Research in Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) explores howbusinesses of all sizes and digital maturity can strive to offer high-quality IT servicesto meet customers' needs in a changing world. By leveraging ITSM best practices andthe Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework, organizationscan ensure valuable service operations and continuous service quality improvement.Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) particularly require tailored processesand support to implement and adapt these practices to maintain competitiveness anddrive their development forward.This qualitative study examines a Swedish medium-sized IT service provider'sperspective on success factors for ITIL implementation and its use of operationalprocesses to contribute to ongoing research in ITSM and the studied business'sdevelopment. The findings highlight the business as a rapidly growing SME withperspectives on critical success factors differing somewhat from research and havinglow process maturity according to the ITIL Process Maturity Model (PMF). Finally,suggestions are made on how businesses like this and their process maturity can bestrengthened through clarifying roles, defining operational process metrics,terminology and documentation, as well as establishing a problem managementprocess. This supports ITSM research by viewing critical success factors in a Swedishcontext and by proposing how best practices can be used to enhance serviceoperations in an SME. / Forskning inom Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) utforskar hurverksamheter, med olika storlek och digital mognad, kan sträva efter att erbjudahögkvalitativ IT-service för att möta kundernas behov i en föränderlig värld. Genomanvändningen av bästa praxis för ITSM och ramverket Information TechnologyInfrastructure Library (ITIL), kan organisationer säkerställa värdefull drift av tjänsteroch kontinuerlig förbättring av tjänstekvaliteten. Små till Medelstora Verksamheter(SME) behöver särskilt anpassade processer och stöd för att implementera ochanpassa dessa för att bibehålla sin konkurrenskraft och driva sin utveckling framåt.Denna kvalitativa studie undersöker en svensk medelstor IT-serviceleverantörs synpå framgångsfaktorer för ITIL-implementation och dess användning avdriftsprocesser för att bidra till fortsatt forskning inom ITSM och den studeradeverksamhetens utveckling. Resultatet visar på hur verksamheten är en snabbt växandeSME med syn på kritiska framgångsfaktorer som avviker till viss del från forskningenoch har låg processmognad enligt ITIL:s Process Maturity Framework (PMF).Slutligen föreslås hur verksamheter som denna och dess processmognad kan stärkasav förtydligande av roller, definition av driftsprocessers mätvärden, terminologi ochdokumentation samt etablerande av en problemhanteringsprocess. Detta stödjerforskning inom ITSM genom att synliggöra kritiska framgångsfaktorer i en svenskkontext samt genom framtagande av förslag på hur best practice kan användas för attutveckla tjänstedriften i en SME.

Businesses nowadays are increasingly adopting new technologies to obtain competitive advantages. Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands out as an advanced, novel technology that has potential benefits across industries. The fast-food industry is one such industry that is highly competitive, evolving, and requires advanced technologies to cater to modern customers who increasingly demand fast, digitized services. Increased customer engagement has also become a main driving force to adopt technologies since these consumers demand quick, personalized, digitized services. The fast-food industry, compared to other industries, produces food that is perishable, and quick, which demands proper handling before, during, and after preparation, for instant consumption. Services should be quick, fast, and accessible, where adopting advanced technologies has become a necessity for the industry players' survival. Larger organizations have successfully adopted AI and have harnessed a competitive advantage. Conversely, Smaller and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have successfully adopted digital technologies, assuming it as AI. They have not yet translated to adopt AI, which could threaten their survival and competitiveness in a highly evolving, dynamic industry. On the other hand, AI is a novel technology that has much potential, yet many are unaware of where the technology is heading, specifically, SMEs have a limited understanding and exposure to this technology, demanding more research.  The main purpose of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of how fast-food SMEs in Sweden perceive AI, the reasons for non-adoption, and the reasons influencing the behavioral intention to utilize AI for customer engagement within the organization. The study utilizes the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework to analyze how performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions influence individual SMEs' behavioral intentions towards AI adoption on customer engagement by studying it from an individual, organizational context. Through qualitative interviews with fast-food SME owners, IT managers, and marketing managers, the research explored a nuanced understanding of how AI is being perceived by SMEs, challenges, barriers, and factors influencing their adoption behavior.  The research findings indicated that AI technology itself is immature and the immediate business use case is not apparent for SMEs. It was also revealed that SMEs have a misconception between AI and digital technologies. Though there is enthusiasm and willingness to adopt AI within SMEs, significant challenges remain, such as a lack of understanding about AI, resource constraints, complexity, skills, and influences from competitors and stakeholders. The research identified factors specific to SMEs that contribute to extending the UTAUT framework, such as customized payment plans, establishing technology associations, and new business models suiting SMEs. It was further evidenced that customer engagement is not an impactful mediator that influences AI adoption within SMEs. It was concluded that though SMEs have the potential to improve performance, their adoption is limited due to the immaturity of AI and due to identified challenges.

La presente investigación se realizó con el propósito de estudiar el desarrollo de la resiliencia empresarial en los negocios de panadería; esto surge debido a la pandemia generada por la enfermedad de Coronavirus del 2019 y a la necesidad que presentaron las empresas de mantenerse funcionando a pesar de la coyuntura. Para ello se estableció como objetivo general el análisis de la resiliencia empresarial en las MIPYMES del sector panadero durante la pandemia por COVID 19 en la ciudad de Lambayeque 2021; se utilizó un enfoque cualitativo de diseño no experimental, cuyo instrumento fue la entrevista; se trabajó con una muestra intencional compuesta por los propietarios de 6 empresas que permanecieron activas durante la coyuntura y tuvieran un mínimo de 2 años dentro del mercado. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron identificar todas las estrategias que ayudaron a las panaderías a seguir funcionando, como también la falta de estructura organizacional en este tipo de negocios; concluyendo así en la presencia de la resiliencia empresarial en este sector y en la practicidad de su aplicación empírica dentro del sector panadero. / The present investigation was carried out with the purpose of studying the development of business resilience in bakery businesses. This arises due to the pandemic generated by the 2019 Coronavirus disease and the need that companies presented to keep operating despite the situation. For this, the analysis of business resilience in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the bakery sector during the COVID 19 pandemic in the city of Lambayeque 2021 was established as a general objective. A qualitative approach of non-experimental design was used, whose instrument was the interview. We worked with an intentional sample made up of the owners of 6 companies that remained active during the situation and had been in the market for a minimum of 2 years. The results obtained allowed us to identify all the strategies that helped the bakeries to continue operating, as well as the lack of organizational structure in this type of business; this concluding in the presence of business resilience in this type of business and in the practicality of its empirical application within the bakery sector.

Las MYPES son impulsadoras del crecimiento económico en el país y a su vez generadoras de empleo, pero existe un conocimiento mínimo en la aplicación de las leyes o normas, es importante señalar este desconocimiento ante temas tributarios, pues establece un problema de formalidad para las MYPES y que los dueños o gerentes, no conocen. Por lo tanto, esta investigación tuvo como objetivo analizar los efectos de la Ley N° 28015 en las MYPES del sector Comercial del Distrito de la Victoria 2021, en este caso se aplicó un enfoque cuantitativo, de tipo aplicada y nivel descriptivo, el diseño de la investigación es no experimental, debido a que la información recolectada ya existe en los contribuyentes del distrito la Victoria, la población está conformada por 128 MYPES, donde la técnica utilizada fue la encuesta, aplicada a las 52 MYPES que arrojó la muestra, luego de la aplicación de la fórmula. Por tanto, esta investigación busca el análisis de la Ley y la conveniencia que tiene el contribuyente al acogerse para conocer sus beneficios en las MYPES; mediante la recopilación de información se logró entender que los contribuyentes no aprovechan estos beneficios que trae la Ley N° 28015 pero aun así se encuentran formalizados. / The MYPES are driven by economic growth in the country and in turn generate employment, but there is minimal knowledge in the application of laws or regulations, it is important to point out the ignorance regarding tax issues since it establishes a problem, since the MYPES have benefits that their owners or managers do not know about. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze the effects of Law No. 28015 on the MYPES of the Commercial sector of the District of Victoria 2021, in this case a quantitative approach was applied, of applied type and descriptive level, the design of the investigation is not experimental, because the investigation will be obtained from existing information from the taxpayers of the La Victoria district, the population is made up of 128 MYPES, where the technique used was the survey, applied to 52 MYPES that yielded the sample, then from the application of the formula. Therefore, this research seeks the analysis of the Law and how much it is convenient to contribute to know about these benefits of application in MYPES; Through the collection of information, it was improved to understand that taxpayers do not take advantage of these benefits that Law No. 28015 brings, but even so they are formalized.

La presente investigación tiene como propósito analizar la gestión de los responsables de las mypes chiclayanas durante el desarrollo de crisis como consecuencia de la pandemia del Covid-19. Este estudio se basó en un enfoque cualitativo, de diseño fenomenológico, de tipo básica y de nivel descriptivo. Para lo cual, se desarrolló una entrevista semiestructura con 22 preguntas basada en el modelo de Alves, Lok y Luo (2020), teniendo como unidad de análisis a 12 responsables de mypes. Los resultados indicaron que la Prevención de Crisis es una de las etapas fundamentales para la percepción de la crisis debido a que se encuentran grandes dilemas como las pérdidas económicas, la evaluación de utilizar antiguas estrategias y sobre todo la preparación adecuada de sus representantes; asimismo, la Gestión de Crisis durante la coyuntura es un momento crítico para la supervivencia de sus empresas debido a que deben tomar decisiones orientadas a formar equipos de trabajo con una comunicación constante y distribuir su capital para la adaptación a los nuevos cambios o incluso puedan reinventarse; y por último, los Resultados Postcrisis están orientados hacia el aprendizaje, la adquisición de conocimientos y de reflexión para instruirse en cómo lidiar con su personal, cómo negociar con clientes y proveedores y evaluar alguna modificación para su empresa, de tal modo se logre reducir su tiempo de recuperación, sin dejar de lado la ayuda gubernamental que podrían recibir. / The purpose of this research is to analyze the management of those responsible for Chiclayan mypes during the crisis development as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. This study was based on a qualitative approach, phenomenological design, basic type and descriptive level. For which, a semi-structured interview was developed with 22 questions based on the model of Alves, Lok and Luo (2020), having 12 managers of mypes as the unit of analysis. The results indicated that Crisis Prevention is one of the fundamental stages for the perception of the crisis because there are great dilemmas such as economic losses, the evaluation of using old strategies and, above all, the adequate preparation of its representatives; Likewise, Crisis Management during the current situation is a critical moment for the survival of their companies because they must make decisions aimed at forming work teams with constant communication and distributing their capital to adapt to new changes or even reinvent themselves. ; and finally, the Post-Crisis Results are oriented towards learning, the acquisition of knowledge and reflection to learn how to deal with your staff, how to negotiate with clients and suppliers and evaluate any modification for your company, in such a way that you can reduce your recovery time, without neglecting the government help they could receive.

The use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems by small enterprises is proliferating. Traditionally used by large enterprises, ERP systems are now considered important enterprise management aids, which may contribute to the sustainability and growth of small enterprises. Although varying acceptance factors may impact on the acceptance of ERP systems, there is no consolidated list of ERP system acceptance factors specific to small enterprises. In this study, the strategic, business, technical and human factors that influence the acceptance of ERP systems in small manufacturing enterprises in South Africa is presented. These influencing factors may guide future initiatives aiming to ensure the acceptance of ERP systems by small manufacturing enterprise. A combined quantitative and qualitative data analysis approach was used as an analytical lens to interpret responses gathered from small manufacturing enterprises. Recommendations are made for future research on ERP system acceptance and adoption within the broader spectrum of small enterprises. / Information Systems / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

Submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / This study explores South African Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) SMME manufacturers’ need for innovation to achieve growth in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). South Africa suffers from a high rate of unemployment, with an official unemployment rate estimate of 24.7% (Statistics South Africa, 2013). This high rate of unemployment in South Africa is partly attributed to the failure rate of SMMEs, which is between seventy and eighty percent. Small enterprises encounter greater barriers than medium-sized and large enterprises in accessing finance for innovation, commercializing new ideas and expanding their businesses. The study was exploratory and quantitative in nature. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather data. The questionnaires were distributed personally and with the help of a research assistant to the business sites of the respondents. The respondents comprise 120 FMCG SMME manufacturers in KZN, who were selected by means of a non-probability sampling method. The results obtained identified a number of factors influencing innovation for FMCG SMME manufacturers to achieve growth. The influencing factors include a lack of financial skill and knowledge; high cost or complex procedures to register or defend patents; a lack of information on the part of employers on how to satisfy consumers’ interest; a lack of technological know-how and human capital problems; difficulty in accessing finance for research and development; government laws and regulations; new entrant threats and protocols; and a lack of product brand name. / M

Alternative Geschäftsmodelle wie Software as a Service (SaaS) und Open-Source-Software (OSS) steigern die Attraktivität von Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systemen für Kleine und Mittelständische Unternehmen (KMU). Jedoch stellen die Beratungsleistungen, die für die Konfiguration eines ERP-Systems zur Anpassung an die spezifischen Bedürfnisse eines Unternehmens notwendig sind, eine hohe Einführungshürde dar. Eine Konfigurationsoption, die bei vielen ERP-Systemen eine Rolle spielt, ist die Kategorienkonfiguration. Mit Hilfe einer automatisierten Konfigurationsunterstützung können Geschäftsführer von kleinen Unternehmen die Kategorienkonfiguration selbst durchführen und einen Teil der Einführungskosten einsparen. Im Rahmen der kumulativen Dissertation werden Automatisierungsansätze zur Konfigurationsunterstützung für die ERP-Kategorienkonfiguration generiert und auf das Open-Source ERP-System ERP5 angewandt. Die Automatisierungsansätze basieren auf Ähnlichkeitsberechnungen zu Falldatensätzen von 235 Unternehmen, Kategorien-Konsolidierung durch Umleitungsinformationen in Wikipedia-Artikeln, Templates und Meta-Templates. Die empirische Evaluation in einem Laborexperiment mit 100 Teilnehmern und eine Umfrage bestätigen die Gültigkeit, Nützlichkeit und Effektivität der generierten Ansätze. Die Konfigurationsunterstützung kann durch einen standardisierten Beratungsprozess und die Vermittlung des für eine konkrete ERP-Einführung notwendigen Wissens mittels Massenindividualisierung ergänzt werden. Dieser Ansatz wurde mit und für ERP5 umgesetzt und lässt sich auch auf andere Open-Source-Projekte übertragen.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The cultural industries have been identified by the South African government as having significant potential to generate employment and hence alleviate the wide spread poverty suffered by many in the country. They have invested in the cultural industries with a view to developing SMMEs that have the potential to generate sustainable livelihoods. Craft, in particular is seen as an ideal vehicle through which poverty alleviation can take place, due to the combination of low technology requirements with high levels of manual labour. This study looks at one such multi-site craft-based poverty alleviation programme, Phumani Paper, and assesses the impact that it has had on the poverty of its participants (so far). Drawing on relevant theory “poverty” is defined as a deficiency with regard to three aspects of people’s lives: income, “human development” and capacity building. The results of the study indicate that the program did contribute to human development, but that income generation was less successful. In this regard success seems to depend on conditions at three levels of a programme: the programme management, the project model and the individual participants. Strategic intervention on these three levels will ensure that the impact of craft on poverty is more effective. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kulturele nywerhede is deur die Suid-Afrikaanse regering geïdentifiseer as ‘n potensiële bron van werkskepping om te help om wydverspreide armoede in die land aan te spreek. Die regering het op kulturele terrein belê in klein- en medium sakeondernemings met die hoop dat hulle kan bydra tot die skepping van volhoubare bestaansgeleenthede. Kunsvlyt word as ‘n ideale roete tot armoede verligting gesien a.g.v. die kombinasie van lae tegnologie vereistes en intensiewe handearbeid. Die studie kyk na een sodanige kunsvlyt-gebaseerde programme vir armoedeverligting, nl. Phumani Paper, en meet die impak wat dit (tot dusver) op die armoede van diegene gehad het wat aan die program deelneem. Gebasseer op relevante teorie word “armoede” in hierdie studie gedefinieer as 'n gebrek op drie terreine van mense se lewens: inkomste, “menslike ontwikkeling” en kapasiteitsbou. Die resultate van die studie toon aan dat die program bygedra het tot menslike ontwikkeling, maar dat die skepping van inkomste minder suksesvol was. Sukses in hierdie verband blyk af te hang van kondisies op drie vlakke van 'n program: die programbestuur, die projek-model en die individuele deelnemers. Strategiese intervensie op hierdie drie vlakke sal verseker dat die impak van kunsvlyt op armoede meer effektief is.

身為台灣中小企業一員的汽車零配件貿易公司，在面對(汽車)產業大環境的劇烈轉變與中國大陸供應商的強勢競爭下，為了不被市場淘汰，透過建置其策略地圖、商品分類與顧客分析，重新檢視企業本身的資訊管理策略，計劃相關專案，並配合該公司所重視的營運指標與其資訊執行能力程度，做為判斷各專案的優先順序的依據，進而分配各相關專案預算；確保從規劃企業資訊策略到執行專案的所有步驟，皆以符合策略地圖上所描述”創造企業競爭優勢和策略價值”為目的。 / Being one of Taiwanese small and medium enterprises, an Auto Parts and Accessories trading company, suffers from the rapid change of the market and the fierce competitions from Chinese suppliers. In order to survive in the business environment, the company sets up the Strategy Map, makes the Product Categorization and Customer Portfolios Analyses, to get the best IT planning and initiate several IT projects to support its internal management processes. Also, according to its Business Criticality and Technology Maturity indicators, the company makes the priority for its IT projects and allocates the budgets. These actions are taken as the accomplishments of differentiating from market competitions and creating the strategic values just like the goals of its Strategy Map described.