Syfte - Små och medelstora företag (SMF) möter motgångar och kämpar med sin digitala transformation. Det finns heller ingen erkänd process för digital transformation för SMF, och därmed ett gap i litteraturen för användandet av processer för digital transformation i SMF. Studiens syfte är således att öka förståelsen för hur små och medelstora företag kan arbeta med digital transformation. Metod - Studien är av explorativ karaktär med en abduktiv ansats. Primärdata samlades in genom 15 intervjuer på ett SMF i byggindustrin. Intervjuerna utfördes i tre vågor för att först säkerställa studiens relevans, sedan för att samla in min huvudsakliga primärdata och slutligen för att konfirmera och justera studiens resultat. En tematisk analys i fyra steg inspirerad av Braun och Clark (2014) har använts som analysmetod. Resultat - Studien har resulterat i en process där fyra faser visar på hur SMF kan arbeta med digital transformation. De fyra faserna är (1) Problemformulering, (2) Handlingsplan, (3) Implementering och slutligen (4) Uppföljning. Faserna består av nio steg där varje fas, steg och underliggande aktivitet motiveras, förklaras och styrks. Processen presenteras och förklaras tillsammans med rekommendationer på hur SMF kan arbeta med processen. Teoretiska implikationer - Studiens teoretiska bidrag är flera, men bidrar främst med ökad förståelse för hur SMF kan arbeta med processen för digital transformation genom (1) en fallstudie i en - för litteraturen - ny bransch, (2) ökad förståelse för uppföljningen av digital transformation i stora, små och medelstora företag, (3) hur interna och externa resurser kan användas på ett effektivt sätt i processen för digital transformation, samt (4) identifiering av möjliggörande faktorer för digital transformation i SMF i byggindustrin. Praktiska implikationer - Det praktiska bidraget är främst en process som kan användas av SMF för att arbeta med processen för digital transformation. Processen kan användas av företag och chefer för att planera för, besluta om, implementera och följa upp processen för digital transformation i SMF. Genom att använda processen kan SMF undvika typiska SMF-hinder så som brist på resurser, expertis, struktur och vägledning. / Purpose - Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are facing challenges and struggles with their digital transformation. There is no established process for digital transformation for SMEs, and therefore there is a gap in the literature for processes for digital transformation in SMEs. The study's purpose is therefore to enhance the understanding of how SMEs can work with digital transformation. Method - The study is of explorative character with an abductive approach. Primary data was gathered by 15 interviews at an SME in the construction industry. The interviews was conducted in three waves to first strengthen the relevance of the study, then to collect the primary data and finally to confirm and adjust the result of the study. A thematic analysis in four steps, inspired by Braun and Clark (2014) has been used as a method for analysis. Results - The study has resulted in a process where four phases show how SMEs can work with digital transformation. The four phases are (1) Problem definition, (2) Action plan, (3) Implementation, and finnaly (4) Follow up. The phases consist of a total of nine steps, where each phase, step and underlying activity is motivated, explained and strengthened. The process is presented and explained together with recommendations on how SMEs can work with the process. Theoretical implications - The study has multiple theoretical contributions, but foremost, the study contributes to enhanced understanding of how SMEs can work with the process for digital transformation by (1) a case-study in a - for the literature - new industry, (2) enhanced understanding for the follow up of digital transformation in large, small and medium-sized enterprises, (3) how internal and external resources can be used efficiently in the process for digital transformation, and (4) identification of factors that enable digital transformation in SMEs in the construction industry. Practical implications - The practical contribution is foremost the process that can be used by SME for the process for digital transformation. The process can be utilized by organizations and leaders to plan, decide, implement and follow up the process for digital transformation in SMEs. By utilizing the process, SME can mitigate typical challenges that SME are facing, such as the lack of resources, expertise, structure and guidance.

Nesta tese foi realizada uma pesquisa identificando a relação entre o Grau de internacionalização das Pequenas e Médias Empresas (PMEs) brasileiras e o desempenho financeiro e operacional, utilizando as competências internacionais como um fator mediador. Por meio de uma survey aplicada em 114 empresas de até 200 funcionários, esta pesquisa identificou que as PMEs brasileiras estão aumentando o seu Grau de Internacionalização (GRI), passando a investir diretamente no exterior (IDE). Das empresas entrevistas, 44 possuem algum tipo de IDE, como escritórios, centros de distribuição até fábricas no exterior. Com a amostra de 114 PMEs brasileiras, testou-se e se confirmou a hipótese que o aumento do GRI desenvolve novas competências e melhora o desempenho organizacional. Devido à utilização de construtos de natureza complexa, a existência de erros e a necessidade de se identificar múltiplas relações simultaneamente, a modelagem de equações estruturais (SEM) foi utilizada como técnica estatística. Uma vez identificada a relação significativa do modelo inicial proposto, outros modelos concorrentes foram analisados a fim de identificar outras relações entre as variáveis pesquisadas. Para estimar os parâmetros iniciais, utilizou-se o método de estimação de máxima verossimilhança (MV) assumindo a distribuição multivariada normal (HAIR JR. et al., 2009). Os construtos do modelo final explicaram 70% da variabilidade dos dados e foi composto por três variáveis latentes, sendo a variável GRI uma variável exógena, e competência e desempenho, variáveis endógenas. Os resultados demonstram que há uma relação direta e positiva do GRI com o desenvolvimento de novas competências e com um melhor desempenho na PME. Especificamente, há uma relação maior do GRI com o desenvolvimento de novas competências no concernente ao melhor desempenho operacional nas PMEs do que no que tange ao aumento do desempenho financeiro. No entanto, quando se verificou a relação entre o GRI e o desempenho financeiro e operacional sem a mediação do desenvolvimento de novas competências, o modelo não se mostrou significativo, corroborando os resultados de outras pesquisas internacionais que identificaram que o melhor desempenho financeiro e operacional não será alcançado somente pelo aumento do grau de internacionalização. (SETHI; JUDGE, 2009; PORTER, 1990; ZAHRA et al., 2000; FLEURY; FLEURY, 2004; GHOSHAK, 1987; GRANT, 1987; QIAN, 2002; PANGARKAR, 2008; CAMISÓN; VILLAR-LÓPEZ, 2010). Os resultados desta pesquisa indicam que com o aumento do grau de internacionalização a PME desenvolve novas competências e assim apresenta um desempenho superior. A relação de mediação do desenvolvimento de novas competências entre o aumento do GRI e o desempenho organizacional explora uma nova abordagem nos negócios internacionais, principalmente para as PMEs. / In this thesis, we conducted a survey identifying the relationship between the degree of internationalization of Brazilians Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and financial and operational performance by using international competences as a mediating factor. Through a survey applied to 114 companies with up to 200 employees, this survey has identified that Brazilian SMEs are increasing their Degree of Internationalization (GRI) by starting to invest directly abroad (FDI). Out of the companies interviewed, 44 have some form of FDI, such as offices, distribution centers and even factories abroad. With this sampling of 114 Brazilian SMEs, the hypothesis that by increasing the GRI new competences are developed and organizational performance is improved has been tested and confirmed. Due to the use of constructs of a complex nature, the existence of errors and the need to identify multiple relationships simultaneously, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used as a statistical technique. Once the significant relationship of the initial model proposed was identified, other competing models were examined in order to identify other relationships between the variables researched. We used the maximum likelihood estimation method (ML) to estimate the initial parameters by assuming a normal multivariate distribution (Hair Jr. et al., 2009). The constructs of the final model explained 70% of the data variability and was comprised of three latent variables, with the GRI variable as an exogenous variable, and competence and performance as endogenous variables. Results show that there is a direct and positive relationship of the GRI with the development of new competences and better performance in SMCs. Specifically, there is a higher ratio of GRI with the development of new competences with regard to improved operational performance in SMCs than in relation to increased financial performance. However, when the relationship between the GRI and the financial and operational performance without the mediation of the development of new competences was examined, the model did not turn out to be significant, corroborating the results of other international studies which identified that the best financial and operational performance will not be achieved just by increasing the degree of internationalization (SETHI; JUDGE, 2009; PORTER, 1990; ZAHRA et al., 2000; FLEURY; FLEURY, 2004; GHOSHAK, 1987; GRANT, 1987; QIAN, 2002; PANGARKAR, 2008; CAMISÓN; VILLAR-LÓPEZ, 2010). These results indicate that by increasing their degree of internationalization, the SMEs develop new competences and therefore display superior performance. The mediation relationship of the development of new competences between the increase of GRI and the organizational performance explores a new approach in international business, especially for SMEs.

O crescimento de uma empresa pode ser apoiado com recursos de terceiros provenientes do mercado de crédito ou do mercado de capitais. Credores ou potenciais investidores disponibilizam recursos a partir de um processo de avaliação de indicadores de performance. Para as PMEs que consideram o crescimento, conhecer como os indicadores relevantes se comportam ao longo de um ciclo de crescimento é uma questão estratégica. Fatores como tamanho, lucratividade, oportunidades de crescimento, composição de ativos das empresas, risco inerente aos resultados, têm sido vinculados a determinantes de uma estrutura de capital. Assim sendo, este trabalho busca verificar quais indicadores podem nortear o desempenho empresarial de PMEs ao longo de um ciclo de crescimento. Como contribuição original, este trabalho apresenta um painel com indicadores em diferentes estágios de crescimento que resultam na geração de valor para os proprietários e potenciais investidores do mercado de capitais. A amostra inicial é composta por 1.610 empresas para o período de 2010 a 2014. Entretanto, considerando a disponibilidade de informações, a amostra final é composta por 28 empresas de porte médio/grande, 387 empresas grandes e 138 empresas listadas na BM&FBOVESPA, totalizando 553 empresas. A metodologia adotada envolve a classificação de porte de empresa do BNDES como critério para definir ciclo de crescimento, e testes de estatística descritiva, análise fatorial, análise de correlação, regressão múltipla linear e montagem de painel. Como resultado, verificou-se que as variáveis tamanho, composição de ativos e lucratividade são fatores que explicam o endividamento de curto prazo para o estágio médias/grandes empresas. Ainda, que esses fatores explicam o endividamento de longo prazo para os estágios grandes e empresas listadas na BM&FBOVESPA. Tais resultados estão de acordo com estudos prévios, mas as variáveis relacionadas a volatilidade e crescimento não foram significantes nos modelos para os estágios de empresas. O painel montado a partir das variáveis de composição de ativos e lucratividade indicou que endividamento de curto prazo, endividamento de longo prazo, receita líquida, retorno sobre o patrimônio líquido e lucros antes de juros, impostos, depreciação e amortização (EBITDA) sinalizam empresas, em cada estágio de ciclo de crescimento do estudo, que buscam o crescimento com rentabilidade acima da média e atendem a critérios valorizados pelo investidor do mercado de capitais. Estes indicadores podem sinalizar o desempenho empresarial de PMEs ao longo de um ciclo de crescimento / Financial resources coming from credit or capital market can support company growth. Creditors and potential investors make financial resources available through a scrutiny process that assesses performance indicators. For SMEs that want to grow, knowing how such indicators perform along the corporate life cycle is a strategic matter. Factors such as size, profitability, growth opportunities, asset composition and result volatility are viewed as capital structure determinants. Therefore, this work seeks to verify what indicators might work as performance beacons for SMEs interested in growing along the corporate life cycle. As an original contribution, this work offers an indicator panel based on value generation for business owners and capital market investors as well according to different growth stages. The initial data sample encompasses 1.610 companies for the 5-year period 2010-2014. However, due to information constraints, the final data sample comprises 28 medium-large companies, 387 large companies and 138 BM&FBOVESPA listed companies, totaling 553 companies. The methodology involves adopting BNDES size company criteria as corporate life cycle gauge, descriptive statistics, factorial analysis, correlation analysis, multiple linear regression and indicator panel construction. As a result, factors like size, asset composition and profitability appear to be short term debt determinants for medium-large growth stage companies. Such factors also seemed to be long term debt determinants for large and listed growth stage companies. These results are in accordance with previous papers, but neither volatility nor growth could explain growth stage debt. The panel constructed by considering asset composition and profitability as key denominators indicated short and long term debt, net revenue, return on equity, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization - EBITDA - as performance beacons for companies that seek growth and profitability above company average on each growth stage and therefore meet capital market investors criteria. Summing up, these indicators might work as performance guidelines for SMEs along the corporate life cycle

Ce travail s’intéresse aux logiques d’action permettant l’intégration de la RSE dans la PME. La société actuelle est en pleine évolution avec la montée des inégalités sociales et la nécessité grandissante de réduire les influences négatives des activités humaines sur l’environnement naturel. Au cœur de ces problématiques de société se trouvent les entreprises qui sont de plus en plus contraintes à intégrer les enjeux du développement durable dans leur fonctionnement (RSE). Les PME représentant une part conséquente du tissu économique il est essentiel qu’elles s’approprient la RSE et l’incorporent à leur fonctionnement. Cependant, les PME sont des entreprises au fonctionnement particulier, notamment car elles sont limitées dans leurs ressources et ont une proximité forte avec leurs parties prenantes qu’elles doivent entretenir. En revanche, au même titre que les grandes entreprises, elles souhaitent améliorer leur performance au travers de leurs choix stratégiques. Ainsi nous nous interrogeons sur les modes d’intégration de la RSE par les PME à travers la mise en place de pratiques durables, ainsi que sur la performance induite. La littérature fait état de deux logiques d’action permettant d’intégrer la RSE dans les entreprises : la logique entrepreneuriale durable et la logique managériale durable. La recherche en PME présente la logique entrepreneuriale durable comme une voie privilégiée pour la prise en compte de ces enjeux. À l’issu de ces premiers éléments, nous élaborons un modèle conceptuel permettant d’évaluer l’importance de la démarche entrepreneuriale et de la logique entrepreneuriale durable dans la mise en place de pratiques durables dans la PME. Ce modèle vise également à éclairer le rôle des parties prenantes dans la démarche RSE de la PME et les répercussions sur la performance. Avant de tester ce modèle, nous développons, à partir d’une étude qualitative exploratoire et de la littérature, un indicateur de mesure de la logique entrepreneuriale durable. Le modèle conceptuel est testé ensuite par la méthode des équations structurelles sur un échantillon de 402 PME françaises. Ces données ont été récoltées par questionnaire d’enquête. Nous mettons ainsi en évidence l’importance de la logique entrepreneuriale durable dans l’intégration de la RSE dans la PME, dans une recherche de saisie d’opportunités, d’innovation ou de création de valeur économique et sociale. En revanche, l’étude ne montre ni d’effets positifs des pratiques de RSE sur la performance, ni l’influence des parties prenantes sur cette relation. / This work deals with the logic of action enabling Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to integrate the SMEs. Today’s society is evolving because of increasing social inequalities and the growing need for the reduction of negative influences of human activity on natural environment. At the heart of these social problems, there are the corporations, which are more and more obliged to integrate sustainable development matters in the way they operate. Since the SMEs represent a consequent part of the economic fabric, it is essential for them to appropriate CSR and assimilate it in their operating methods. However, SMEs operate in a particular way, notably because they are limited in terms of resource and because they have a strong proximity with their stakeholders, which they have to sustain. Nonetheless, just like big corporations, they want to improve performance through strategic choices. In that respect, we question ourselves on how CSR is integrated in SMEs through the implementation of sustainable practices as well as the induced performance. Literature gives two logic of action enabling the integration of CSR in corporations: sustainable entrepreneurial logic and sustainable managerial logic. Research in SMEs presents the sustainable entrepreneurial logic as a preferred method for the inclusion of these matters. Starting from these first elements, we elaborate a conceptual model that allows us to evaluate the importance of entrepreneurial initiative and sustainable entrepreneurial logic in the implementation of sustainable activity in the SME. This model also aims at clarifying the stakeholders’ role in the CSR procedure in SMEs as well as the impact on performance. Before we test this model, starting from an exploratory qualitative study and literature, we develop a measurement indicator of sustainable entrepreneurial logic. The conceptual model is then tested through the structural equation on a sample of 402 French SMEs. This data was gathered thanks to a questionnaire survey. We then highlight the importance of sustainable entrepreneurial logic in the implementation of CSR in SMEs, as a way of seizing opportunities, innovating or creating social and economic value. However, the study doesn’t show any of the positive effects that CSR has on performance, nor the influence of stakeholders on this relation.

The aim of this thesis is to give an insight to how work is being pursued within Swedish SMEin the clothing industry. Furthermore we investigate how efforts can proceed withenvironmental questions in a quest for sustainable development and bring clarity in thedifficulties that occur. Through the use of company examples and a description of how theywork we wanted to give stakeholders knowledge in what resources and procedures that areused today on the market. The function of the report is moreover to provide Swedish smalland medium-sized clothing enterprises suggestions and directions of how to advance withinsustainable development.In our theoretical frame we have chosen to administer the theories that we found suitable forour study. Seen from a perspective of sustainability we have thus applied the theories ofstakeholder and legitimacy, an analysis model for a company’s actions in environmentalquestions and the theory of SME which describes a small or middle sized enterprise’s fivecompetitive variables.The empirical frame we acquired for this thesis is presented in three chapters. Firstly wedescribe the situation within environmental progress in the clothing industry, from the choiceof materials to environmental markings. Secondly the reader is given insight in what laws andregulations that applies within the textile area together with the unions, environmentalmanagement systems and standards that prevail as support. Thirdly, to sum up our empiricalstudy, we introduce seven company examples and describe in what ways they work withsustainable development.In the interpretation and analysis of our company examples, we found that there is adifference between how companies work with environmental questions and sustainabledevelopment. We implicate that their work in some cases is based on a genuine interest forenvironment and in other cases; environmental questions are brought forward as a result ofexternal forces from stakeholders. Furthermore, our assessment was that the standardizationsand environmental markings that are available today are regarded as far too resourcedemanding and complicated to implement. Our opinion is thus that enterprises have notrealized the value that lies within sustainable development. Thereof arises the companies’tendency towards a short-sighted economical growth rather than the long-term economicalgrowth which an investment in sustainable development generates.The thesis is written in Swedish. / Program: Textilekonomutbildningen magister

I dagsläget använder en stor del av de små och medelstora företagen affärssystem. Affärssystemet kan sägas vara hjärtat i ett företag och det bidrar till att genomföra de affärsstrategier som finns. Under de senast 10-15 åren har det vuxit fram så kallade molntjänster vilket tillåter företagen att använda hela eller delar av affärssystemen över Internet istället för att hantera dess hård- och mjukvara lokalt. Detta kan vara till fördel för mindre företag då det leder till flexibilitet, skalbarhet och kostnadsreduceringar. Många ställer sig positivt till denna utveckling men statistiken visar att det är ett lågt användande av molntjänster för detta ändamål. Med utgångspunkt från detta är syftet med denna studie att studera vilka faktorer som verkar hindrande för en investering av molnbaserade affärssystem. För studien har befintlig litteratur studerats samt intervjuer och en enkätundersökning genomförts. Litteraturstudien och granskning av den tidigare forskningen ligger till grund för den teoretiska referensramen som i sin tur är grunden för de intervju- och enkätfrågor som tagits fram. Intervjuerna gjordes med fem olika användare av affärssystem som fick berätta hur de använder sig av sina respektive affärssystem och vilka faktorer som de tror är hindrande för investering i molnbaserade affärssystem. Enkätundersökningen riktades till användarna av traditionella och molnbaserade affärssystem där liknande frågor ställdes som i intervjuerna. Utifrån teoretiskt material och empiri utfördes en analys med tillhörande diskussion där det teoretiska materialet ställdes mot det insamlade materialet för att få en helhetsbild av hur företagen förhåller sig till området kring affärssystem och molnbaserade affärssystems för- och nackdelar. Detta leder fram till en slutsats som presenterar de hindrande faktorer som finns och vilka av dem som påverkar företagen mest. / Program: Dataekonomutbildningen

Le concept de vigilance entrepreneuriale introduit par Kirzner (1973) joue un rôle clé dans le processus de détection d’opportunités d’affaires. Depuis les travaux conduits par l’école autrichienne, ce concept a été largement développé et a soulevé un certain nombre de questionnements par les chercheurs. L’approche cognitive a permis d’apporter quelques éléments de réponses en affinant le concept. En s’inspirant des travaux initiaux de Kirzner (1973, 1989) et de ceux de l’approche cognitiviste, Tang et al. (2012) ont proposé une nouvelle définition plus intégratrice. Ces auteurs ont modélisé et opérationnalisé la vigilance entrepreneuriale autour de trois dimensions : la veille et la recherche d’informations, la capacité à faire des associations et des connexions entre les informations, et celle de les évaluer et de les juger. La question des antécédents potentiels de la vigilance entrepreneuriale restait en suspens (Valliere, 2013). En réponse à la remarque de Valliere (2013) et aux besoins de connaissances et de statistiques du champ de la santé entrepreneuriale, nous avons étudié les effets du sommeil sur ce processus. À cet effet, la théorie de l’attention a permis de faire des liens entre les champs de l’entrepreneuriat et du sommeil. Afin de répondre à la problématique, une posture positiviste, associée à un mode de raisonnement hypothético-déductif, a été adoptée. Treize hypothèses de recherche ont été proposées à partir desquelles le modèle conceptuel a été construit. Afin de le valider, une étude quantitative en coupe instantanée de deux mois a été conduite auprès de dirigeants de PME. À l’issue de cette enquête, 238 questionnaires ont été récoltés. Ces derniers ont été analysés par la méthode des équations structurelles basée sur les moindres carrés partiels (PLS). Les résultats soulignent l’importance du sommeil dans le maintien des capacités cognitives, attentionnelles et entrepreneuriales pour un dirigeant de PME. / The concept of entrepreneurial alertness introduced by Kirzner (1973) plays a critical role in the process of business opportunities detection. Since the work conducted by the Austrian school, this concept has been widely developed and has raised numerous questions by researchers. The cognitive approach has pointed to some answers by refining the concept. Inspired by the initial work of Kirzner (1973, 1989) and those conducted by the cognitive approach, Tang et al. (2012) proposed a more inclusive definition. These authors modeled and operationalized entrepreneurial alertness by three dimensions: alert scanning and search, alert association and connection and evaluation and judgment. The issue of potential antecedents of entrepreneurial alertness remained unresolved (Valliere, 2013). In response to the comments of Valliere (2013) and the entrepreneurial health field’s needs for knowledge and statistics, we proposed to study the effects of sleep on this process. To this end, the theory of attention allowed to make the links between the fields of entrepreneurship and sleep. To meet the problematic, a positivist posture associated with a hypothetical-deductive approach was adopted. Thirteen research hypotheses were proposed from the conceptual model was built. To validate this model, a cross sectional quantitative study of two months was conducted among SME owners/directors. At the end of this survey, we collected 238 questionnaires. These were analyzed by the structural equation method based on Partial Least Squares (PLS). The results highlight the importance of sleep in maintaining cognitive, attentional and entrepreneurial abilities for SME owners/directors.

Awareness and understanding of the concept of CSR and how to apply it to the individual organization is a question that many entrepreneurs and organizations ask. The concept of CSR has the opportunity to bring the entrepreneurial and innovative energy of private enterprises to solve the critical problems in developing countries.There has been an intense focus on Corporate Social Responsibility, its implications and the role of the private sector over the past decades. CSR is gaining recognition within the business sector and is starting to become a part of companies’ strategies. The problem has been that companies do not know how to approach this emerging concept and integrate it into their organization. This paper adapts the previous theories and by transferring and building knowledge from the companies examined in our research we develop strategic CSR guidelines for small and medium sized companies (SME´s) in a developing country context. The purpose of this thesis is to conduct research on CSR-strategies in core business activities. We have contributed with practical examples on strategic CSR and constructed guidelines to a successful CSR integration process for entrepreneurs and SME`s that aspire to run profitable sustainable businesses in developing countries. Finally we have also provided clarity to the theory of strategic CSR and its implications in a developing country context.The research has built its foundation on a qualitative approach that highlights examples of successful strategic CSR integration in companies that are active in the developing country context of Nepal. In dept interviews with founders and employees have been conducted on five companies from different sectors as well as a CSR expert. A total of eleven in dept interviews have been carried out. The empirical material has been analyzed with a connection to the theoretical framework in our study. In the conclusions and final remarks we have constructed a set of six guidelines to inspire and enable more entrepreneurs and SME´s who wants to engage in the CSR aspects and integrate it into their businesses. The main factor that we have found important for the integration process is the values of the founding entrepreneur and it´s transmit to the organization culture and business core activities. / Program: Civilekonomprogrammet

This thesis concentrates on different production planning solutions for mass customised fashion with regard to machine setups. The purpose of this research is to reveal the significant aspects and challenges for SMEs that have to be considered when production steps need to be aligned to the mass customisation principle. Therefore a theoretical framework will approach the subject of production planning, as well as mass customisation. In addition, a case study will assure scientific support by developing and examining production planning solutions. The different levels of production set-ups induce the technological facilities that are indispensable for an integration of mass customisation. Finally it will be analysed and discussed whether it is feasible for an SME to invest in such a business strategy. Especially in a SME the boundaries between pure tailor- made customisation and pure mass customisation are often blurred, wherefore the findings should contribute to a clarification. Since mass customisation is a future- oriented concept, this paper is of definite interest to small companies, which intend to successfully achieve mass customisation. / Program: Master programme in Applied Textile Management

750 000 emplois à sauvegarder. Ce nombre – mis en avant par l'ancienne députée de l'Hérault, Fanny Dombre-Coste, – souligne toute l'influence de la reprise de PME dans le développement de l'économie locale voire nationale. Toutefois, le repreneur, qui est un entrepreneur à part entière, est un acteur encore peu étudié, tant par les organismes professionnels que par les universitaires. Nous engageons alors une recherche pour combler ce manque et, sous une perspective entrepreneuriale, essayons de mieux comprendre le profil du repreneur. Pour circonscrire la question du profil, nous utilisons un concept central en entrepreneuriat : l'opportunité. Dès lors, en prenant appui sur la logique de Kirzner, la fonction du repreneur devient plus claire : il doit identifier des opportunités. Comment peut-il faire ? Il va utiliser sa vigilance. Cela nous amène à poser la problématique suivante : comment la vigilance entrepreneuriale du repreneur influence-t-elle la performance financière de la reprise ? Pour apporter des éléments de réponse, nous utilisons un raisonnement hypothético-déductif et réalisons une recherche quantitative. Cela nous amène à formuler des hypothèses pour in fine construire un modèle de recherche. Nous posons ainsi un lien entre la vigilance entrepreneuriale (Tang et al., 2012) et deux variables médiatrices : l'identification des opportunités (Ozgen et Baron, 2007) et l'orientation entrepreneuriale (Covin et Slevin, 1989). Ces deux variables sont ensuite reliées à la performance financière de la reprise – qui est une mesure subjective quant à l'évolution de huit indicateurs. Après avoir montré que la procédure MICIOM autorise une démarche comparative, nous testons notre modèle sur tous les repreneurs (n = 278) et procédons à une comparaison – qualitative puis grâce à une analyse multigroupe – entre les repreneurs mentorés (n = 199) et non mentorés (n = 79), et entre les repreneurs mentorés avant (n = 79) et après la reprise (n = 120). Les résultats de cette recherche montrent que la vigilance entrepreneuriale est un antécédent de la performance financière. Par ailleurs, ce travail souligne que le mentorat permet de mieux comprendre comment un entrepreneur réussit – au moins sur un plan financier – une reprise de PME. Dès lors, il semble pertinent de développer un volet cognitif dans les programmes d'accompagnement du repreneur mais également de travailler sur la relation de mentorat dans ce contexte singulier. / 750 000 employments to keep. This number, highlight by the former deputy of Herault, Fanny Dombre-Coste, underline influence of SME takeovers on development of local economy. However, buyer, an entrepreneur, is understudied. We then engaged an academic research in order to fill in this gap and, using an entrepreneurial perspective, we try to better understand buyer profile. To confine profile question, we use a central concept in entrepreneurship: opportunity. Then, leaning on Kirzner logic, buyer function become clearly: he has to identify opportunity. How can he do it? He is going to use his alertness. So, we ask the following problematic: how does buyer entrepreneurial alertness influence takeover financial performance? To answer, we use an hypothetico-deductive reasoning and realise a quantitative research. This lead us to formulate hypotheses and build a research model. We put a link between entrepreneurial alertness (Tang et al., 2012) and two mediator's variables: opportunity identification (Ozgen et Baron, 2007) and entrepreneurial orientation (Covin et Slevin, 1989). Then, this two variables are linked to takeover financial performance – which is a subjective measure of the evolution of height indicators. After used MICOM procedure, we test our model on all buyers (n = 278) and make a comparison – qualitative and using a multi-group analysis – between buyers supported by a mentor (n = 199) and non-supported (n = 79), and between buyers supported before (n = 79) and after takeover (n = 120). Firstly, results show that entrepreneurial alertness is an antecedent of financial performance. On the other hand, our research underline that mentorship has the potential to add substantially to our understanding of how buyer succeed – at least on an financial plan – SME takeover. Consequently, it seems relevant to develop a cognitive part in buyer support program and to work on mentorship in this singular context.