Background: The importance of sustainability is growing; however, the mindset of many businesses remains in the profit-driven take-make-waste economy, aiming for limitless growth. Humanity cannot continue with business-as-usual, and a paradigm shift must occur to ensure a future for the planet. SMEs represent 99% of the businesses in the EU, and to ensure a safer tomorrow for all, they need to evolve to reach sustainable development and capture the opportunities of regenerative strategies. Nevertheless, regenerative business practices are not widely appropriated in practice. Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to explore the phenomenon of regenerative businesses on SME level through the perspective of Swedish sustainability consultants. The authors aim to gain an understanding of the transformation processes in order to investigate if SMEs can reach a regenerative stage and, if so, how? Method: The study was conducted with an inductive qualitative approach under the interpretivism paradigm, and a multiple case study approach was chosen to best capture the phenomenon. The primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews with sustainability consultants from various SMEs in Sweden, and a thematic data analysis was conducted to interpret the empirical findings to relate them to the theories presented. Conclusion: The findings pointed to eight factors that enable and restrict SMEs in transitioning to a regenerative phase. Internally, SMEs are impacted in their transition by the mindset, values, sustainability awareness, strategy and communication, and the organizational structure of the business. In addition, the main external factors influencing the transition are the ambiguity regarding the sustainability concept and pressure from various stakeholders. The findings also highlighted the interconnectedness of the factors and the importance of a paradigm shift to whole systems thinking.

Background – Leveraging external sources of innovation (ESI) is found to be vital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovation work as they commonly suffer from a lack of resources to facilitate and execute this work. The interaction with the external environment does, in turn, enable access to knowledge and capabilities that SMEs currently not possess. Moreover, as collaborative software tools (CSTs) have proven to play a critical role in today’s innovation processes and have transformed the way of interacting with the external environment, it becomes obvious that research in this field must account for the usage of these tools. CSTs have a significant impact on communication, cooperation, and coordination and are, therefore, widely used to facilitate collaborations in intra-organizational groups. Thus, these tools can be beneficial for SMEs as it provides them with greater access and availability to the external environment. Purpose – This research aims to understand how SMEs can leverage external sources of innovation with the application of collaborative software tools and develop fruitful insights that can be used to facilitate innovation work for SMEs that typically lack internal resources.  Method – This study approaches the underlying philosophy of a relativist ontology, a social constructionist epistemology, and iterative grounded theory. For the methodology, empirical data was collected through 31 semi-structured interviews with participants from SMEs and their ESI in the region of Jönköping County following a purposive sampling method. The empirical data was further analyzed by conducting a grounded theory strategy for process analysis. Findings – We develop two processes illustrating how SMEs can leverage ESI with the application of CSTs. It was found that the application of CSTs in these processes enables SMEs to explore, acquire, and utilize information and knowledge from ESI in ways that previously have not been possible. By providing new ways of communicating and cooperating, CSTs facilitate the activity of sourcing knowledge and resources from ESI. Consequently, the SMEs are provided with new knowledge and resources that, in turn, improve and enhance the development of innovations. Thereby we contribute to an understanding of how SMEs can leverage ESI in the 21st century.

Background: Collaborations between universities and industries are common to foster innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises. Participants of these collaborations face several challenges related to these collaborations. Universities and Industries work in different environments and value different priorities. Current literature shows that the challenges due to the organisational differences in these collaborations lead to the most significant challenges. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore and analyse how participants of UI collaborations perceive and manage organisational differences between universities and industries when the industry participant is a SME and the academic are students. We also aspire to discover and outline some specific characteristics of the organisational differences appearing in student-SME collaborations. Method: To fulfil the purpose, a qualitative study was conducted. The empirical data was collected in ten semi-structured interviews. Two projects of two master programmes at Jönköping University and experienced facilitators of university-industry collaborations were interviewed. The focus of the interviews was to get to know the participants' experience related to the organisational differences. Conclusion: The study's findings show how organisational differences in student-SME collaborations are perceived differently than in generic UI collaborations. Three elements were found as the main aspects influencing the perception of the organisational differences in student-SME projects: individual factors, perspective and collaborative factors. Finally, the findings show a positive contribution towards innovation in the SME participating in these projects.

Background: The intense growth of data that is continuously expanding has resulted in SMEs using cloud computing to store, process and analyze data. Thus, a critical element is for SMEs to understand the value of cloud computing and the factors influencing the adoption decision.  Problem: Due to the increased use of cloud computing, the importance of examining the factors that can affect and impact SMEs adoption has been highlighted. Cloud computing has been pointed out as a component for SMEs to stay competitive and sustainable in public crises and uncertain environments. Despite the importance among scholars, no research has studied cloud adoption factors among SMEs during 2020 - 2021 and the present of a public crisis. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate and explore SMEs cloud computing adoption factors in the turbulent time of a public crisis. The result of this research is expected to add knowledge and theoretical insights to existing literature and fill the gap within the underexplored context of cloud computing adoption factors during public crisis. Method: In this research, a qualitative research design was applied where six semi-structured interviews with people experienced of the phenomenon under study were conducted and eight customer cases with cloud users were collected from cloud providers' websites. Conclusion: The findings of this research declared ten significantly important factors; complexity, compatibility, relative advantage, cost savings, security, top management support, technology readiness, organizational culture, competition and trading partner pressure and supplier computing support, to influence SMEs cloud computing adoption. Although this research was conducted during the time of a public crisis, no conclusion of the crisis' impact on which factors influencing SMEs cloud computing adoption could be recognized.

Background: The economic crisis derived from the COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on the global economy and Swedish small and medium-sized enterprises are challenged to adapt their practices to the new consumer buying behaviour. As a response to economic crises, where consumer buying behaviour changes, companies are forced to innovate their marketing methods.  Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how Swedish SMEs manage the economic crisis derived from the COVID-19 pandemic through the relatively unexplored relationship between crisis management and marketing innovation.  Method: This research is an exploratory qualitative study focusing on Swedish small and medium-sized enterprises where semi-structured interviews were held with seven participants who were marketing responsible. A thematic analysis was applied to analyse the empirical data.  Conclusion: The empirical findings and the analysis suggest three main areas when answering the research question. 1) Marketing innovation improved the crisis management practice among the interviewed enterprises. 2) Marketing innovation is a common crisis management tool among the respondents of this study, and one reason why is because of the high capacity to innovate of the interviewees. 3) A new type of crisis management is arising because of the technological advancements and business climate.

In the recent couple of years, African countries have conducted a free tradeagreement which will affect the whole African continent. Providing the largestfree trade agreement in history so far in terms of participating countries.AfCFTA provides new conditions and enhancement, aiming for Africa tobecome one single market and boosting intra-African trade. Countries such asKenya, has during recent years made changes and reforms which has enhancedits business environment for companies operating there. In addition, this thesisaims to investigate how the new free trade agreement is affecting KenyanSMEs in the manufacturing sector today, and how it will affect them in thefuture when the free trade agreement is fully implemented. To receive a deeperunderstanding about the subject, a qualitative method and an abductiveapproach have been conducted. Moreover, the theoretical framework derivesfrom internationalization theories commonly used and which benefits from theterms that the free trade agreement holds. The conceptual framework assumesthat international marketers experience different market prerequisites, thus theview of the internationalization process differs from one market to another.Therefore, our empirical findings derive from a multi-case study, whichinvestigate Kenyan manufacturing SMEs possibilities and difficulties tointernationalize on the African continent. The analysis presents the theoreticalframework and the empirical findings in the contrast and relation to each other.Finally, the conclusion chapter provides insights in opportunities anddifficulties still remaining for the AfCFTA to be fully implemented and forKenyan manufacturing SMEs to fully utilize the agreement. Also, limitationsand suggestions for future research is conducted in the chapter. The result ofthis research stipulates that there are still difficulties for Kenyanmanufacturing SMEs to utilize the agreement and that the agreement requirestime to provide a fully functional single market for Africa.

According to research findings, SMEs are continuously faced with unexpected changes within their operating environment. The rapid development of technology master’s new competitors, new products and markets which creates a source of uncertainty for these organisations. These changes are for instance demonstrated through changes in customer demands, lower barriers and government regulations, offering both opportunities as threats. Considering that SMEs play a significant role for society and the worldwide economy, they genuinely need to strive for innovative and efficient solutions in their business. By focusing on smarter use of information through Business Intelligence, SMEs can stay competitive in such an environment. Nevertheless, while BI utilization for efficient decision-making has been highly attractive to larger companies for some time, this has not been a reality for SMEs. The reasons for this are several and challenges vary. However, it is necessary to meet some basic conditions to effectively take advantage of BI, namely, to align BI with corporate strategies. This study applied the BISC framework on one strategic theme, the operations management, in an SME in order to identify gaps between BI and corporate strategy in their business performance management initiative. Gaps were identified by analysing current As-Is state of BI assets and the To-Be state. This thesis aims therefore to contribute in the understanding of problems and potentials regarding the process of aligning BI with corporate strategies in SMEs.

Stakeholder salience has emerged from the ambiguity of stakeholder theory and is intended to better describe the aspects of identification and prioritization of stakeholders. Despite the fact that 95% of businesses worldwide are SMEs and comprise 99.8% of all European enterprises, the stakeholder salience aspects of identification and prioritization, in relation to SMEs, are empirically underdeveloped and mainly focused on the owner/manager perspective. Therefore, this qualitative single-case study has explored the stakeholder salience aspects of identification and prioritization in order to better understand the intraorganizational perceptions of stakeholders, processes, and motivations, within a European SME. The findings revealed that intraorganizational perceptions focused on a narrow view of stakeholder identification, which contradicts the broad view advocated by researchers in relation to stakeholders and sustainable development. Furthermore, there is a need to develop broader intraorganizational understanding of stakeholders in terms of claims and processes if businesses are going to be able to create holistic strategies with a sustainable development focus.

Background: Small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) have their impact on the environment besides their benefits.  While a business grows, naturally destroying impacts are also growing. SMEs have a variety of barriers to be green and sustainable. There are some simple and non-complicated actions that firms can take, to reduce their destructive impacts on the environment.  This study analyses the existing barriers and focuses on small and medium sizes firms (SMEs) around Jonkoping. Besides, this study includes interviews with successful and sustainable companies and reflects their solutions to overcome those barriers in a different step of the green product lifecycle. Purpose: This is a practical study of how sustainability process in SMEs can drive product lifecycle greener. The purpose of this thesis is to study the existing practical and simple solutions for different environmental sustainability barriers in SMEs which located in Jonkoping region. Also, it goals to reveal solutions which applies by sustainable businesses to overcome to the sustainability barriers. Method: To fulfil the purpose of the thesis, an experimental research design was applied, and the data was provided from in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Ten interviews were conducted with successful businesses in sustainability practice in the Jonkoping region. The data analysis for this study was created by an inductive approach. Conclusion: This study has revealed that the successful green businesses categorizing their barriers into general, segmental, and individual groups. After that, by evaluating the strength of obstacles in different steps of GPL and considering their available resources they plan to apply proper solution. The other main finding in this thesis was a practical framework according to what have been done in our research.

Inefficient operations management practices have proven to be the main cause of failure in the administration of any business empire. Operations managers are held in the apex of leadership in companies and by standards, the outcome of their management are expected to lead to the growth and success of the company. With the mismanagement of finances and human capital, it would be difficult for the company to achieve growth and success to meet the objectives of the company. The main purpose of this research was to do an exploratory study on the impacts of Operations Management on the growth of business, with a focus on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, specifically a hotel. The study aimed to identify why the concept “Operations Management” is important to the growth of businesses.The objective was to contribute knowledge to the field of finance and the business world.The population of this study comprised of 30 staffof LasVegas Hotels and Resort Abuja, Nigeria. The study employed the use of primary data using structured questionnaires open–ended and close – ended. The 30 questionnaires that were administered were all returned. The study employed the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) in the analysis of the data. The study found that operational controls, financial prudence, are the specific operations management skills that are responsible for the growth and the success of the company. Hence, operations management is fundamental to the growth and success of a business. The study concluded that operations management contributes to the growth of businesses in Nigeria.The study recommended that the operations management team should carry staff along in the day - to - day running of the business so that the staff can have sense of belonging. / <p>The major challenge with this research was time constraint. I started two weeks behind schedule, with the guide and encouragement from my supervisor, I was able to finish up successfully.</p>