SME Internet use and strategic flexibility: the moderating effect of IT market orientation

Abstract

One of the most important topics in the marketing literature has been the concept of market orientation. However, questions remain as to the dynamics of how market orientation translates into intermediate capabilities. This study explores relationships among different types of Internet usage, IT market orientation (the extent to which IT is aligned to manage customer and competitor information and internal activities), and strategic flexibility (firm capability to respond to the need for change). Specifically, use of the Internet for communication with relevant stakeholders, owing to its market-sensing potential, should be positively and significantly related to strategic flexibility for SMEs with more IT market-oriented alignment. The market-sensing potential of Internet communication to impact strategic flexibility positively for SMEs is likely to be lost under low IT market-oriented-alignment conditions. In contrast, IT market orientation should not moderate the relationship between Internet use for transactions with relevant stakeholders and strategic flexibility, given that the typical order taking and processing is a static, routine function for SMEs. Results supported hypothesised relationships. By delineating the type of Internet usage and required IT alignment that contribute to leveraging the Internet effectively, findings hold implications for future research by clarifying boundary conditions for Internet effects. Specifying how and when Internet use promotes strategic flexibility, an important enabler of competitive advantage, helps small business owner/managers better utilise their limited resources.     

Internet resources and capabilities: Japanese SME risk-taking,industry and performance

This study investigates how Internet-related resources and capabilities are influencing performance in Japanese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We use a structural equation modelling approach to test these relationships between Internet readiness, Internet capability, risk-taking perceptions and performance within Japanese SMEs (350 SMEs). Unlike other counterpart countries, such as South Korea, Japanese SMEs have been relatively slow in implementing Internet technologies into business practice. However, the results indicate that if Japanese SMEs allocate appropriate resources and deploy Internet capabilities these firms will benefit with performance gains. Further, we find that both the perception of risk-taking and the industry in which the firm operates are key factors in either inhibiting or enhancing the firm’s ability to leverage Internet-related capabilities for firm performance.     

The Internet and Internationalization of Smaller Manufacturing Enterprises

Abstract

One of the most frequently discussed topics in the current international business literature is the impact of the Internet on the internationalization of smaller manufacturing enterprises (SMEs). The study was carried out through a mail survey of the top executives of 125 Wisconsin firms. It examined 10 research hypotheses on internal and external factors which had been identified by previous research to influence the internationalization of SMEs through the Internet. Research findings conclude that the scope of internationalization of SMEs through the Internet is affected by internal factors, such as managements' perceptions of the effectiveness of their web sites as a marketing tool, lack of experience, and SMEs' potential usage of the Internet.     

The Moderating Effect of Perceived Effectiveness of SMEs' Marketing Function on the Network Ties—Strategic Adaptiveness Relationship

This study examines the critical role of perceived effectiveness of the Marketing function (MF) in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in leveraging entrepreneurial network ties to improve strategic adaptiveness (SA). The study tests whether a MF perceived as effective by SMEs’ managers/owners moderates the relationship between SMEs network ties and SA required for improved performance. Findings of a moderated regression analysis on a sample of 263 Croatian SMEs indicate that network ties contribute significantly to their SA, and that a MF perceived as effective only moderates the impact of customer and competitor ties on SMEs’ SA. Research and practical implications are discussed.     

Does e‐Business Matter to SMEs? A Comparison of the Financial Impacts of Internet Business Solutions on European and North American SMEs

Small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) are adopting Internet Business Solutions (IBS) internationally to improve their performance. What is the net impact of these solutions for SMEs? This paper presents the results of survey research involving 1,666 organizations in Europe and North America. The research found that IBS adoption mattered resulting in tangible financial benefits for SMEs in all the nations studied. However, these benefits were not evenly distributed across regions, industries, technologies, or size categories. The results suggest that SME managers should adopt a staged approach to IBS adoption in order to maximize performance gains.     

在互联网金融环境下对中小企业融资的研究

本文通过了解中小企业融资难的现状,分析了互联网金融的特点及优势,研究其适宜于解决中小企业融资的特征,指出了互联网金融可以作用于中小企业融资的地方。对这两个问题的结合进行了全面而深入的研究和探讨,给出了在互联网环境下解决中小企业融资难的相关对策,希望这个交叉领域做出贡献。     

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and IT Diffusion Policies in Europe

The main argument to justify an information technology (IT) diffusion policy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is that IT could act as a catalyzer to the SMEs' growth, which is important because of the role played by these firms in innovation and regional development. However, due to the heterogeneity of SMEs, present IT diffusion policies in Europe are reaching only a limited number of these firms. The aim of this paper is to discuss the obstacles to the implementation of an IT diffusion policy for SMEs. The main arguments that justify a policy for IT diffusion in SMEs, and the main initiatives taken for IT diffusion in these firms in European countries are summarized. The shortcomings of present policies will be discussed, together with possibilities to increase IT diffusion in SMEs.     

International Web Development

Abstract

Throughout the world, use of the Internet is growing exponentially and bringing mankind closer together. The Internet has become a powerful force in people's lives bringing information from around the globe to the tip of one's fingertips, changing the way the world purchases products and services, and creating new means of communication and media. The possibilities created by the Internet would seem limitless. Unique to each region of the world though is the degree to which the Internet has been adopted and is being utilized. The progression of Internet development has been shown to occur in three stages: acquisition of Web literacy, Web use as an information medium, and Web use for purchasing goods and services. In each of the following geographical regions, North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Oceania, countries can be described as existing in one of these stages. A sampling of the countries within each region analyzes how and to what degree the people of that nation utilize the Internet and who provides the services offered, what services are offered, and obstacles presented in offering those services. Furthermore, the role the Internet plays in commerce, and the extent to which the government of that country has taken in regards to its polices in either regulating and/or promoting the Internet is examined. The factors have been shown to be important in Web development. Today the United States is at the forefront of Internet use and technology; however, it will not be long before that position is challenged by Japan and other countries in Europe and Asia as the Internet becomes more pervasive across the globe.     

SME foreign market entry mode choice and foreign venture performance: The moderating effect of international experience and product adaptation

Firms’ foreign market entry mode choice attracts considerable research attention. However, the performance implications of this choice remain inconclusive, particularly in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The present paper draws on the resource-based view (RBV) and develops a theoretical model specifically tailored to the context of SMEs in order to study the relationship between entry mode choice and foreign venture performance. Testing hypotheses on 133 German SMEs, we show that international experience as a resource and product adaptation as a capability improve the performance of non-equity entry modes by mitigating liabilities of smallness inherent to SMEs. We furthermore find empirical support for the joint moderating effect of international experience and product adaptation on the focal relation. Our findings contribute to the SME foreign market entry mode literature and have implications for practitioners and future research.     

ASP effects in the small-sized enterprise: the case of the Bizmeka service from Korea Telecom

An application service provider (ASP) is a business model providing information technology (IT)-enabled solutions to customers over the Internet. Utilizing an ASP model, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can acquire affordable IT solutions. Korea Telecom (KT), a leading IT company in Korea, provides an ASP service called Bizmeka to SMEs. In this study, we identify factors influencing the perceived benefits of Bizmeka usage. We also examine the relationship between the perceived benefits of Bizmeka usage and customer satisfaction. Based on the results of our survey, we found the following factors to be important in determining customer satisfaction with ASPs: cost and time impact, maintenance impact, and security risks.     

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.     

Ethical aspects of e‐business: the use of codes of conduct

This paper examines the establishment and enforcement of codes of conduct governing the use of Internet technology as a means of providing a basis of trust in the e‐business context. The discussion draws on the findings of a survey of 80 UK organisations, and considers the relationship between factors such as organisation size, type, use of IT, the length of time with an Internet connection and the use of a code of conduct, as well as the specific areas of Internet technology covered by codes of conduct. The paper also investigates the extent of disciplinary cases associated with the misuse of Internet technology, as well as the ownership and responsibility for implementing codes of conduct. The survey results suggest that the use of codes of conduct varies significantly from organisation to organisation, and that those who initiate such codes are not those seen as being responsible for implementing them. The results also indicate that a growing number of employees are disciplined for misuse of facilities offered by Internet technology.     

中欧中小企业融资结构与融资政策的比较

欧盟在中小企业发展方面的成功是有目共睹的,其在中小企业融资方面的经验是值得我们借鉴的,本文通过中欧中小企业融资现状与政策的对比,来发现欧盟中小企业融资经验对我国的一些启示.     

Critical factors underpinning the e-CRM activities of SMEs

Abstract

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital components of our economies, but many struggle to perform the marketing prescribed theoretically for large organisations. In practice, marketing is performed in SMEs through an intrinsic customer orientation, which exhibits striking resemblances to customer relationship management (CRM) theory. This paper presents research evidence to help us understand the impact of Internet-based technologies (IBTs) on the CRM activities (that is e-CRM) of SMEs in Ireland. A quantitative approach (online survey questionnaire) was adopted and distributed to 1445 SMEs. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered eight distinct yet inter-related factors underpinning the practices and processes of e-CRM in SMEs. Briefly, findings illustrate that SMEs are performing e-CRM to varying extents, reaping a range of performance benefits and facing a range of challenges. It is true that SMEs are not adopting e-CRM per se, as described in the large organisation-biased literature, but they are adopting relatively simple IBTs to improve their customer communication and information management capabilities and thus to create competitive advantage in their own strategic way. The study adopts a strong managerial focus, where pertinent practical implications and recommendations around e-CRM are provided for SME owner-managers, helping to bridge the gap between theory and practice.     

中小企业治理、治理指数与企业绩效

本文设计了中小企业治理评价指标体系,并对100家县域中小企业的治理状况进行了评价,结果显示中小企业治理指数平均值仅为33.57。实证分析表明,中小企业治理指数不能够显著解释每股收益和净资产收益率;同时也发现,第一大股东持股比例、董事会是否设立、总经理薪酬结构等对企业绩效也没有显著的影响,中小企业治理结构与机制的建立仅仅是形式上所为,最后据此给出提升中小企业治理水平的政策建议。     

Complementarity between Relationship Lending and Collateral in SME Access to Bank Credit: Evidence from Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Despite their contribution to job creation, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are financially constrained. Lenders view SMEs as high risk borrowers and hence demand collateral, but lack of collateral inhibits SMEs access to credit. Relationship lending is believed to lessen collateral requirement and increase SMEs access to credit. However, recent studies question substitutability of relationship lending and collateral. The present study adds to the debate by drawing on the survey of 102 randomly selected manufacturing SMEs in Ethiopia. Our binary logistic regression results suggest that banks in Ethiopia are cautious in extending credit to SMEs, evidenced by simultaneous usage of relationships, collateral and other criteria, suggesting complementarity between collateral and relationship lending.     

对中小型企业实施ERP成本管理的思考

成本管理一直是中小型企业日常经营管理的一项中心工作,在中小型企业生产经营实践中起着相当重要的作用。传统成本管理方法是一种基于单一会计信息的价值模型,以这种模型为核心的管理已经不能适应21世纪的全球化经济的需要。所以必须对我国中小型企业长期以来形成的成本管理模式进行深入分析,从中找出适合当前中小型企业ERP成本管理模式,这对于提高我国中小型企业成本管理水平具有一定的现实意义。     

The global financial crisis and small- and medium-sized enterprises in Japan: how did they cope with the crisis?

In this paper, we examine the nature of the shocks that hit the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Japan during the global financial crisis that occurred in the wake of the massive number of non-performing subprime loans in the U.S. We examine how the SMEs responded to the shocks, using the unique surveys that were conducted by the Research Institute of the Economy, Trade and Industry in 2008 and 2009. The shocks were identified as demand, supply, and financial shocks. The demand shock was the most prevalent of the shocks, while the financial shock was least frequent. The SMEs took a spectrum of measures against the demand shock by seeking help from suppliers and financial institutions. We find that the measures taken by the SMEs crucially depended on the bank–firm relationship as well as the customer–supplier relationship. The bank-dependent SMEs asked their closely-affiliated financial institutions for help, while the SMEs less dependent on financial institutions sought help primarily from their suppliers. A long customer–supplier relationship plays an important role in mitigating the supply shock.     

中小企业技术创新能力与成长性关系的实证研究

以深圳证券交易所中小企业板上市公司为样本,采用2005—2008年的年度报表数据,运用因子分析和逐步回归分析的研究方法,探寻中小企业技术创新能力和企业成长性之间的相关关系。研究结果表明,中小企业技术创新(技改)产品销售收入比重与企业的规模扩张能力呈显著正相关关系,而研发(技改)费用比重与企业的盈利能力呈显著负相关关系。     

互联网领域垄断行为界定与市场力量测度

互联网巨头的垄断地位是其获取金融资源、降低经营成本、压制竞争对手的优势条件,但对实体经济整体发展不利。为强化反垄断和防止资本无序扩张,除加强监管外,标准的制定与把握,制度建设、相关法律配套与行政监管的有效实施也至关重要,应从互联网服务的产品与商业模式角度探究互联网竞争约束被低估的缘由,并结合市场多边性对互联网情境下的平台市场界定与市场力量测度、价格—成本关系及经典竞争行为进行重新解读。综观当前互联网领域的竞争与执法情况可以发现,互联网服务的身份多重性和市场多边性使互联网竞争约束被低估,增加了互联网反垄断执法的难度与出错的概率;互联网平台市场界定、市场力量测度可以辩证地吸收部分传统智慧,如在零货币价格产品反垄断中采用产品性能测试、赢利模式测试等手段来界定平台市场边界;价格与成本之间的正向关联性在互联网领域仍然具有一定价值,但需要进行综合调整;掠夺性定价、投资并购、行为协同等经典竞争行为在互联网情境下可能仍然具有一定的经济合理性,需要具体情况具体分析。总之,为更加准确地开展互联网反垄断执法,执法中既需要包容审慎,也需要与时俱进地更新认知,并不存在适用于多种情境的通用型工具。