Since 1994, South Africa has undergone comprehensive political and economic changes in a positive direction, however, the country’s business environment still constitutes of corruption and inequity. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate how South Africa’s business environment affects Swedish SMEs establishment in the country. The methodology chosen for this research was a qualitative multiple case study with an abductive approach. The theoretical framework was established based on various theories related to business environment, internationalization and risk management, these theories was interlinked into a conceptual framework. In the empirical chapter, the primary data gathered from four cases was presented and thereafter analyzed together with the conceptual framework. The research concludes that the South African business environment affects the Swedish SMEs business activities in the country differently, depending on the firm’s size. The last decade’s political changes have generated in a more cautious approach among Swedish SME and their establishment in the country. Lastly, limitations of the research and recommendations for further research is outlined.

I den här uppsatsen har vi undersökt hur onoterade ägarledda företag väljer revisor och vad som påverkar valet av revisor i dessa företag. Tidigare forskning har visat att det finns ett forskningsgap inom små bolag och deras val av revisor. Vi har intervjuat sex företag i flera olika branscher. Företagen hade en omsättning på mellan fem och femtio miljoner. I de flesta fall initieras revisorn för företaget med en rekommendation. I nästa steg bokas oftast ett möte med revisorn där främst personkemin mellan företagaren och revisorn bedöms. De studerade företagarna är i majoriteten av fallen nyblivna företagare och vet då inte vad som kan förväntas av revisorn. Valet grundas ofta på rekommendationen tillsammans med utvärderingen av personkemin. Egenskaper som tillgänglighet, proaktivitet och generell kunskap är egenskaper som utvärderas med tiden av företagen. Besitter inte revisorn de efterfrågade egenskaperna finns risken att företagarna väljer att söka efter en ny revisor. Företagarna letar då mer aktivt efter en revisor som besitter egenskaperna. Beroende på interna och externa faktorer kan företagarna även efterfråga oberoende och specifika rådgivningstjänster. Det har identifierats som faktorer som är behovsanpassade till företagen.

Esse trabalho faz uma revisão generalizada dos tipos de sistemas de produção dentro das pequenas e microempresas, e referencia como eles ajudam ou diminuem as capacidades de inovação e geração de conhecimento tácito por quanto é um estudo comparativo de processos inovação de um grupo de empresários peruanos e brasileiros. Seguindo esse intuito; utilizou-se a metodologia de estudo de caso exploratório e descritivo para verificar, junto empresários do setor calçadista, o alinhamento da teoria com a práxis dos processos de aprendizagem e flexibilização dentro delas. Os resultados apresentam fortes ligações, vindicando a teoria, no entanto, se acharam novos eixos de discussão no que diz da especialização flexível dentro das pequenas e microempresas. Estes resultados indicam, por sua vez, que um dos fatores condicionantes de inovação nestas empresas através da criação de elos com fornecedores e distribuidores, e também através de criação de processos implícitos de empatia com o cliente. / This work makes a generalized revision of the types of production systems within small and microcompanies and refers how they help or diminish the innovation capabilities and generation of tacit knowledge because it is a comparative study of innovativeness processes from a group of Peruvian and Brazilian entrepreneurs. Following this intention; it was used a exploratory and descriptive case research methodology to verify, with entrepreneurs from footwear sector, the alignment of the theory with the practice of learning processes and flexibility inside them. The results present strong linkages vindicating the theory, however, were encountered new axles for discussion from the flexible specialization theme within small and microcompanies. These results also indicate that one of the determinant factors of innovation in these companies is through creation of links with suppliers and deliverers and also through creation of implicit processes of empathy with the customer.

Sob as condições presentes de competitividade global, rápido avanço tecnológico e escassez de recursos, a inovação tornou-se uma das abordagens estratégicas mais importantes que uma organização pode explorar. Nesse contexto, a capacidade de inovação da empresa enquanto capacidade de engajar-se na introdução de novos processos, produtos ou ideias na empresa, é reconhecida como uma das principais fontes de crescimento sustentável, efetividade e até mesmo sobrevivência para as organizações. No entanto, apenas algumas empresas compreenderam na prática o que é necessário para inovar com sucesso e a maioria enxerga a inovação como um grande desafio. A realidade não é diferente no caso das empresas brasileiras e em particular das Pequenas e Médias Empresas (PMEs). Estudos indicam que o grupo das PMEs particularmente demonstra em geral um déficit ainda maior na capacidade de inovação. Em resposta ao desafio de inovar, uma ampla literatura emergiu sobre vários aspectos da inovação. Porém, ainda considere-se que há poucos resultados conclusivos ou modelos compreensíveis na pesquisa sobre inovação haja vista a complexidade do tema que trata de um fenômeno multifacetado impulsionado por inúmeros fatores. Além disso, identifica-se um hiato entre o que é conhecido pela literatura geral sobre inovação e a literatura sobre inovação nas PMEs. Tendo em vista a relevância da capacidade de inovação e o lento avanço do seu entendimento no contexto das empresas de pequeno e médio porte cujas dificuldades para inovar ainda podem ser observadas, o presente estudo se propôs identificar os determinantes da capacidade de inovação das PMEs a fim de construir um modelo de alta capacidade de inovação para esse grupo de empresas. O objetivo estabelecido foi abordado por meio de método quantitativo o qual envolveu a aplicação da análise de regressão logística binária para analisar, sob a perspectiva das PMEs, os 15 determinantes da capacidade de inovação identificados na revisão da literatura. Para adotar a técnica de análise de regressão logística, foi realizada a transformação da variável dependente categórica em binária, sendo grupo 0 denominado capacidade de inovação sem destaque e grupo 1 definido como capacidade de inovação alta. Em seguida procedeu-se com a divisão da amostra total em duas subamostras sendo uma para análise contendo 60% das empresas e a outra para validação (holdout) com os 40% dos casos restantes. A adequação geral do modelo foi avaliada por meio das medidas pseudo R2 (McFadden), chi-quadrado (Hosmer e Lemeshow) e da taxa de sucesso (matriz de classificação). Feita essa avaliação e confirmada a adequação do fit geral do modelo, foram analisados os coeficientes das variáveis incluídas no modelo final quanto ao nível de significância, direção e magnitude. Por fim, prosseguiu-se com a validação do modelo logístico final por meio da análise da taxa de sucesso da amostra de validação. Por meio da técnica de análise de regressão logística, verificou-se que 4 variáveis apresentaram correlação positiva e significativa com a capacidade de inovação das PMEs e que, portanto diferenciam as empresas com capacidade de inovação alta das empresas com capacidade de inovação sem destaque. Com base nessa descoberta, foi criado o modelo final de alta capacidade de inovação para as PMEs composto pelos 4 determinantes: base de conhecimento externo (externo), capacidade de gestão de projetos (interno), base de conhecimento interno (interno) e estratégia (interno). / Under the current circumstances of global competition, fast technological improvement and scarcity of resources, innovation became one of the most important approaches that an organization can explore. In this context, the company\'s innovation capability, meaning its capacity to introduce new processes, products or ideas in the company, is recognized as one of the main sources of sustainable growth, effectiveness and survival for organizations. However, just a few companies understood in a practical manner what is required to successfully innovate and most of them see innovation as a big challenge. This reality is not different in the case of Brazilian companies and Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) in particular. Studies show that the group of SMEs particularly demonstrates in general a deficit even bigger in terms of innovation capacity. In response to the challenge to innovate, a broad literature arose about many aspects of innovation. Although it is considered that only a few results are conclusive or presented comprehensive models in the research about innovation due to the complexity of the theme that deals with a multidimensional phenomenon boosted by several factors. Besides that, there is a gap between what is known by the literature in general about innovation and the literature about innovation at SMEs. The relevance of the innovation capacity and the slow progress of its knowledge base in the context of small and medium size companies which the difficulties to innovate can still be observed, the present study proposed to identify the determinants innovation capacity for SMEs in order to build a high innovation capacity framework for this group of enterprises. The approach for the established goal was through a quantitative method which involved the application of a binary logistic regression to analyze, under the SME perspective, the 15 determinants of innovation capacity identified in the literature review. A transformation of the categorical dependent variable into binary, being group 0 named innovation capacity without highlight and group 1 called high innovation capacity, was done to allow adopting the logistic regression analysis technique. Following this, a procedure was conducted to divide the sample in two subgroups, being one for the analysis containing 60% of the companies and the other for validation (holdout) with the remaining 40% of the cases. The general model fit was assessed by the measures pseudo R2 (McFadden), chi-squared (Hosmer e Lemeshow) and the hit ratio (classification matrix). After this evaluation that confirmed the general model fit, the coefficients of the variables included in the final model were analyzed in terms of its significance level, direction and magnitude. By the end, the final logistic model was validated through the hit ratio of the holdout sample. With the logistic regression analysis, it was able to verify that 4 variables presented positive and significant correlation with the SMEs innovation capacity and, therefore distinguished the high innovation capacity companies from those with innovation capacity without highlight. Based on this discovery, a final high innovation capacity model was built for the SMEs composed by the 4 determinants: external knowledge base (external), project management capacity (internal), internal knowledge base (internal) and strategy (internal).

Esse trabalho faz uma revisão generalizada dos tipos de sistemas de produção dentro das pequenas e microempresas, e referencia como eles ajudam ou diminuem as capacidades de inovação e geração de conhecimento tácito por quanto é um estudo comparativo de processos inovação de um grupo de empresários peruanos e brasileiros. Seguindo esse intuito; utilizou-se a metodologia de estudo de caso exploratório e descritivo para verificar, junto empresários do setor calçadista, o alinhamento da teoria com a práxis dos processos de aprendizagem e flexibilização dentro delas. Os resultados apresentam fortes ligações, vindicando a teoria, no entanto, se acharam novos eixos de discussão no que diz da especialização flexível dentro das pequenas e microempresas. Estes resultados indicam, por sua vez, que um dos fatores condicionantes de inovação nestas empresas através da criação de elos com fornecedores e distribuidores, e também através de criação de processos implícitos de empatia com o cliente. / This work makes a generalized revision of the types of production systems within small and microcompanies and refers how they help or diminish the innovation capabilities and generation of tacit knowledge because it is a comparative study of innovativeness processes from a group of Peruvian and Brazilian entrepreneurs. Following this intention; it was used a exploratory and descriptive case research methodology to verify, with entrepreneurs from footwear sector, the alignment of the theory with the practice of learning processes and flexibility inside them. The results present strong linkages vindicating the theory, however, were encountered new axles for discussion from the flexible specialization theme within small and microcompanies. These results also indicate that one of the determinant factors of innovation in these companies is through creation of links with suppliers and deliverers and also through creation of implicit processes of empathy with the customer.

Under året 2009 publicerade den internationella organisationen IASB ett internationellt redovisningsregelverk under namnet IFRS for SMEs. Denna självständiga redovisningsstandard komma att ligga till grund för det svenska redovisningsregelverket K3, som är avsett för icke börsnoterade små och medelstora företag som upprättar årsredovisning. BFN började år 2004 med ett nytt arbete med normgivning för icke börsnoterade företag, ett regelverk som kallas K-projektet vars syfte är att förenkla redovisningsarbetet. Samtliga onoterade företag som är bokföringsskyldiga skall innefattas, och beroende på företagets storlek och utformning delas de in i olika kategorier (K1-K4).I september 2010 skickade BFN ut en komplettering av K3 på en redan utskickad remiss. I kompletteringen återfanns det bland annat förslag med kapitel 11 och kapitel 12, som tar upp värderingar och redovisningsprinciper för finansiella instrument. Remissen skickades ut till 34 institutioner och av dessa svarade 20. Vi har behandlat samtliga svar.Syftet med uppsatsen har varit att undersöka och redogöra för de olika attityderna som de olika instanserna har yttrat i sina remissvar gällande kapitel 11 och kapitel 12 ur K3-regelverket. Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär med en induktiv ansats, där empirin har bestått av institutionernas remissvar.Instansernas attityder har varit av olika karaktär och detsamma gäller mängden av synpunkter som har framförts. Resultatet av studien visar att en minoritet anser att användarvänligheten i kapitel 11 och 12 är undermålig. Vår slutsats är att varken kapitel 11 eller kapitel 12 i dagsläget är tillräckligt välutvecklat. Vi är av den uppfattningen att mer arbete måste läggas ner när det kommer strukturen och värderingen kring finansiella instrument trots att majoriteten av intressenterna sammantaget har positiva synpunkter kring regelverket. / Program: Civilekonomprogrammet

Dagens modemarknad är präglad av hög omsättning och låga priser vilket möjliggörs genom outsourcing av produktion till lågkostnadsländer, samtidigt som hållbar utveckling får ökat utrymme i samhällsdebatten. Modeföretag ställs därför inför dilemmat att kombinera användningen av denna affärsstrategi, och simultant säkerställa att de ökade krav på ansvarstagande som ställs av samhället uppfylls. SMEs har ett annat utgångsläge för miljöledning i försörjningskedjan, i jämförelse med större verksamheter. Då SMEs har en avgörande roll i modebranschen är det av största vikt att studera deras förutsättningar närmare. Vi ämnar bidra till denna utforskning genom att studera hur miljöledning fungerar på 8848 Altitude. Studiens syfte är att studera hur ett mindre modeföretag som outsourcar sin produktion tolkar och tillämpar miljöledning utifrån ett översättningsteoretiskt perspektiv. Studien har genomförts i form av en kvalitativ fallstudie på 8848 Altitude där semi-strukturerade intervjuer, deltagande observation samt dokumentanalys har varit metoderna för att samla empiriskt material bland företagets medarbetare samt deras konsult inom hållbarhet. Studiens resultat visar att extern legitimitet är den främsta drivkraften för 8848 Altitude som fokuserar på att åtgärda aktuella krav från intressenter. Likt andra SMEs har företaget informell organisation och kommunikation. Ledningen av hållbarhetsarbetet är differentierad i jämförelse med ledning av integrerade frågor. / Program: Textilingenjörsutbildningen

År 2004 beslutade BFN att inleda en ny inriktning i sitt normgivningsarbete som kom att benämnas K-projektet. Detta projekt innefattar fyra särskilda ramverk som inkluderar kategorierna K1-K4. K-regelverken omfattar icke noterade företag som är bokföringsskyldiga och nämnda kategorier skall tillämpas beroende på företagsform och företagsstorlek. Regelverket K3 skickades ut på remiss i juni år 2010 och skall vara huvudregelverk för icke noterade företag som avslutar räkenskapsåret med en årsredovisning. IASB publicerade år 2009 ett internationellt redovisningsregelverk som erhållit namnet IFRS for SMEs. I likhet med K3 är detta regelverk även avsett för icke noterade små och medelstora företag som upprättar årsredovisning.Studien har sin utgångspunkt i BFNs påstående om att reglerna i K3, med anpassning till ÅRL och IL, är utformade efter det internationella regelverket IFRS for SMEs.Syftet med studien är att undersöka om det svenska regelverket K3 bygger på det internationella regelverket IFRS for SMEs, genom att utföra en komparativ studie.Studien är utformad enligt en induktiv ansats och är av kvalitativ karaktär. Den teoretiska referensramen innehåller en beskrivning av K3 och IFRS for SMEs och dess normgivande organ. Undersökningen omfattar en jämförelse av sex utvalda kapitel i K3 och motsvarande kapitel som i IFRS for SMEs behandlar likartade områden. Likheter och olikheter regelverken emellan lyfts fram och analyseras med syfte att undersöka om K3 bygger på regler och principer i IFRS for SMEs.Studien visar att K3 i mångt och mycket är utformat i enlighet med IFRS for SMEs och därmed verifierar vi BFNs påstående. Likheter regelverken emellan överväger olikheter och innehållet i K3 skiljer sig från IFRS for SMEs endast i de avseenden K3 anpassats till svensk lag. Vi anser att K3 är ett bevis på att Sverige strävar efter ökad jämförbarhet. Inflytandet av ÅRL och IL i K3 förhindrar dock en fullständig tillämpning av internationella regler och principer. Vi förordar ökad internationell jämförbarhet på redovisningsområdet och förespråkar en lagförändring som tillåter Sverige att i större utsträckning vara en del av ett gemensamt redovisningsspråk. / Program: Civilekonomprogrammet

Background The rules of marketing are changing all the time and companies have to develop new types of marketing to survive in the hard competition today. Technology has taken marketing in a new direction, where online marketing is the most dynamic and fast-moving field within marketing today. Social media is a part of online marketing that has increased a lot over the past years. Companies in the apparel industry are using social media frequently today as a way to communicate with their customers and are now being able to communicate and reach to their consumers to a much lower cost than ever before.Research Question: - What should a small and medium sized enterprise in the fashion industry consider when approaching social media successfully as a marketing strategy?Method: This thesis is based on a qualitative study with mainly in-depth interviews. We have held interviews with several respondents within our research field but with knowledge in different areas. We believe that this gives an overall perspective to the problem.Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to increase our knowledge of how social media can be used as a marketing tool by SMEs in the fashion industry.Conclusions in short: Our main conclusion to the research is that to work with social medium in a successful way as a small or medium sized fashion company you need devotion. There is no ”right” way, and the strategy takes time. Everything should be well planned according to the nature of the business and the goals. Furthermore it is important to realize that social media is not focused on creating sales, but instead on building relationships and giving you as a business owner an insight to your customers’ minds. / Program: Master in Fashion Management with specialisation in Fashion Marketing and Retailing

This thesis explores in depth the factors influencing growth in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from a supply chain perspective and examines how entrepreneurship affects them in Omani SMEs. The study is undertaken in order to complement the scarce literature on SMEs related to supply chains and improve the understanding of what factors are crucial in determining growth in them. The research is focused on the role of entrepreneurial qualities and behaviours for the growth of SMEs in developing countries, as their economies are more dependent on smaller companies. The context of this research is within Oman, which represents a typical developing economy containing a large number of active SMEs. The main factors for SMEs growth are identified through a literature review of past and contemporary research studies on supply chain networks, SMEs, growth and entrepreneurship. The factors are divided into areas related to the positions of the company (market position of the firm, negotiating power, Supply chain relationships and firm's image), and to SMEs' value-adding capabilities (cost optimisation, and innovations). The review also reveals that the critical entrepreneurial traits are: managers' culture and motivations, strategic thinking, sense for opportunities, risk-taking, continuous learning, their leadership abilities and networking skills. Based on the literature review findings a conceptual framework is proposed. This research is exploratory and explanatory in nature and relies on a qualitative approach to find out how entrepreneurship relates to growth in SMEs. Primary data is collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews with managers in 25 Omani SMEs from various industrial and service sectors 10 representing different supply chain positions. The data is processed through content analysis using the factors identified from the literature review as initial themes. The findings affirm the importance of SMEs' supply chain positions and their value adding capabilities for growth. Furthermore, all elements of entrepreneurship are found to affect growth factors. Results show positive attitude and growth aspirations lead to more proactive market behaviour, while strategic thinking helps managers choose more sustainable market positions. Results indicate leadership improves company costs by increasing employees' motivation and productivity and also facilitates the implementation of innovations. Learning orientation is stated to be crucial for exploring new ideas for innovations, while a good sense for opportunity helps managers evaluate them and choose the right ones. Finally, risk-taking propensity emerges as instrumental in the actual undertaking of innovation projects as it is needed for initiating them.