控制环境包括公司治理架构、诚信和道德价值观、胜任能力与人力资源政策、责任分配与授权、董事会与审计委员会。分析了中小民营企业内控环境这六要素,指出内控环境是民营企业建立完善内部控制的软肋,并提出完善内控环境的若干建议。     

中小企业网络营销成长轨迹分析

网络营销已成为推动中小企业发展壮大最为活跃的因素之一。适时的、有阶段性的实施网络推广,是中小企业网络营销成功的重要保证。中小企业实施网络营销可分为三个阶段：有针对性的选择并挖掘网络工具,求效益;整合多种网络工具,塑造企业网络品牌;打造独立网络平台,谋求长远发展。三个阶段,由易到难,层层递进,可发挥网络营销效益最大化,保证中小企业网络营销顺利实施。     

用制度创新破解中小企业融资困境

中小企业融资难是中小企业发展面临的主要制约要素,[1]发达国家政府通过采取各项措施,成功地解决了制约本国中小企业发展的融资难题。随着中小企业在我国国民经济中扮演着越来越重要的角色,我们有必要借鉴国际成功经验,提高企业自身素质,打破银行传统歧视观念,创造有利于中小企业融资的外部环境,来解决中小企业的融资难问题。     

中小企业内部控制执行不力的原因及对策

建立内部控制的目的是为了在管理实践中执行,以充分发挥其作用。但中小企业建立健全内部控制以后,普遍存在内控制度不能有效执行的问题,其原因是管理者内部控制意识淡薄、管理水平低下、员工素质不高、内控措施执行缺乏监督机制、企业文化落后。提高中小企业内部控制执行力,应建设与实施执行文化、建立控制管理体系、强化内外部监督,建立健全风险评估机制以及有效的风险管理系统,以保证内部控制的执行力。     

中小企业核心竞争力研究

本文从核心竞争力的内涵着手,分析了中小企业核心竞争力的现状,提出了构建中小企业核心竞争力的策略。     

中小企业人力资源管理存在的问题及对策

人力资源管理工作的好坏关系到我国中小企业的未来发展。目前,我国中小企业人力资源管理中存在的主要问题有人力资源短缺、对员工的培训严重不足、对人力资源尤其是主要的技术和管理人员的激励乏力以及人力资源配置随意性大等。为此,文章就确立人才制胜和以人为本的观念,做好人力资源管理的建章立制工作,构筑吸引、凝聚人才的平台．做好人力资源的培训工作以及建立一套行之有效的激励机制等方面进行了探析。     

提升我国中小企业自主创新能力的法律路径研究

中小企业对我国经济发展的贡献率极高，但在建设创新型国家背景下，中小企业自主创新能力的提升却存在着立法、执法、法治环境等多方面的问题。解决这些问题，必须通过赋予中小企业创新主体地位，加快中小企业创新和保障立法、完善中小企业促进法、税法等相关配套立法，提高执法水平，加强执法监督，营造良好的法治环境来实现。     

中小生物技术企业创业融资问题研究

世界现代生物技术发展已经进入大规模产业化阶段,生物技术企业是产业化的主要推动力量。我国生物技术企业普遍存在融资困难的问题．既有高新技术产业在融资中存在的普遍性问题,也有其自身的特殊问题。阐述生物产业特征与融资特点,分析我国生物技术企业融资现状和存在的问题,并提出政策建议。     

中小企业内部会计控制及其会计制度建设

现在中小企业已经成为我国经济发展的一支重要力量 ,但是在中小企业的发展中存在着不少的问题 ,首先要界定我国的中小企业 ,找出中小企业内部会计控制中存在的缺陷 ,因为这是影响中小企业发展的重要因素。所以要解决中小企业中内部会计控制问题的关键是建立中小企业会计制度 ,并且在建立中小企业会计制度时要注意的重点问题 ,是中小企业发展中的灵活性和会计制度的标准化问题。     

How different types of financial service providers support small- and medium enterprises under the impact of COVID-19 pandemic: From the perspective of expectancy theory

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted several aspects of the society and the economy. A problem that needs prompt attention in this situation is the increasing difficulties faced by small- and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in raising capital, which has aroused great concern from multiple stakeholders such as public administrations and regulators. As the major supply of capital, financial service providers (FSPs) play a critical role in financing SMEs. However, how FSPs deal with SME financing during shocks has not yet been fully researched. Accordingly, in this study, a theoretical framework based on expectancy theory is proposed to explore the expected strategic adjustments of FSPs in financing SMEs. Specifically, this study investigates 272 FSPs in China on their expectancy and attitude on financing to SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this study has divided FSPs into three categories: commercial banks, non-bank financial institutions, and credit-enhanced FSPs. Differences among these categories are compared and analyzed.     

Determinants of Loan Repayment Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana: The Case of Asante Akyem Rural Bank

We examine the role of a typical set of determinants of loan repayment performance of SMEs in the context of a rural bank’s setting in Ghana. Our analysis using survey data suggests that, while higher application cost, loan size and interest rate exert significantly negative influence on loan repayment, higher educational background of the SME operators is associated with significantly better repayment performance. Interestingly, in comparison with those with only primary-level education, SME operators with tertiary education register the best repayment performance followed by those with secondary education. We provide detailed discussion and managerial implications of these findings.     

我国企业内部控制现状及对策

当前,我国企业内部控制的现状令人堪忧,内控体系存在诸多问题：内部控制的管理基础工作薄弱,会计权责控制不完善,风险评估和风险管理水平不高,监督机制弱化。加强企业内部控制,应从公司治理结构入手,建立良好的信息沟通系统,营造企业创新文化,提高内部控制的效果,增强风险管理意识,建立风险评估机制,强化预算管理,保证管理目标的实行。     

云时代我国中小企业竞争情报安全子系统构建

本文阐述了云计算的内涵、特征与分类,从中小企业的视角,分析了云计算给企业竞争情报带来的变化,突出了情报安全问题将会成为竞争情报系统构建的关键。紧接着深入分析了竞争情报工作过程中存在的安全威胁,着重探讨了竞争情报安全子系统的构建模型,希望能够给云环境下中小企业的竞争情报安全工作提供参考。     

以企业实践应用的视觉看企业内部控制规范

目前,我国许多中小企业的内部控制问题非常突出。影响了中小企业的经济效益,阻碍了中小企业的发展。应该对企业进行科学定位,确立原则性与可操作性、强制性与引导性相结合的原则,用科学管理手段,建立一个涵盖范围广、功能完善、反映灵敏、协调有效的企业内控制度的整体框架,加大企业内部控制规范的力度,以解决内部控制基本规范实施中的冲突与协调,保护其经济资源的安全与完整、防范管理漏洞、保证会计信息的真实可靠。     

Foreign market entry mode choice of small and medium-sized enterprises: A systematic review and future research agenda

Despite significant differences between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large multinational enterprises (MNEs), the majority of extant foreign market entry mode choice literature has focused on MNEs. The current state of knowledge regarding SME foreign market entry mode choice is equivocal. The present paper reviews the current state of SME foreign market entry mode choice literature and maps future research directions. To this end, we systematically analyze 33 relevant journal articles for their theoretical frameworks and contextual dimensions. Based on this review, we identify gaps in the literature and develop an agenda to guide future scholarship in this important domain of research in taking SME-specific characteristics into consideration.     

我国中小企业融资困境及对策研究

我国中小企业融资难,资金紧缺问题严重阻碍了我国中小企业发展,早已是不争的事实。应加快国有商业银行的市场化改革,完善国有商业银行信贷管理体制,建立适合我国中小企业特征的间接融资市场体系、直接融资市场体系、信用管理体系和融资服务配套体系,促进中小企业发展。