The thesis deals with the influence of the global financial and economic crisis on the functioning and management of small and medium enterprises in the Czech Republic. In this work the emphasis is based mainly on support from the state, and the European Union and other bodies involved in this problem. In the practical part of the diploma thesis the analysis is held on small business management - the company Pravé hořické trubičky s.r.o. The main emphasis is given to its functionning in times of crisis, and comparison with the industry. The analysis is performed using basic indicators and tools of financial analysis and benchmarking.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are one of the principal driving forces in the development of an economy because of its significant contribution in terms of number of enterprises, employment, output and exports in most developing as well as developed countries. But SMEs, particularly in developing countries like India, face constraints in the functional areas of technology, finance, marketing and human resources. Moreover these SMEs have been exposed to intense international competition since early 1990s because of globalisation. However, globalisation, the process of continuing integration of the countries in the world has opened up new opportunities for SMEs of developing countries to cater to wider international markets which bring out the need for these SMEs to develop competitiveness for their survival as well as growth. Subcontracting relationship of SMEs with Large Enterprises (LEs) is an important source of access to technology and other infrastructural resources for SMEs of developing countries enabling them to develop their capabilities and become competitive. In the era of globalisation, Trans National Corporations (TNCs) are expanding their production facilities to developing countries for availing the advantages of productivity and distribution more than ever and India is no exception. These TNCs which concentrate on core operations and outsource non core activities offer better scope for local SMEs to have subcontracting relationship with them. Superior work culture of these TNCs would be reflected in their subcontracting relationships with local SME suppliers since TNCs place much emphasis on their value chain to be organised according to international standards. The key issue is whether Indian SMEs have entered into subcontracting relationship with TNCs and if so what is the nature of these subcontracting relationships? Does this relationship with the TNCs offer more scope for receiving assistance of various kinds for subcontracting SMEs? What is the extent and diversity of this TNC assistance? Given the quantum of assistance, does it facilitate the innovations and economic performance of SMEs? These questions have been addressed in the study with reference to subcontracting SMEs of three major TNCs in the Indian automobile industrya Japanese TNC, a German TNC and a Swedish TNCall the three being located in Bangalore, India. A theoretical framework for subcontracting relationship between TNCs and SMEs is proposed focusing on TNC assistance, SME innovations and economic performance, based on literature review. The study is based on an Ex Post Facto Exploratory research using primary data collected from a sample of 81 SME subcontractors selected from the list of first level suppliers provided by the three TNCs. The relevant data were collected using a structured questionnaire by visiting the firms and having personal interviews with entrepreneurs/senior managers of the firms. An assessment of nature of the SME subcontractors and their subcontracting relationships with TNCs revealed that these SME subcontractors of the three TNCs are in different stages of TNCSME subcontracting relationship. The Swedish TNCSME subcontracting relationships are in the initial stage, the Japanese TNCSME subcontracting relationships are in the growing stage and German TNCSME subcontracting relationships are in an enduring stage of the relationship. Therefore they are alternatively referred to as initial stage SME subcontractors, growing stage SME subcontractors and enduring stage SME subcontractors. The assistance a subcontracting SME received from its TNC customer was measured using 20 item variables under 7 dimensions of assistance related to product, production process, managerial know-how, marketing, human resource, financial and purchase process. A model to measure the degree of assistance was formulated with these 20 item variables for measuring the seven dimensions of assistance. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to establish the validity of the model. The degree of assistance was calculated as a single summated score for each case by summing up the composite scores of the seven dimensions of assistance calculated using weighted average method. The assistance provided to SME subcontractors was more in the case of German TNC than those of Japanese TNC and Swedish TNC. Even though there was evidence of assistance from TNCs to SME subcontractors, these SMEs received more of product related and purchase process assistance whereas assistance for their production process, managerial know-how, marketing, human resource, financial requirements was not very high. This implies that subcontracting relationship of Indian SMEs with TNCs is confined more to a mere purchase supply relationship where both the parties are concerned about the basic requirements of purchase supply relationship like detailed specifications, proper feedback on product performance, advance information about future orders, preferential pricing and proper payment. Innovation of the subcontracting SMEs was measured based on six dimensions of innovation, namely, new product developments, product modifications, process improvements, informal R&D/NPD expenditure, informal R&D/NPD employees and raw material selection. Firms were classified into two groups as high innovators and low innovators based on the innovation score calculated using the six dimensions. To probe the role of TNC assistance in the innovations of subcontracting SMEs, a logistic regression analysis was performed using the equation with degree of assistance, capital and labour as explanatory variables and innovation level as criterion variable. Our analysis revealed the positive role of assistance in the innovations of SMEs. However, the positive role of this assistance was found to be decreasing as focus of our analysis shifted from the initial stage SME subcontractors to the growing stage SME subcontractors and then to the enduring stage SME subcontractors even when the assistance they received increased from one stage to the other. SME subcontractors operating in the initial stage of the relationships, who in general lack technological competence, rely more and make more use of the assistance, even when the assistance itself is low, for their innovative performance. As the relationship gets older, the SMEs may be able to enhance their inhouse competence using the assistance from the TNC and may make more use of their own resources for innovations along with the assistance from TNCs. Therefore, as SME firms begin to use more of their inhouse resources for their innovations, it is likely that the role of TNC assistance for SME innovations would decrease. Increasing positive role of labour for SME innovations as the relationship shifted from initial to enduring stages substantiate the argument of increasing utilisation of inhouse resources for innovations as relationship prolongs over a period of time. A comparative analysis of the economic performance of SME subcontractors revealed that the German subcontractors were having more labour productivity and value added to value of output and low capital productivity whereas Swedish subcontractors were having high capital productivity and low labour productivity and value of added to value of output compared to other two. In order to probe the role of degree of assistance on the economic performance of SMEs, a regression analysis was performed using the equation with degree of assistance, capital and labour as explanatory variables and value addition as criterion variable. The results revealed the contributory role of TNC assistance in the economic performance of subcontracting SMEs but this contributory role of assistance was found to be decreasing even when the assistance itself is increasing whereas the contribution of labour increased, as our analysis shifted from the initial stage to the growing and then to the enduring stage of relationships. The extent of assistance might be low at the initial stage of the relationship but the small and young SME subcontractors who in general, lack technological competence might be able to make more use of this assistance since the assistance from TNCs would be one of their major sources for technical upgradation and growth. As the relationship prolongs both contracting and subcontracting firms may rely on trust and build up close relationship which would enable the SMEs to enhance their sales to the TNC and receive more assistance. At the same time, some of the SMEs might even strengthen their inhouse resources due to TNC assistance which in turn could be further used for their economic performance. This could be the reason for the decreasing contributory role of assistance and increasing contributory role of labour for the economic performance of subcontracting SMEs as our analysis moved to more enduring relationships. Further analysis using other regression models revealed that the firms, which received more assistance from the TNC customers utilised labour more efficiently than firms which received lesser assistance. TNC assistance was found to be an important factor for the enhancement of labour productivity of subcontracting SMEs, especially for young and small firms operating in the initial stage of the relationship. The subcontracting SMEs were able to make use of the innovations which they could carry out with TNC assistance for their economic performance. Quantile regression analysis, performed to have a more comprehensive picture of the effect of degree of assistance on economic performance, revealed that that for SMEs having average factor productivities, the assistance from TNCs contributed less to their economic performance relative to those SMEs which had low and high factor productivities, respectively. Moreover, SMEs which had high factor productivities were able to make more use of their innovations for their economic performance. These findings clearly show that the TNC assistance enables subcontracting SMEs to enhance their innovations and economic performance. Initially, the SME subcontractors might receive less assistance but these SMEs who in general, have limited resources may make more use of this assistance for better performance and enhancing their internal capabilities. As the subcontracting relationship endures over a period of time, subcontracting SMEs would be able to enhance their performance and develop their internal resources which in turn could be further used for their performance. If that is so, even when the SMEs are able to receive more assistance from TNCs and deliver higher performance, the contribution of this assistance for their performance would decrease. Thus this diminishing role of assistance from TNCs in the economic performance of subcontracting SMEs supports the fact that SME subcontractors are able to improve their internal capabilities and competitiveness through long term subcontracting relationships with TNCs. An assessment of the relative importance of SME factors which encourage subcontracting of the SMEs with TNCs indicated that inhouse R&D efforts and technological capability, frequent and proper communication, financial stability, skilled manpower, reputation of the subcontracting firm etc. are the most important factors, indicating the importance of inhouse/internal resources of the subcontracting firms. An assessment of the factors with respect to improvement needed for these SMEs revealed that the entrepreneurs/managers of the SMEs had realised the need to improve their inhouse resources and develop their technological capabilities with enhanced skilled manpower and better machinery. Given the importance of internal resources of SMEs for forging subcontracting relationships with TNCs, Indian SMEs need to place utmost priority for enhancing their own technical and manpower resources. Results of our study underlines the need for a policy thrust to expand the coverage of subcontracting involving local SMEs with domestic economy based global TNCs. The promotion of linkages of SMEs with TNCs depends on two factors: (i) the availability of local SMEs who have the prerequisite capabilities in terms of quality, delivery and cost and (ii) availability of information of such SMEs and their capabilities for TNCs. This context calls for the simultaneous strategy of competitiveness enhancement of local SMEs to the required level and providing information about the available capabilities of SMEs to TNCs.

A prestudy by the author of the assistance available to small business owners in South Africa revealed that although much assistance is available, many small businesses still fail. The question that arose was whether small business owners are receiving the proper assistance in respect of the right functional areas of the business, for the appropriate duration, at the right stage of the business life cycle and by the right people. Taking all these issues into account, the main purpose of this study was to determine what types of business interventions have the greatest impact on the success of entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprise owners. The literature study includes the history of small business development in South Africa and the interventions that have taken place in this and other countries. It also provides a definition of a successful small business and the generic business needs of small business owners. The sample used in this study was drawn from the members of the Confederation of Employers of South Africa (Cofesa). The research findings of this study are reliable for the SME owners who are members of Cofesa. The Cofesa group is not representative with regards to demographics, location, economic sectors or qualifications of South African SMEs. The following are some of the findings of the study of successful small business owners: * They generally make use of assistance in the areas of finance, marketing and human resources. * Most of them make use of assistance on a continuous basis during all the stages of the business life cycle, suggesting the way forward for aspirant business owners who should start making use of assistance even before starting their businesses. * Consultants or business specialists are mainly used for assistance. * More than two-thirds of the business owners thought that their businesses were more successful after they had received assistance. * The assistance was neither the cause of failure nor was it the main cause of their success. Assistance is a contributing factor to success but not the main reason for it. The success of a SME will depend mainly on other factors such as type of product, product quality and marketing. Assistance, however, proves vital and should first be provided for the areas as identified by the respondents in this study (mainly finance, marketing and human resources). / Business Management / D. Com.

Problematiken som denna fallstudie försöker belysa är problemet med att mindre företag inte arbetar, åtminstone formellt, med kunskapshantering inom sina organisationer. Detta är givetvis något som är problematiskt i den generation vi lever i idag där en effektiv process för kunskapshantering är en förutsättning för att nå konkurrensfördelar. Tidigare forskning bevisar detta och menar på att kunskapshantering är ett komplext begrepp där avsaknad av formella tillvägagångssätt för hur man ska främja, bevara och sprida kunskap är något som är problematiskt för just mindre företag. Byggindustrin är en intressant bransch då det verkar råda mycket tyst kunskap bland arbetarna och de verkar ha delvis hittat ett effektivt tillvägagångssätt för att hantera kunskap.   Syftet med fallstudien är att ta fram ett ramverk och tillvägagångssätt för hur mindre företag kan påbörja, formellt eller informellt, sitt arbete med kunskapshantering och lärande genom att dra inspiration från byggbranschen i förhållandet mellan fullärd snickare och lärling.   Det teoretiska ramverket består av teorier om individuellt kunskapsskapande samt organisatoriskt lärande, där teorier såsom social inlärningsteori, stimulus och respons, lärcirkeln, Nonakas SEKI modell, Community of Practice och Argyris teori för enkel-och dubbelkretslärande tillämpas för att analysera undersökningens empiri.   Den tillämpade metoden som används för att möjliggöra studien är kvalitativ ansats där semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts med VD, arbetsledare, tre snickare och tre lärlingar på Företag A.   Diskussion visar hur mycket av denna undersökning som överensstämmer med tidigare forskning men även några områden som inte överensstämmer. Tidigare forskning tillämpar ett negativt perspektiv på informella processer, medan vår studie visar att så inte behöver vara fallet. I slutsatsen redovisas fem aspekter som har identifierats som mindre företag kan tillämpa börja arbeta med kunskapshantering på ett effektivt tillvägagångssätt, även om processerna förblir informella. Dessa fem aspekter är fysisk kommunikation, stark gemenskap, bonus, trial-and-error samt främja och prioritera byggnadsarbetarnas och lärlingarnas reflektion kring avslutade projekt för att på ett systematiskt, standardiserat och kontinuerligt sätt fånga upp, bevara och sprida kunskap. Genom att, som mindre företag, tillämpa dessa aspekter undviker man behovet av att anlita dyr extern hjälp för att formalisera sina processer för kunskapshantering. / The major concern this case study tries to address is the identified problem of how smaller companies, at least formally, work with knowledge management within their organizations. This, of course, is something that is problematic in today's generation where an effective process for knowledge management is necessary to provide qualification to reach competitive advantage. Past research also shows this and says knowledge management is a complex area where missing a formal approach to how to promore, preserve, evolve and spread knowledge is problematic for smaller companies. The construction industry is very interesting to this regard, since they have a lot of tacit knowledge among the workers and they seem to partially have found an effective approach as to how to handle that knowledge.   The purpose of this case study is to identify a framework and approach that smaller companies can apply to start, formally or informally, their work with knowledge management and learning by taking inspiration from the construction sector in the relation between a fully learned construction worker and an apprentice.   The theoretical framework consists of theories about individual knowledge creation as well as organizational learning, where theories like social learning theory, stimulus and response, learning circle, Nonaka's SECI model, Community of Practice and Argyris theory of double-loop learning is applied to analyze the empiric findings of this research.   The applied method of conducting this research was a qualitative approach with semi structured interviews performed on the CEO, supervisors, three workers and three apprentices.   Discussion shows how a lot of this research corresponds with previous research but also a few areas that does not correspond. Past research approaches with a negative perspective on informal processes, while our study shows that there can be some positive aspect if learned to handle. In the conclusion we present a framework consisting of five aspects that have been identified  and to which smaller companies can start to apply in order to get to work with knowledge management in an effective way, even if the processes may stay informal. These five aspects are physical communication, a strong community, a performance based bonus and trial-and-error as well as promote and prioritize the construction workers´ and apprentices reflections for finished projects in order to in a systematic, standardized and consistent way catch, preserve and share knowledge. By applying, as a smaller company, these aspects the company can avoid the need of the hiring expensive external companies to help with formalising the processes for knowledge management.

Bakgrund: Vikten av att öppna upp sin innovationsprocess, både internt inom organisationen och externt utanför organisationen, är av stor betydelse för företag i dagens samhälle. Studier på specifikt inifrån-ut processen av öppen innovation är ett underrepresenterat område inom forskningen på öppen innovation. Genom en litteraturgenomgång belyses tre områden inom inifrån-ut processen som är i behov av vidare forskning: för- och nackdelar, framgångsfaktorer samt ett beaktande av dessa aspekter från perspektivet av SMEs. Enligt Europeiska kommissionen (2018) utgör ca 99.8% av företagen inom EU av SMEs, således föreligger det av intresse att belysa inifrån-ut processen av ÖI, i form av för- och nackdelar samt framgångsfaktorer, utifrån ett SME-perspektiv. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att bidra till ökad förståelse om hur svenska SMEs utövar inifrån-ut processen av ÖI. Detta genom att belysa huvudsakliga för- och nackdelar med processen samt identifiera framgångsfaktorer och hur dessa förhåller sig till de funna huvudsakliga för- och nackdelarna. Metod: Detta är en kvalitativ flerfallsstudie, varav fem olika fallföretag har studerats. Studien antar ett realistiskt perspektiv med en abduktiv ansats, för att möjliggöra teori- prövning såväl som -generering. Studiens empiriska data utgörs av fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med respondenter från fem olika svenska SMEs inom life science-branschen. Slutsats: Studien belyser två respektive fyra stycken huvudsakliga fördelar med den säljande respektive avslöjande formen av inifrån-ut processen av ÖI. Gällande de huvudsakliga nackdelarna, presenteras två stycken för respektive form av inifrån-ut processen. Vidare identifierar studien sju framgångsfaktorer, varav fem stycken är kritiska och två stycken är möjliggörande, som anses viktiga för svenska SMEs som utövar inifrån-ut processen av ÖI. Dessa framgångsfaktorer bidrar, i stor mån, till att uppnå de huvudsakliga fördelarna, medan ett minimerande av de huvudsakliga nackdelarna har fastställs i mindre utsträckning. Slutligen dras slutsatsen att den avslöjande formen används i syfte att möjliggöra den säljande formen, vilket skiljer sig från tidigare forskning där de två formerna presenterats utövas separat. Således utgör detta ett av studiens teoretiska såväl som empiriska bidrag gällande inifrån-ut processen av ÖI. / Background: Opening up a firm's innovation process, both within the organization and outside its boundaries, is of high importance in today’s society. Within the open innovation literature (OI), studies on outbound OI marks a relatively unexplored area. By conducting a literature review we identified three areas within the outbound OI literature, that are in need of further research: advantages and disadvantages, success factors and viewing these aspects from an SME-perspective. According to the European Commission (2018) 99.8% of the companies within the EU are SMEs, hence making the perspective of SMEs an interesting base for researching advantages, disadvantages and success factors within outbound OI. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute to an increased understanding of how Swedish SMEs practice outbound OI. This is achieved by looking at the main advantages and disadvantages with the process, as well as identifying success factors and how these relate to the main advantages and disadvantages. Method: This is a qualitative multiple case study, in which five cases have been studied. The study is based on the philosophical standpoint of realism, with an abductive approach, in order to enable testing as well as the creation of theory. The empirical data consists of five semi-structured interviews with representatives from five different Swedish SMEs within the life-science industry. Conclusions: The study identifies two, respectively four, main advantages of the selling and revealing form of outbound open innovation. Regarding the main disadvantages, two disadvantages is presented for each form of outbound OI. Furthermore, the study identifies seven success factors, of which five are critical and two are enablers, which are considered important for Swedish SMEs who practice outbound OI. These success factors contribute in achieving the main advantages, while their effect on minimizing the main disadvantages has been identified to a lesser extent. Lastly, it is concluded that the revealing form is used in order to enable the selling form of outbound OI. This differs from how previous research has presented the two forms, as being performed separately. Hence, this is one of the study’s theoretical, as well as empirical, contributions to the research field of outbound OI.

BAKGRUND: En lösning på det rådande klimathotet är en samhällsomställning till cirkulär ekonomi, vilket kräver att företag anammar cirkulära affärsmodeller. SMF, små och medelstora företag, utgör en stor del av alla företag som påverkas av denna förändring. En cirkulär affärsmodell innebär att nya beteenden och prestationer ska uppmuntras och detta görs med hjälp av den ekonomiska styrningen. I denna samhällsomställning blir det därför relevant att undersöka hur den ekonomiska styrningen ska utformas i SMF med cirkulära affärsmodeller. SYFTE: Studiens syfte är att bidra med kunskap om hur ekonomisk styrning utformas i SMF med cirkulära affärsmodeller. Detta görs genom att analysera hur styrverktyg utformas och kombineras i styrpaketen i SMF med cirkulära affärsmodeller. GENOMFÖRANDE: Studien är en kvalitativ multipel fallstudie. Det empiriska materialet består av nio intervjuer som genomförts i tre fallföretag. Det empiriska materialet har sedan används för att identifiera likheter och skillnader mellan fallföretagen för att kunna dra slutsatser om företagens ekonomiska styrning. SLUTSATS: Studien visar att SMF, som vanligtvis har svag formell styrning, utformar starkare formell styrning då den administrativa styrningen och den långsiktiga planeringen ökar i betydelse och med en cirkulär affärsmodell. De informella styrverktygen är starkare än de formella styrverktygen och viktiga för den cirkulära affärsmodellen. Därmed existerar fortfarande en obalans i kombinationen mellan formella och informella styrverktyg men balansen blir något jämnare i och med en cirkulär affärsmodell. / BACKGROUND: One solution to the threat of climate change is the societal conversion to circular economy, which requires companies to develop and use circular business models. SMEs, small and medium sized enterprises, constitutes a large part of the companies that are affected by this change. A circular business model implies that new behaviors and performances must be encouraged by the companies. This is done through management control. Therefore, it is relevant to research how management control systems in SMEs with circular business models are formulated. AIM: The aim of the study is to contribute with knowledge about how management control systems are formulated in SMEs with circular business models. This is achieved by analysis of how individual management control systems are formulated and combined in a management control system package within SMEs with circular business models. COMPLETION: This study is a qualitative multiple case study. The empirical data consists of nine interviews, conducted in three case companies. The empirical data has been used to identify similarities and differences between the case companies in order to draw conclusions regarding the management control systems within these firms. CONCLUSION: This study shows that SMEs, who usually possesses weak formal controls, formulate stronger formal controls because the administrative controls and the long-range planning have a greater significance in a circular business model. The informal controls are stronger than the formal controls and important for the circular business model. Therefore, there is still imbalance between the combination of formal and informal controls, although the balance improves somewhat in a circular business model. / Mistra REES

Background and Problem Statement: Effective decision-making based on accurate information iscritical to the survival of organizations. New tools have for many decades been developed to improvedecision-making within organizations, but increasingly dynamic and complex business environmentscontinue to create a need for better data and tools for organizations to be able to make faster and moreprecise decisions.This need has given rise to what is called Business Intelligence (BI), which has become a necessarytool for effective managing decision-making processes because of increasing amounts of data.However, research shows that expected benefits of BI are rarely realized. Previous research has alsoexpressed that further research should be done from the decision-maker’s perspective and from aperspective of small and medium-sized companies, as the amount research with these perspectives islimited. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how Business Intelligence is used for decisionmaking in small and medium-sized companies. Method: To answer the study’s research questions, we conducted a qualitative and interpretive casestudy with twelve underlying analysis objects where we conducted semi-structured interviews withone decision-maker per company in twelve different companies with different industry affiliations.The empirical material has been analyzed and discussed based on previous research and literature insubject areas such as Business Intelligence, Decision-Making, Bounded Rationality and Theory ofTechnology Dominance. Conclusion: The study shows that there are few perceived disadvantages with BI, while advantagessuch as more easily accessible fact-based information, opportunities for versatile data analysis andfaster decisions are highlighted to a greater degree. Despite an overweight to advantages, the studyalso shows several potential disadvantages such as information security-related risks where the scopeand method for making information available to staff and external actors through the BI solution ishighlighted. We also find that analytical decision-making through BI still needs to be combined withfactors such as intuition, judgment, and reason to achieve effective decision-making. The study resultsare concluded in a preliminary model that can be used to better understand the use of BI in small andmedium-sized companies. / Bakgrund och problembeskrivning: Effektivt beslutsfattande grundat på korrekt information ärkritiskt för organisationers fortlevnad. Nya verktyg har under många årtionden utvecklats för attförbättra beslutsfattande inom organisationer men alltmer dynamiska och komplexa affärsmiljöerskapar fortsatt behov av bättre underlag och verktyg för organisationer att kunna ta snabbare och merprecisa beslut.Detta behov har gett upphov till vad som kallas Business Intelligence (BI) som i takt med ökandedatamängder blivit ett nödvändigt verktyg för att effektivt hantera beslutsfattandeprocesser. Detframkommer dock i forskning att förväntade fördelar med BI sällan realiseras. Tidigare forskning harockså uttryckt att ytterligare forskning med fördel kan göras utifrån beslutsfattarens perspektiv samtutifrån ett perspektiv av små och medelstora företag då mängden forskning med dessa perspektiv ärbegränsad. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur Business Intelligence används för beslutsfattandei små och medelstora företag.Metod: För att besvara studiens frågeställningar har vi utfört en kvalitativ och tolkande fallstudiemed tolv underliggande analysobjekt där vi utförde semi-strukturerade intervjuer med enbeslutsfattare per företag i tolv olika företag med olika branschtillhörighet. Det empiriska materialethar analyserats och diskuterats utifrån tidigare forskning och litteratur inom ämnesområden såsomBusiness Intelligence, beslutsfattande, Bounded Rationality och Theory of Technology Dominance. Slutsats: Studien visar att det finns få upplevda nackdelar med BI medan fördelar såsom merlättillgänglig faktabaserad information, möjligheter till mångsidig dataanalys och snabbare beslutlyfts i högre grad. Trots en övervikt mot fördelar visar studien också på flera potentiella nackdelarsåsom informationssäkerhetsrelaterade risker där omfattning och metod för att genom BI-lösningentillgängliggöra information till personal och externa aktörer belyses. Det framkommer även attanalytiskt beslutsunderlag genom BI fortfarande behöver kombineras med faktorer som intuition,omdöme och förnuft för att uppnå effektivt beslutsfattande. Studien mynnar ut i en preliminär modellsom kan användas för att bättre förstå användningen av BI i små och medelstora företag.

[ES] Esta investigación mantiene como hipótesis la necesidad de establecer la figura del diseñador como un agente articulador dentro de la empresa capaz de crear pequeñas y grandes innovaciones en toda etapa del proceso empresarial, para facilitar la interacción entre el cliente/usuario y los productos/servicios. Para ello, este estudio busca consolidar el Diseño como motor de la innovación para pequeñas y medianas empresas en Chile a través de una investigación cualitativa y cuantitativa. Esta noción se apoya en un marco teórico que valida la innovación como la base del crecimiento económico de los emprendimientos. Sin embargo, para llegar a la innovación, es necesario hacer uso del Diseño como herramienta empresarial por sobre una asistencia estética y comunicacional. Con esto en mente, esta investigación presenta una puesta en escena de los elementos que componen el entorno de las actividades de producción, la sociedad y la economía del conocimiento global, y el ecosistema del emprendedor, específicamente, en Chile. También se esclarecen los conceptos del desarrollo sostenible, la innovación, el Diseño y las políticas de fomento del Diseño en Chile. Luego, se realiza un estudio sobre el emprendedurismo en Chile, enfocado en pequeñas y medianas empresas que participan en tres Centros de Desarrollo de Negocios del Servicio de Cooperación Técnica (SERCOTEC), de tres comunas representativas de tres niveles socioeconómicos del país (Estación Central, La Florida, y Ñuñoa), en la ciudad capital de Santiago; el Fondo de Solidaridad e Inversión Social (FOSIS); la Asociación de Emprendedores de Chile (ASECH); y, el Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación (MinCiencia), a través de entrevistas a los directores de cada institución y encuestas a emprendedores de los Centros de Desarrollo de Negocios. Los resultados principales de este estudio se dividieron en categorías: perfil del emprendedor, urgencias del emprendimiento, la función del diseño y ecosistema del emprendimiento e innovación. Estas categorías descubrieron que la figura del diseñador suele estar limitada a funciones básicas de estética y comunicación y se conoce muy poco sobre los beneficios empresariales del Diseño. Por ello, es crucial educar y difundir conocimiento en torno al rol del diseñador y su función desde la gestión empresarial del Diseño que lo sitúa más allá del orden creativo en el área formal y artística en una posición estrechamente vinculada al área de la economía. / [CA] This investigation maintains the need to establish the figure of the designer as an articulating agent within in businesses, capable of creating small and large innovations at all stages of the entrepreneurial process, to facilitate the interaction between the client/user and the products/services. To this end, this study seeks to consolidate Design as a driver of innovation for small and medium-sized businesses in Chile through qualitative and quantitative research. This notion is supported by a theoretical framework that validates innovation as the basis for the economic growth of entrepreneurship. However, in order to achieve innovation, it is necessary to make use of Design as a business tool over an aesthetic and communicational assistance. With this in mind, this research presents the current state of the elements that make up the environment of production activities, society and the global knowledge economy, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Chile. It also clarifies the concepts of sustainable development, innovation, design, and design promotion policies in Chile. A study on entrepreneurship in Chile is conducted, focusing on small and medium businesses that participate in three Centers for Business Development (Centros de Desarrollo de Negocios) of the Technical Cooperation Service (Servicio de Cooperación Técnica) of three communes that characterize three distinct socioeconomical levels of the country (Estación Central, La Florida and Ñuñoa), in the capital city of Santiago; the Solidarity and Social Investment Fund (Fondo de Solidaridad e Inversión Social), the Association of Entrepreneurs in Chile; and, the Ministry of Science, Knowledge, Technology and Innovation, through interviews with the directors of each institution and forms to entrepreneurs of the Centers for Business Development. The main results of this study were divided into categories: entrepreneur profile, entrepreneurship urgencies, the role of design, and entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. These categories found that the figure of the designer is often limited to basic aesthetic and communication functions and very little is known about the business benefits of Design. Therefore, it is crucial to educate and disseminate knowledge on the role of the designer and its function of Design in business management that places him or her beyond the creative role in a formal and artistic area and into position closely linked to the area of economics. / [EN] Aquesta investigació manté com a hipòtesi la necessitat d'establir la figura del dissenyador com un agent articulador dins de l'empresa capaç de crear petites i grans innovacions en tota etapa del procés empresarial, per a facilitar la interacció entre el client/usuari i els productes/serveis. Per a això, aquest estudi busca consolidar el Disseny com a motor de la innovació per a petites i mitjanes empreses a Xile a través d'una investigació qualitativa i quantitativa. Aquesta noció es recolza en un marc teòric que valguda la innovació com la base del creixement econòmic de les emprenedories. No obstant això, per a arribar a la innovació, és necessari fer ús del Disseny com a eina empresarial per sobre una assistència estètica i comunicacional. Amb això en ment, aquesta investigació presenta una posada en escena dels elements que componen l'entorn de les activitats de producció, la societat i l'economia del coneixement global, i l'ecosistema de l'emprenedor, específicament, a Xile. També s'esclareixen els conceptes del desenvolupament sostenible, la innovació, el Disseny i les polítiques de foment del Disseny a Xile. Després, es realitza un estudi sobre l'emprenedoria a Xile, enfocat en petites i mitjanes empreses que participen en tres Centres de Desenvolupament de Negocis del Servei de Cooperació Tècnica (SERCOTEC), de tres comunes representatives de tres nivells socioeconòmics del país (Estació Central, La Florida, i Ñuñoa), a la ciutat capital de Santiago; el Fons de Solidaritat i Inversió Social (FOSIS); l'Associació d'Emprenedors de Xile (ASECH); i, el Ministeri de Ciència, Tecnologia, Coneixement i Innovació (MinCiencia), a través d'entrevistes als directors de cada institució i enquestes a emprenedors dels Centres de Desenvolupament de Negocis. Els resultats principals d'aquest estudi es van dividir en categories: perfil de l'emprenedor, urgències de l'emprenedoria, la funció del disseny i ecosistema de l'emprenedoria i innovació. Aquestes categories van descobrir que la figura del dissenyador sol estar limitada a funcions bàsiques d'estètica i comunicació i es coneix molt poc sobre els beneficis empresarials del Disseny. Per això, és crucial educar i difondre coneixement entorn del rol del dissenyador i la seua funció des de la gestió empresarial del Disseny que el situa més enllà de l'ordre creatiu en l'àrea formal i artística en una posició estretament vinculada a l'àrea de l'economia. / Moreno Muñoz, C. (2022). El diseño como motor de innovación e infraestructura para pequeñas y medianas empresas en Chile [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/182166

The way firms innovate has notably changed in recent years. A clear example is the manufacturing sector which has been experiencing a new revolution in production and innovation. Linked to this industrial shift, manufacturing firms have been adopting more open and collaborative practices to innovate. This phenomenon, known as Open Innovation (OI), is helping firms to acquire and explore knowledge from external sources (inbound process) and to exploit knowledge via the commercialisation of ideas and technology (outbound process). Even though numerous researchers have studied the adoption of OI and its relation to numerous strategic and organisational results, very few studies have focused on investigating the positive influence of diverse OI approaches and practices on multiple dimensions of firm performance from different angles. These drawbacks hinder the diffusion of OI practices and raise the question of whether it is convenient for any firm in any industry to adopt or not to adopt OI. Thus, this thesis helps to fill this gap by examining the extent to which OI practices are adopted by firms and other actors in unexplored mature manufacturing industries and by understanding the unidentified roles that these practices play in relation to different dimensions of firm and industrial performance.  This thesis brings together different methodologies and data to investigate OI practices with a novel multi-perspective approach. Hence, OI practices are framed within the industrial context of manufacturing firms in Italy and Sweden, several actors in the food industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the Italian foundry industry, and also within worldwide SMEs designing and producing supercars. More specifically, using data from 247 European manufacturing firms collected through a tailored OI survey, this thesis supports the relevance of internal context characteristics such as firm size and provides evidence of the relation between configurations of OI models and innovation performance. Through two case studies in the food industry, this thesis demonstrates novel forms of OI practices that can be characterised and adopted by different innovation actors within and around this mature industry. Likewise, drawing from 30 rigorous case studies of small and medium-sized foundries, this research for the first time illuminates the relation between the aggregations of some innovation practices (specifically internal R&amp;D and inbound OI) with a contemporarily relevant dimension of environmental and industrial performance such as energy efficiency. Although foregrounding the practical implications of adopting OI practices, this project also investigates and attempts to contrast some of the theoretical perspectives used when researching OI in mature manufacturing industries. This thesis concludes with an integrative study of the main aspects of the research project to demonstrate the advantages of using a multi-perspective approach to study OI. This last study, originally inspired from two case studies of small carmakers, involved collecting data from 48 small and medium-sized manufacturers of supercars with a survey designed to evaluate OI influence on several types of firm performance. Collectively, the results from this thesis confirm the validity of OI in new research contexts and reveal a combined influence of specific innovation practices on innovativeness, but also on the dimensions of industrial, environmental, and social performance. This thesis contributes to theory and practice by empirically showing that even though OI and the results of practicing it are highly context dependent, adopting OI practices can definitely have a positive influence in the overall performance of firms in mature manufacturing industries, including SMEs and other small actors. / Det sätt på vilket företagen innoverar har förändrats märkbart under de senaste åren. Den här situationen syns tydligt inom tillverkningssektorn, som upplever en ny produktions- och innovationsrevolution. Med tanke på detta inför tillverkningsföretagen öppnare och mer samarbetsbaserade metoder. Detta fenomen, benämnt öppen innovation (Open Innovation, OI), hjälper organisationer att förvärva och utforska kunskaper från externa källor (ingående process) och att utforska kunskaper genom kommersialisering av idéer och teknik (utgående process). Även om ett flertal forskare har studerat införandet av OI och hur det hänger samman med olika strategiska och organisatoriska resultat, har endast mycket få studier lagt fokus på att undersöka de positiva effekter som olika former av OI-metoder och -praxis har på flera dimensioner av företagens resultat och ur olika synvinklar. Den här bristen hindrar spridningen av OI-praxis och väcker frågan om huruvida det är fördelaktigt för ett företag i en viss bransch att införa eller inte införa OI. Denna avhandling hjälper till att fylla det här tomrummet genom att undersöka i vilken utsträckning öppen innovationspraxis har införts av företag och andra aktörer i outforskade, mogna tillverkningsbranscher och vilka oidentifierade roller sådan praxis spelar i förhållande till olika dimensioner av företagsresultat och branschresultat. Denna avhandling för samman olika metoder och data för att undersöka OI-praxis ur ett nytt multiperspektiv. Det industriella sammanhanget för studien av OI-praxis är därför tillverkningsföretag i Italien och Sverige, flera aktörer inom livsmedelsindustrin, små och medelstora företag från den italienska gjuteriindustrin samt små och medelstora företag världen över som utformar och tillverkar superbilar. Denna avhandling använder data från 247 europeiska tillverkningsföretag, som samlats in genom en skräddarsydd enkät om öppen innovation, för att bekräfta betydelsen av det interna sammanhangets egenskaper, t.ex. företagets storlek, och lägga fram bevis för relationen mellan OI-modellkonfigurationer och innovationsresultat. Genom två fallstudier inom livsmedelsindustrin visar denna avhandling nya sätt på vilka OI-praxis kan karakteriseras och införas av olika innovationsaktörer inom och omkring den här mogna branschen. Forskningsprojektet utgår även från 30 noggrant genomförda fallstudier av små och medelstora gjuterier för att för första gången belysa relationen mellan samlingar av vissa former av innovationspraxis (nämligen intern FoU och ingående OI) och en samtida relevant dimension av miljö- och branschresultat, t.ex. energieffektivitet. Detta projekt bildar förgrunden till de praktiska följderna av att införa OI-praxis, men undersöker även och försöker kontrastera till några av de teoretiska perspektiv som används vid forskning kring OI i mogna tillverkningsbranscher. Denna avhandling avslutas med en integrerande studie av forskningsprojektets huvudsakliga aspekter för att påvisa fördelarna med att använda en multiperspektivmetod vid studier av OI. Den sista studien, till vilken inspirationen ursprungligen hämtades från två fallstudier av små biltillverkare, innebar insamling av data från 48 små och medelstora tillverkare av superbilar med en enkät avsedd att utvärdera OI:s påverkan på flera typer av företagsresultat. De sammantagna resultaten från denna avhandling bekräftar OI:s giltighet i nya forskningssammanhang och avslöjar en kombinerad effekt av vissa former av innovationspraxis på innovationsförmåga, men även på dimensionerna industriella, miljömässiga och sociala resultat. Avhandlingen bidrar till teori och praktik genom att empiriskt påvisa att även om OI och resultaten av OI-praxis är starkt kontextberoende, kan införande av OI-praxis säkerligen ha ett positivt inflytande på det totala resultatet för företag i mogna tillverkningsbranscher, däribland små och medelstora företag och andra mindre aktörer. / Il modo in cui le imprese stanno innovando è notevolmente cambiato negli ultimi anni. Un chiaro esempio è il settore manifatturiero, che sta reagendo a una nuova rivoluzione nella produzione e innovazione. Collegato a questo cambiamento industriale, le aziende del settore della manifattura stanno acquisendo nuove pratiche più aperte e collaborative per innovare. Questo fenomeno, noto come ‘Open Innovation’ (OI), sta aiutando alle aziende ad acquistare e esplorare le conoscenze dalle fonti esterne (processo ‘inbound’) e di sfruttare la conoscenza tramite la commercializzazione delle idee e delle tecnologie (processo ‘outbound’). Anche se numerosi ricercatori hanno studiato l’adozione della OI e la sua relazione con numerosi risultati strategici ed organizzativi, in pochi studi si sono concentrati sullo studio dell’influenza positiva di diversi approcci e pratiche sulle multipli dimensioni della performance aziendale di diverse angolature della OI. Questi inconvenienti ostacolano la diffusione delle pratiche OI ed evidenziano la questione se è pure conveniente per qualsiasi tipo d’azienda in qualsiasi tipo d’industria adottare o non adottare OI. Così, questa tesi contribuisce a riempire questa lacuna tramite la esaminazione delle misure in cui le pratiche della OI vengono adottate dalle aziende ed altri attori nelle inesplorate industrie mature della manifattura e attraverso la comprensione dei ruoli non identificati che queste pratiche giocano in relazione alle diverse dimensioni della performance aziendale e industriale.   Questa tesi mette insieme le diverse metodologie e i dati ad indagare sulle pratiche della OI con un nuovo approccio multi-prospettico. Quindi, le pratiche OI sono inquadrate nel contesto industriale delle aziende manifatturiere in Italia e in Svezia, i diversi attori nel settore alimentare, le piccole e medie imprese (PMI) del settore della fonderia italiana, e anche nelle PMI di tutto il mondo che disegnano e producono i supercars. In particolare, utilizzando i dati di 247 aziende manifatturiere europee raccolti attraverso un sondaggio, questa tesi sostiene la rilevanza delle caratteristiche del contesto interno come la dimensione della azienda e fornisce la prova della relazione tra configurazioni dei modelli OI e la capacità di innovazione. Attraverso due casi di studio nel settore alimentare, questa tesi dimostra delle nuove forme di pratiche OI che possono essere caratterizzate e adottate dai diversi attori dell’innovazione all’interno ed all’intorno di questo settore maturo. Allo stesso modo, raccolto da 30 rigorosi casi di studio delle piccole e delle medie fonderie, questa ricerca per la prima volta illumina la relazione tra le aggregazioni di alcune pratiche di innovazione (in particolare le pratiche interne di R&amp;S e di OI inbound) con una dimensione contemporaneamente rilevante delle prestazioni ambientali ed industriali quali l’efficienza energetica.   Anche se in primo piano le implicazioni pratiche dell’adozione delle pratiche della OI sono accentate, il progetto indaga anche e cerca di contrastare alcune delle prospettive teoriche utilizzate nella ricerca nelle mature industrie manifatturiere. Questa tesi finisce con uno studio integrativo degli aspetti principali del progetto di ricerca per dimostrare i vantaggi di utilizzare un approccio multi-prospettiva per studiare la OI. Quest’ultimo studio, originariamente ispirato da due casi di studio di piccole case automobilistiche, ha coinvolto la raccolta dei dati provenienti da 48 piccole e medie produttori di supercars tramite un sondaggio per valutare l’influenza dei diversi tipi di performance aziendale. Collettivamente, i risultati di questa tesi confermano la validità di OI in nuovi contesti di ricerca e rivelano una influenza combinata di pratiche d’innovazione specifica su innovazione, ma anche sulle dimensioni della performance industriale, ambientale e sociale. Questa tesi contribuisce alla teoria e alla pratica, che empiricamente mostra che se anche la OI ed i risultati di praticarla sono molto dipendenti dal contesto, l’adozione delle pratiche OI può sicuramente avere un effetto positivo nelle prestazioni complessive delle aziende nella industria manifatturiere matura, comprese le PMI ed altri piccoli attori. / <p>This thesis is produced as part of the EMJD Programme <em>European Doctorate in Industrial Management (EDIM) </em>funded by the European Commission, Erasmus Mundus Action 1.</p><p>EDIM is run by a consortium consisting of the industrial management departments of three institutions.</p><p>•KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden</p><p>•Politecnico de Milano, POLIMI, Milan, Italy</p><p>•Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, UPM, Madrid, Spain</p><p>QC 20160128</p> / European Doctorate in Industrial Management

In the business-to-business (B2B) financing industry, financiers offering financing to SMEs are finding it increasingly difficult to attract new customers and to retain existing customers. One way of attracting and retaining customers is by creating superior customer satisfaction, as it is believed that customer satisfaction leads to loyalty which ultimately results in customer retention. Customer satisfaction could also be an important indicator as to whether customers would want to build long-term relationships with financiers. With the current tendency towards the standardisation of financing products and services, building and maintaining relationships with customers is becoming increasingly important as a way to distinguish financiers from their competitors and, concurrently, to ensure survival. However, not all customers want to build long-term relationships with financiers. It is therefore important that financiers should identify those customers who have positive relationship intentions and focus their marketing efforts on these customers. The primary objective of this study was to develop a framework for relationship intention, satisfaction, loyalty and retention of SMEs in the business-to-business (B2B) financing environment. The descriptive research of this study is based on information gathered through quantitative, self-administered electronic surveys that were distributed among a South African financier’s (Business Partners Limited) customer database. In total, 120 SME respondents participated in the study, resulting in a final realisation rate of 12%. Results from this study indicate that the relationship intention measuring scale used in this study was valid and reliable in the B2B context within the financing environment. Results also show a significantly large positive relationship between respondents’ overall satisfaction and their loyalty towards Business Partners Limited (BPL), as well as a significantly large positive relationship between respondents’ loyalty and retention towards BPL. In addition, respondents with high relationship intentions showed higher overall satisfaction with loyalty and retention towards BPL than those respondents with moderate and low relationship intentions. Furthermore, the results indicated that respondents with moderate relationship intentions have higher overall satisfaction with BPL than those respondents with low relationship intentions. Respondents with moderate relationship intentions also displayed higher loyalty and retention towards BPL than those respondents with low relationship intentions. The results furthermore showed positive linear relationships between respondents’ relationship intentions and their overall satisfaction with BPL, between respondents’ relationship intentions and their loyalty towards BPL, as well as between respondents’ relationship intentions and their retention towards BPL. The results did not point to any clear parallels between respondents’ business size and their overall satisfaction, loyalty or retention. However, this study found positive relationships between respondents’ relationship intentions and their satisfaction, loyalty and retention. It is especially noteworthy that customers showing high relationship intentions overall, also showed a higher inclination to be satisfied, to be loyal and to become repeat customers (thus indicating retention). It is therefore recommended that financiers should rather use their customers’ relationship intentions and not their business size as focus, because strong positive relationships exist between respondents’ relationship intentions and their overall satisfaction, loyalty and retention. It is furthermore recommended that financiers should focus their marketing efforts and spending on customers with high relationship intentions as these customers tend to show higher satisfaction, loyalty and retention than those customers with moderate and low relationship intentions. Future research may consider using the relationship intentions measuring scale found to be valid and reliable in this study to other B2B contexts to determine the applicability thereof in other industries. Also, future research could consider testing the antecedents of relationship intentions, such as perceived brand equity, perceived organisation equity and perceived channel equity to determine the influence thereof on customers' relationship intentions. Finally, the study can be replicated under financiers’ B2C customers to determine whether relationship intentions are also applicable to these customers in the financing environment. / PhD (Marketing Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014