The subject of this dissertation thesis is human resource management in small and medium-sized enterprises, in the context of various internal and external conditions for their functioning. The main objective of this thesis is based on the identification and assessment of the current approaches of small and medium-sized enterprises to human resource management propose the model of human resource management in Czech small and medium-sized enterprises, including recommendations to improve the quality of human resource management.

A aplicação da Gestão do Conhecimento cresce a cada ano, especialmente em empresas de grande porte. Apesar de ser uma ferramenta capaz de oferecer vantagem competitiva, pequenas e médias empresas ainda tem dificuldade de aplica-la devido a falta de metodologias formais com ênfase em pequenas e médias empresas. Esse trabalho apresenta uma proposta de metodologia para guiar pequenas e médias empresas na realização de projetos de Gestão do Conhecimento. Por meio de um método sequencial e repetível a metodologia desenvolvida neste trabalho de pesquisa e denominada MAGCPME Metodologia de Análise para Gestão do Conhecimento em Pequenas e Médias Empresas, tem como foco a fase de análise e levantamento de requisitos para o desenvolvimento de Sistemas para Gestão do Conhecimento. Esse trabalho também apresenta um estudo de caso com o resultado da aplicação da metodologia MAGCPME em uma pequena empresa brasileira e a análise dos resultados obtidos desta aplicação. / Application of Knowledge Management is growing every year, especially in large companies. Despite all the benefits it can provide, small companies still have difficulty implementing it due to lack formal methodologies with an emphasis on small and medium enterprises. This work proposes a methodology to guide small and medium enterprises to start Knowledge Management projects. Through a sequential and repeatable method the methodology developed on this work called MAKMSME Methodology of Analysis for Knowledge Management in Small and Medium Enterprises, focuses on the phase of analysis and requirements gathering to support the development of a Knowledge Management System. This work also presents a case study with the results of the application of the methodology in a small Brazilian company and the analysis of results obtained in this application.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-07-13T16:51:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniela Baggio_.pdf: 849327 bytes, checksum: d48578cbd16c06d4aaebc25cadeb3269 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-13T16:51:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniela Baggio_.pdf: 849327 bytes, checksum: d48578cbd16c06d4aaebc25cadeb3269 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-06 / Nenhuma / O presente estudo foi motivado por lacunas teóricas sobre a gestão de práticas colaborativas de pesquisa e desenvolvimento (P&D) no processo da inovação aberta (IA). As pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) são consideradas relevantes no contexto econômico brasileiro, entretanto, enfrentam diversas dificuldades para se desenvolver, crescer e inovar no mercado quando atuam de forma individualizada. Com base nessa contextualização, a pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar como PMEs brasileiras realizam a coordenação das práticas colaborativas de P&D no processo da IA. Como objetivos específicos deste estudo estão: identificar os motivos para a adoção de práticas colaborativas; as dificuldades encontradas em sua implementação no que se refere à coordenação dos projetos; identificar como ocorre a gestão através dos mecanismos de coordenação de Grandori e Soda (1995); e, analisar a importância x desempenho dos mecanismos na coordenação nos projetos. Para tanto, foi realizado um levantamento teórico que enfocou tópicos referentes ao processo da IA, colaboração e os mecanismos de coordenação. Como estratégia investigativa optou-se por uma pesquisa qualitativa, através de um estudo de quatro casos em que ocorreram práticas colaborativas entre: empresa-fornecedor (P1); empresa-empresa (P2); empresa-cliente (P3), e, empresa-universidade-usuários (P4). Os dados foram obtidos através de entrevistas em profundidade e dados secundários. Como resultado da pesquisa conclui-se que os principais motivos para a adoção das práticas colaborativas estão vinculados a fatores motivacionais de caráter individual em complemento com fatores relacionados por motivações organizacionais e estratégicas. Entre as dificuldades encontradas em relação à coordenação dos projetos colaborativos foram identificados os seguintes: sistemas de informação, suporte público e infraestrutura; negociações; e, sistema de controle e planejamento. Quanto aos mecanismos de coordenação utilizados nos projetos colaborativos, foram identificados os seguintes: comunicação, decisão e negociação; sistema de controle e planejamento; equipe comum; coordenação e controle social; e, interação interunidades. E, como ponto crucial desta pesquisa, percebeu-se que a utilização dos mecanismos de coordenação dependeu das particularidades e especificidades de cada projeto, influenciando na coordenação dos projetos colaborativos. Além disso, as evidências empíricas demonstram que, quanto maior a complexidade do projeto, os mecanismos de coordenação utilizados em sua gestão tendem a ser mais específicos e formais. / This study was motivated by theoretical gaps on the management of collaborative practices of research and development (R&D) in the open innovation process (OI). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are considered relevant in the Brazilian economic context, however, they face a lot of difficulties to develop, grow and innovate themselves in the market when they act individually. Based on this context, the research aimed to analyze how Brazilian SMEs realize the coordination of collaborative practices of R&D in the OI process. The specific objectives of this study are: identify the reasons for the adoption of collaborative practices; the difficulties found in the implementation of collaborative practices of R&D regarding the coordination of projects; identifying how the management of collaborative practices of R&D occurs in the OI, through Grandori and Soda (1995) mechanisms of coordination; and, analyze the importance x mechanisms performance when coordinating the projects. Therefore, a theoretical study was conducted focusing on topics related to the closed innovation process to the OI, cooperation and the coordination mechanisms. As the research strategy, was chosen a qualitative research, through a study of four cases in which collaborative practices occurred between: company-supplier (P1); company-company (P2); company-client (P3), and, company-university-users (P4). The data were collected through depth interviews and secondary data. As a result of the research it is concluded that the main reasons for the adoption of collaborative practices are linked to motivational factors of individual character in addition to factors related to organizational and strategic motivations. Among the difficulties found as regards the coordination of collaborative projects, the following ones have been identified: information systems, public support and infrastructure, negotiations, and control system and planning. Regarding the coordination mechanisms used in collaborative projects, the following ones have been identified: communications, decision and negotiation; controlling and planning system; common staff; coordination and social control; and inter-unit interaction. And, as a crucial point of this research, it was noticed that the use of the coordination mechanisms depended on the particularities and specificities of each project, influencing the coordination of collaborative projects. Moreover, empirical evidences show that the greater the complexity of the project, the coordination mechanisms used in its management tend to be more specific and formal.

There is a lack of attention and understanding of how smaller hotel businesses understand and engage with social responsibility. The lack of understanding has led to a situation where the knowledge of how hotel corporations operate regarding Corporate social responsibility unproblematically is applied across scales onto Small and medium sized hotels behaviour regarding social responsibility. This thesis examines this lack of understanding by analysing discourses related to social responsibility that can be found in online reviews written by former guests of SME hotels in Tällberg, Sweden. The results of the discourse analysis show that SME hotels mainly perform social responsibility through the performance of hospitality and by acting as cultural brokers allowing socialisation to happen. They suggest that the notion most SMEs have of hospitality links into social responsibility without them realising it. However, the unreflective conflation of knowledge across scales regarding social responsibility and the term Corporate social responsibility risk disrupting this performance, as it makes SME hotel owners and managers act counterproductively to this. Thus, this thesis suggests that the very use of the term CSR when talking about SMEs in the hotel sector is problematic. Furthermore, the findings also suggest that the creation and performance of social responsibility in hotel SMEs are mainly dialogic, unlike previously assumed, as it is created in the interaction between two persons.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lebanon are at risk of failure because of the geoeconomic crisis. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that successful leaders of SMEs use to sustain their businesses during tenuous economic conditions. The target population for the research comprised 6 business leaders of SMEs in Beirut, Lebanon: 3 in the civil security field and 3 in the facilities management field. Kotter's change model theory provided the conceptual framework for this research. Data were gathered from company documents and interviews with SMEs leaders in Beirut. Data were analyzed using Yin's data analysis method, which included compiling the data, disassembling the data, reassembling the data, interpreting the meaning of the data, and concluding the data. Member checking and methodological triangulation were used to add consistency and rigor to the findings. Four themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) leaders of SMEs embedded change management in their organizations to sustain their businesses, (b) leaders of SMEs increased awareness in their organizations, (c) leaders of SMEs succeeded in creating solid organizational and financial structures to ensure a sustainable cash flow, and (d) leaders of SMEs formed niche markets to grow. Leaders of SMEs achieved their strategies by (a) establishing a sense of urgency, (b) forming a powerful guiding coalition by creating awareness in leaders' organizations, (c) empowering others to communicate both organizational and financial visions, and (d) generating short-term wins. The implications for positive social change include the potential to reduce unemployment rates and create new job opportunities by sustaining businesses of SMEs during tenuous economic conditions.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 92% of all Ghana firms, providing 60% of citizens' employment and contributing about 70% of Ghana's income from gross domestic products. Within the first 5 years of operation, 40% of new businesses fail. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by Ghanaian SME manufacturing leaders in the fruit industry to sustain business for longer than 5 years of operation. The conceptual framework for this study was open systems theory and complexity theory. The population for this study was 5 Ghanaian SME manufacturing business leaders in the fruit industry who maintained their businesses longer than 5 years of operation. The data sources were semistructured face-to-face interviews, interview notes, and the organizations' manuals for standard operations. Data collected were transcribed, member checked, analytically coded, and analyzed using Yin's 5-stage method of qualitative data analysis. Four themes emerged: training and capacity building, the need for good equipment and good packaging, the availability of working capital, and the need for target marketing. The implications of this study for positive social change include lowering high unemployment, alleviating poverty, supporting community development, and enhancing economic growth in the country.

<p>Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a global concern and has been adopted by many largemultinational corporations. Although small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the mostcommon type of business in the EU including Sweden, yet most research on CSR has beenfocused on large corporations. As SMEs run in various settings and there have been littleempirical studies on CSR in SMEs, the purpose of this study is to fill a part of the researchgap and provide an in-depth look at CSR in SME to investigate specific barriers and/oropportunities to addressing CSR. This study reviews the relevant literature of CSR in SMEs.Through semi-constructed interviews with two small-sized organic product companies inSweden, this study analyzed CSR from an SME perspective in a Swedish context by CSRtheory and Resource-Based View (RBV). According to the findings, the main barrier for CSRfor the case companies is financial recourse constraints, while the main opportunity is theircapability for communication. This study contributes and motivates CSR in SMEs bydemonstrating how they understand CSR, how they communicate with both internal andexternal stakeholders of their best practices, and providing examples to share the experiencesfor SMEs.</p>

Background Globalization has opened up new possibilities for firms of all sizes to operate internationally. In that context, especially small- and medium sized companies often have limited resources and market power, which makes efficient relationship building with new intermediaries a key component when entering foreign markets. Therefore, approaching foreign companies and potentially engaging in new business relationships should be a strategic managerial issue. Purpose The main objective is to analyze how Swedish SMEs in the textile industry should approach German buyers in accordance to their preferences, taking cultural differences into account, as well as maintaining and developing the relationship. The focus will primarily be on the on the stages where the initial contact has been made, thus aiming at advancing in the development process. For this to be achieved, Swedish sellers must know what values to communicate to their counterpart. Method A qualitative approach has been used in order answer the purpose of the thesis. We have gathered our data from ten in-depth interviews; five with Swedish sellers and five with German buyers. The essential part of the data collection was done over telephone. Conclusion The most critical components that are found to be vital in developing a successful buyer-seller relationship include trust, satisfaction and commitment with all their related aspects. It was found that the product offer plays a critical role in the Early Stage of the relationship development process. Communication is essential for the building of trust and satisfaction and supplements the actions of commitment shown by the parties. Having an understanding on what values the counterpart appreciates and when these are especially important in the respective stages of the relationship building enables the firm to adapt its relationship marketing to the buyers preferences in a cost efficient and successful way.

Business Administration, Business Process &amp; Supply Chain Management, Degree Project (master), 15 higher education credits, 4FE06E, Spring 2013 Authors: Doruntina Pacarizi and Ya-Hui Hsu Tutor: Petra Andersson Title: Conflicting Goal and its Impact on the Level of Supply Chain Integration between Supply Chain Partners in the Automotive Industry – From Manufacturing SME’s Perspective Background: Supply chain integration assists SMEs to improve their operational performance, however the existing theories in supply chain integration are mostly from the LEs perspective. Therefore this thesis chose to focus on the level of supply chain integration from manufacturing SMEs perspective. Nevertheless supply chain integration is not simple due to conflicting goal, which exists between supply chain partners. Based on previous knowledge, the level of supply chain integration is affected by conflicting goal, which exits between supply chain partners. We believe that this is based on how the conflicting goal has been managed. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to obtain an understanding if the level of integration in the automotive industry between the manufacturing SME and its customer is affected by how the conflicting has been managed. Method: This thesis is a multiple case study and was conducted with a deductive approach. The empirical findings were gathered through qualitative interviews with semi-structured interview guides. Conclusions: The conclusions of this thesis are that the level of supply chain integration, which exists between manufacturing SME and its customer, is low/medium. Furthermore, the conflicting goal, which exists between these partners, are that the demand of delivery and volume flexibility, storage flexibility, demand of quality level and the relatively high manufacturing complexity as well as downstream complexity. Finally, the result of this thesis shows that the level of supply chain integration is affected by how the conflicting goal has been managed.

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