Uppsatsens titel: CSR I SMEs – En förklaring av motiv och effekter Seminariedatum: 2012-05-31Kurs: 4FE03E Examensarbete för civilekonomprogrammet 30hp Författare: Alexandra Edström och Anna PerssonHandledare: Elin Funck Examinator: Lars-Göran Aidemark Nyckelord: CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility, samhällsansvar, intressenter,SMEs, Triple Bottom Line, motiv, effekter Bakgrund och problem: Teorierna kring CSR i SMEs är få och ofta motsägelsefulla. SMEs har dessutom en viktig påverkan på vårt samhälle, då de utgör den störstadelen av Sveriges näringsliv. CSR är ingen genväg till framgång utan effekterna kanbedömas först efter ett långsiktigt perspektiv, enligt Europakommissionen (2007)arbetar SMEs ofta med CSR utan att veta om det eller benämna det vid namn.Syfte: Syftet med detta examensarbete är att beskriva innebörden av CSR samtförklara motiven till och effekterna av CSR i SMEs. Metod: Vi har gjort en flerfallstudie på företagen Gnosjö Automatsvarvning AB,HangOn AB, Swede-Wheel AB och Sibes Metall AB. Vi har genomfört tvåsemistrukturerade intervjuer med två personer på respektive företag samt enfokuserad telefonintervju med respektive VD på varje företag. Examensarbetetbygger på abduktion som forskningsansats och av förklarande karaktär. Teoretisk referensram: Den teoretiska referensramen behandlar vedertagna teorierkring CSR, dess innebörd och historiska utveckling. Vi har kartlagt tidigare gjordastudier för att undersöka motiven till och effekterna av CSR i SMEs. Vidare har viredogjort för intressentteorin och legitimitetsteorin då dessa påverkar företags CSR. Resultat och slutsats: Vi har kunnat konstatera att CSR i SMEs gärna får varaomfattande och kostsamt så länge ansträngningarna gäller den lokala bygden.Det främsta motivet i SMEs utgörs av ledningens personliga värderingar och detmest framstående effekterna består av personlig stolthet och ökad ekonomisklönsamhet på sikt.

Increasing globalization and decreasing trade barriers have created opportunities for Swedish companies to establish their activities in India. The aim with this dissertation is to explore if Swedish SMEs in the service sector follow the process suggested by the Uppsala Internationalization Model when establishing their activities in India. In order to find out if Swedish SMEs in the service sector follow the process suggested by the Uppsala Internationalization Model, a multiple case study was conducted, adopting a qualitative approach. Three Swedish SMEs in the IT industry, that have successfully established their activities on the Indian market, were interviewed. The results indicate that none of the companies in this study followed the internationalization process suggested by the Establishment Chain and the Psychic Distance. However, the examined companies in this study internationalized as suggested by the Basic Mechanism of Internationalization. There is limited research on the internationalization processes of Swedish SMEs in the service sector when entering the Indian market. Subsequently, this study has contributed theoretically to exploring what factors are of importance for Swedish SMEs in the service sector when entering India. Furthermore, it has possibly contributed to the initial step of further research within the field of SMEs internationalization processes, should further research be conducted involving various internationalization models. In addition, this study has contributed by strengthening the existing research regarding the Uppsala Internationalization Model. A suggestion to future research is to explore various existing internationalization models and to investigate what aspects of each model is applicable to Swedish SMEs.

Emerging markets are countries with rapid economic growth and have been on the global agenda over the last decades. The most prominent of these markets are the BRIC countries where India is included. India is one of the largest emerging markets in the world with large annual economic growth and great opportunities for firms doing business in it. However, it has proven to be complicated for Westerns firms operating in the country, which stems from its cultural differences towards the West but also the cultural diversity within the country. Differences also exist between India and the West in a business context, where Indians highlight the importance of personal relationships before engaging in contracts, unlike for example Swedes that do the opposite. The purpose of this study is to investigate what cultural differences Swedish small and medium sized enterprises perceive while doing business in India, and what standardization or adaptation strategies they use to manage these differences. Empirical findings have been retrieved from interviews with key personnel in three firms located in Småland, in Southeast Sweden, which are established or have tried to establish business in India. The literature review contains three main concepts; Doing business in emerging markets, Standardization vs. adaptation and Cultural elements that are all connected to India and how SMEs should approach this market. These three concepts are later illustrated in a conceptual framework, which is based on the research questions. The result shows that Swedish SMEs perceive Indian culture as very hierarchical in both society and organizations. The aspect of time is not highly regarded, where payment and delivery delays are frequent. Indians rely extensively on personal relationships and try to avoid uncertainties in business communication. Findings also show that friendship and personal bonds are initial aspects when negotiating a potential contract. It is also essential for Swedish SMEs to adapt some business activities when in India, although certain standardization methods should be used in order to thrive on the Indian market.

In this thesis the authors have analyzed what risks Swedish business-to-business (B2B) small- and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) perceive when internationalizing to Indonesia, as well as what factors impacting their perception of risk. By distinguishing the risks and the impacting factors, the aim of the research has been to increase the awareness of these risks and provide an understanding of the means necessary for decreasing them. The authors have implemented a qualitative study method with an abductive research approach to gain a deeper insight to the subject. Qualitative interviews have been conducted with three relevant case firms and one council in order to gain a wider perspective. To fulfill the purpose of the study and to gain deeper understanding, the study has been based on two questions: (1) What are the risks Swedish B2B SMEs perceive when internationalizing to Indonesia? And (2) What factors impact the Swedish B2B SMEs' perception of risk in Indonesia? The literature review includes theories and findings of previous research related to international business and how it can be impacted depending of several factors such as risk, distance, commitment, knowledge and relations. The findings of the study show that the most prominent risks perceived are the financial risks of default and insecure payments, corruption and vulnerability to the network. The risk perception is determined by an interrelation between the factors of commitment, knowledge and relations. Furthermore, by examine these underlying factors’ impact on risk perception, the study contributes to a wider understanding necessary for a successful practical business implementation in a foreign country.

The marketplace in the 21st century is intense and highly competitive. Customers have a great variety of products and services to choose from, therefor gaining competitive advantage is crucial for a company´s survival. Companies cannot rely on previous product success, they have to be innovative in order to meet the ever-changing customer needs and wants. New product launch is a critical and challenging phase for every company, which is proven by the high failure rates. There are many barriers that can hinder and determine a new product launch process. This study focuses on Business-to-Business, small and medium sized companies within the Swedish steel and metal industry with the purpose to investigate what barriers occur when launching new industrial products. The study also aims to answer the question on what actions can be taken in order to overcome these barriers. This is a qualitative and comparative study based on a theoretical framework combined with empirical findings gathered from five in-depth interviews. By analyzing and comparing the findings throughout this study, the authors can conclude that there are many barriers that can occur and affect a product launch process negatively. The main barriers identified were lack of knowledge, effort, planning as well as targeting and competition. The study also resulted in practical suggestions and actions that can be taken in order to overcome these barriers and ease the launch process.   Key words: New product launch, Barriers in launch processes, B2B, Swedish companies, SME`s, Marketing

Introduction  Globalization has opened up for opportunities, as well as challenges, for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to distinguish themselves in a competitive environment. A branding strategy that aims to develop a strong reputation and recognition can be an attempt for Swedish SMEs to create awareness and differentiate themselves in the European market. This thesis is composed of three major bricks; branding, and how the firms exercise it; SMEs resource constraints, in terms of employees and financial assets; and internationalization. All these combined become special challenges for SMEs. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to examine how Swedish SMEs exercise branding internationally in order to develop a strategic model of how they can continue their brand expansion in the European market. Method In order to fulfill the purpose of the study, a qualitative study based on four Swedish SMEs were included in the sample. Through semi-structured interviews (six face-to-face and one telephone interview). The respondents were the owners, external CEOs, product or marketing managers of the SMEs. The collected data was categorized and each SME was analyzed in order to finally construct a model. Conclusion  The findings in this thesis show that all the investigated SMEs, to different extents, use branding strategies in order to succeed in the international market. Generally the findings conformed to a certain degree to previous findings concerning branding. Further, the importance of international fairs and networking while developing the brands outside the Swedish market was found. The authors came forward with the SME European Brand Expansion-model, which is strongly influenced by the empirical findings in this thesis.

In recent times the Russian market has been exposed to significant changes, both in the challenges of the transition from planned to market economy as well as the opportunities that has spurred a willingness for foreign companies to exploit the vast potential of the market. The aim of this thesis is to explore how business relationships are managed between Swedish business-to-business(B2B) SMEs and Russian counterparts. In our study we overview Swedish companies which are well established on the Russian market and have well-developed relationships with their representatives in Russia and try to discover which aspects of their relations is decisive for the success of the companies. To conduct our research we created reseach questions "What role do business relationships play between Swedish and Russian SMEs in the Russian market?, and how are the business relationships managed?". We collected data from both Swedish and Russian perspectives to determine the main features of their relations and draw up guidance for potential Western newcomers to Russia.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) holds the potential to improve contemporary business operations, which are redefined frequently based on the demands of global competition. There are numerous EDI systems, which an enterprise can choose to adopt in order to meet its needs and goals. International literature demonstrates a variation of views regarding the adoption of new technologies, which differ according the size of each organization along with internal and external impediments and determinants. The use of EDI worldwide has gained a positive acceptance by commercial companies, industries and service providers, followed by rapid adoption mainly in the processes of large organizations. Conversely, the predictions of previous years’ studies have not been materialized to the expected extent. In Greece in particular, there is low penetration and a reluctance to adopt EDI technologies by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This study is based on the theoretical framework of Technology, Organization and Environment (TOE). A qualitative multiple case study research design has been used, in order to provide further insights on the factors that affect the decision of Greek SMEs in adopting EDI technologies. The significance of the perceived direct and indirect benefits, the effects of the perceived financial cost and technical competence and the importance of industry and government pressure on corporate level, are analyzed and discussed. An empirical support of the low penetration of EDI in the Greek SMEs' community is also provided. This research contributes in the existing knowledge about EDI adoption decisions regarding Greek SMEs by providing a variation of views, further insights on how Greek SMEs behave and react during the current economic recession and a new cost factor that emerged within the analysis of multiple cases. Avenues for future research are recommended in order to expand this study's findings in the field of corporate IT innovation.

The study is based on a comparison between franchises and independent businesses. The purpose of the study is to have a clear understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of SMEs and franchise businesses in Rustenburg (North West Province) and its environs. A number of textbooks, published works and web articles on SMEs and franchise businesses were used in determining definitions and advantages and disadvantages that are experienced by the entrepreneur. A survey research design was used with a questionnaire as data-gathering instrument. The purpose of the questionnaire was to determine the experience and viewpoints of the entrepreneurs towards SMEs and franchise businesses. The study population consisted of 71 entrepreneurs who operate in the business environment of Rustenburg (North West Province) and its environs. Limitations in the research were identified and several recommendations were made in order to guide the entrepreneur in choosing a business that will suit his/her needs. The findings of the study offer advantages and disadvantages for both the franchise and independent businesses. The research results lead the entrepreneur to seek for a good business opportunity that will add value in terms of enterprise development, ownership, and financial benefits. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning tools has improved business processes in organisations. This increase has, however come with challenges for the small and medium business sector. First the adoption and deployment of proprietary ERP comes at great cost for organisations whilst it is also difficult for the organisations to ensure that scalability is introduced due to the dynamic change in the SME sector. The adoption and use of open source ERP tools then presents an opportunity for the SME sector. The usage of open source software has increased over the years. This increase has also extended to open source ERP tools. These tools offer the same functions as the proprietary at a fraction of the cost. Despite the benefits that open source ERP offers diffusion of this technology into the SME sector in South Africa has been minimal. This means the SME sector in South Africa is not benefiting from the widely available cost effective open source ERP available in the market. An opportunity therefore exists for them to utilise the technology to gain competitive advantage. The research was done primarily to determine the open source ERP adoption patterns of SMEs in the Vaal region. The research sought to determine the drivers for ERP adoption and barriers to adoption. Focus was specifically extended to investigating knowledge on open source alternatives. The results from the research indicate that the SMEs understand the benefits of adopting ERP for their businesses. The research further revealed that the adoption factors identified in the literature are still relevant in South Africa. The factors identified included costs, lack of training, lack of support, lack of knowledge and the lack of open source vendors. The empirical research also identified that the SME still harbour fear about open source ERP tools due to lack of training ,support and knowledge .From the study it is clear that a new approach needs to be taken to encourage adoption of open source ERP. These approaches include giving incentives to SMEs to adopt open source ERP. These incentives may be in the form of training packages and skills workshops to help overcome the barriers and improve implementation of open source ERP. The research identified the critical need for increased formal education and training in open source software development and emphasis on ERP tools. Government research bodies need to play a role in this area. For an example, there is need for SME and university collaborations in open source ERP deployment, whereby the latter needs to include software development tools in their curricula for SMEs so as to increase awareness. Clear–cut comparisons of existing proprietary systems against open source systems by focusing on functional and technological requirements need to be undertaken. This will help to reflect a cost benefit analysis as well as interoperability between the open source ERP and existing systems. During the adoption process, SME are encouraged to go through the full life cycle of open source ERP adoption. In this cycle the SME needs to do a thorough analysis regarding selection, implementation, integration, migration, training and evaluation of installed tools. That way they will gain the competitive advantage afforded by the tools. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.