The aim of the thesis was to examine the basic technical and technological requirements of photovoltaic technology in terms of economic characteristics, analyze the current situation in the use of renewable energy sources, especially photovoltaics in the Czech Republic with comparing to the world's situation. The thesis also provides an overview of laws and legal norms applicable in the Czech Republic and the European Union with regard to photovoltaics. The crucial part is dedicated to investment evaluation of the renewable energy (photovoltaic) projects. The author supports presented ideas with a comprehensive investment analysis of a specific rooftop photovoltaic project realized by medium sized company. In addition to evaluation process the investment recommendation is provided and the most significant risk factors of the project are identified. The conclusion of this thesis includes a single-factor sensitivity analysis of a net present value of the project.

The main target of the Master's thesis is to evaluate international marketing activities of the AIMS International, s.r.o which belongs to the category of Small and Medium-sized Entities Within the Theory, definitions of marketing applications in the field of conference and incentive travel are described. Practical part is dealing with situation analysis of chosen company. Marketing budget and plan are included.

Most Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana are notparticularly anxious about the consequences of inadequacy or lack of anyform of vulnerability management operation in their normal businesspractices. This case study research explores how a local Internet ServiceProvider (ISP) in Ghana and its local client-base can manage vulnerabilitieswith a targeted patch management practise integrated into their operations.To answer the research question “How can a SME local Internet ServiceProvider (ISP) in Accra, Ghana, assist their local customer base to integrateeffective cybersecurity vulnerability management into their operations?“,This case study comprised the Subject Matter Expert of one local ISP as well as4 other technical Subject Matter Experts of the ISP’s clients about their patchmanagement operations. This case study research revealed that most SMEs donot consider vulnerability management as a key concern in the operation oftheir organisation and therefore, proposes a way to highlight the importanceof vulnerability management whiles doing so at a cost-effective manner. Theimplications of targeted cybersecurity patch management for the local ISP andtheir client-base is also addressed by this thesis research.

In light of a stronger recognition of the need for sustainable business practices as “business as usual” no longer presents itself as a viable option, this study aims to cast light on the current work of Swedish SMEs with integrative sustainability. Within the academic field of sustainability in business, the latest years have seen the emergence of multiple frameworks that promote a holistic sustainability approach to conducting business. The single firm becomes a connecting member of an extensive stakeholder network and by operating in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable manner, the business seeks to create value for a variety of stakeholder groups, rather than focusing on monetary objectives set by shareholders. These new integrative frameworks shift the understanding of a firm from a profit-maximiser to that of a value-creator that acts sustainably to cater to the needs of all its stakeholders. However, as the models have only recently featured across academia, their real-life applicability and viability are contested, and in some ways, remains under-researched, particularly in the context of SMEs. With Sweden as a leading example in sustainability implementation, this study attempts to provide insight into how SMEs work with the elements of these frameworks and which opportunities and challenges they encounter during implementation. Through conducting detailed, qualitative and personal semi-structured interviews with the CEOs of six sustainability-minded Swedish SMEs of different industrial backgrounds, this research gauges the current organisational efforts being made in terms of sustainability and relates them to the integrative value-creating frameworks to identify congruences, divergences and room for improvement in line with latest theories. The main conclusions drawn as part of this process include the continued, at least partial, unfamiliarity of businesses with the frameworks, despite a large degree of compatibility of current practical efforts and existing academic theory. Value creation is moving closer to being included in the core of the business model, yet while absolute profit maximisation receives less attention, hesitation towards implementing sustainability more integratively is driven by concerns of losing grounds for profitability. The establishment of clusters and strong relationships leading to mutual synergies is found as a potential way to provide firms with the structural support to shift fully towards value-creation as envisioned by the investigated frameworks.

No atual ambiente competitivo das empresas, é necessário que elas utilizem artefatos para manter a sua continuidade. A Gestão Estratégica de Custos é um desses artefatos e, portanto, é necessário que haja um sistema de custeio que oriente as decisões dos gestores dentro de uma organização, que passam a demandar informações cada vez mais elaboradas e com maior agilidade. A implantação desses sistemas, que são cada vez mais complexos, é comum a grandes empresas e, somando-se à importância do mesmo, entende-se o motivo de ter sido muito estudado no decorrer do tempo. Com as mudanças decorrentes da evolução tecnológica, sua diminuição nos custos, e o aumento de competitividade, as pequenas e médias empresas também perceberam a necessidade de se ter um sistema de custeio para suportar suas decisões. Porém, as características dessas empresas são distintas das demais, podendo supor que suas necessidades de informação, assim como as dificuldades de implantação desse tipo de sistema também sejam diferentes. Este estudo tem como objetivo principal identificar as dificuldades de implantação do sistema de custos em uma empresa de médio porte analisada através de estudo de caso. Como objetivos secundários estão: a categorização em grupos do material encontrado na revisão bibliográfica; verificar se as dificuldades encontradas no estudo de caso estão de acordo com a literatura. As dificuldades encontradas pelos diversos autores foram inicialmente segregados em dificuldades e fatores críticos para a implementação de sistemas. Posteriormente foram categorizados em comportamentais, administrativos e de escassez de recursos, sendo que os dois últimos foram novamente classificados em subgrupos. A empresa analisada no estudo de caso é uma indústria de médio porte do ramo de embalagens plásticas. O estudo mostra que as principais dificuldades encontradas pela empresa estavam relacionadas com insuficiência de treinamentos, limitações de linguagem e critérios contábeis, uma vez que o modelo implantado foi determinado pela matriz situada em outro país. Além destas, a maioria das dificuldades constantes da literatura também foram identificadas pela empresa em sua implantação, em menor ou maior escala. Considerando as categorias utilizadas, a maioria está relacionada com o grupo de dificuldades administrativas e com o de escassez de recursos. As soluções utilizadas pela empresa não tiveram um projeto específico para suas realização, sendo aplicadas de acordo com as possibilidades que o contexto da época permitia. / In the current companies competitive environment, it is necessary that they use tools to keep their continuity. The Strategic Cost Management is one of these devices and, therefore, a cost system is necessary to guide the managers decision of an organization, which starts to demand faster more elaborated information. These systems implementation, which are more and more complex, are usual in big companies and, also considering its importance, it is understandable the motive of why it has been studied along the time. With the changes from technology evolution, the lower costs, and the higher competitiveness, the small and medium companies also seemed the necessity of having a cost system to support their decision. But these companies characteristics are different of the others, supposing that their needs of information, as their system implementation difficulties are also different. This studys main objective is to identify the difficulties of cost system implementation in one medium size company through a case study. As secondary objectives are: the categorization of the material found in the bibliographical revision in groups; verify if the difficulties founded in the case study are similar with the literature. First, the founded difficulties by the many authors were separated between difficulties and critical factors for the implementation of systems. They were after categorized in behavior, management and insufficiency of resources, and the last two were reclassified in other subgroups. The analyzed company is a medium size industry in the branch of plastic packings. The study shows that the mainly difficulties of the company were related with lack of training, language limitations and accounting standards, once the implanted model was ordered by the headquarter located abroad. Beyond these, the most of difficulties in the literature were also identified by the company in its implementation, in different levels. Considering the used categories, most of them are related with the management difficulties group and with the insufficiency of resources group. The solutions utilized by the company hadnt a specific project for its realization, been applied in agreement with the possibility that the context allowed in that time.

As operações de usinagem viabilizam a construção de máquinas e equipamentos que proporcionam a manutenção do bem estar da sociedade e a sua evolução. Com o estudo das tecnologias e a adequação dos sistemas de produção ao paradigma desenvolvimento sustentável, é possível discutir as operações de corte com ferramentas de geometria definida e oferecer suporte ao desenvolvimento destes processos nas pequenas e médias empresas (PME). Estas unidades do sistema produtivo estão sujeitas ao rigor do mercado e suas transformações, devendo ter condições de oferecer respostas à altura de sua função. O acesso ao conhecimento e à tecnologia leva ao fortalecimento da empresa através dos ganhos de competência e competitividade. A tecnologia proporciona condições de maior produtividade, qualidade e controle dos processos e o novo paradigma de produção conduz à eliminação dos impactos ambientais, racionalização e redução do consumo de recursos não renováveis, para a preservação e manutenção do planeta e seus sistemas naturais. No trabalho desenvolvido na presente pesquisa foi possível conhecer e avaliar as instalações e corpo técnico de onze empresas (PME), com processos de usinagem, no município de São Carlos, São Paulo. A organização dos dados permite a construção de um cenário onde são evidenciados potenciais e carências. Na etapa seguinte foi eleito um processo, em uma das empresas, que recebeu intervenções para melhor desempenho nos aspectos econômico, social e ambiental. Os resultados alcançados permitem que se faça projeções de ganhos para todo o parque industrial estudado. O mecanismo de apoio às pequenas e médias empresas em uma avaliação final sugere um salto de qualidade, referendando o modelo que pode ser facilmente reproduzido. / Machining operations make possible the construction of machines and equipment which provide the maintenance of society welfare and its evolution. Studying the technology directions and the production systems adequacy to the sustainable development paradigm enables the discussion of machining and the fostering of the processes at the small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). Because of the vulnerability to the market and its transformations these companies should have conditions to respond to the demands at the importance level of their function. The access to the knowledge and technology brings a gain in competence and competitiveness. Technology provides conditions for higher productivity, quality and processes control, as well as the new production paradigm leads to the elimination of the environmental impacts, rationalization and reduction in the use of non renewable materials preserving and maintaining the planet’s natural systems. In this research it was possible to know the facilities and the technical staff of eleven metalworking companies (SME), in São Carlos city, São Paulo state. The gathered data allows to draw a portrait that puts in evidence the potentials and deficiencies. On a next stage a specific machining operation was chosen to be improved in the economic, social and environmental aspects. The achieved results allow projections of gains in the industrial park. In a final evaluation of the small and medium-sized enterprises support mechanism it suggests a quality improvement assuring the availability of the model that is easily reproducible.

Les pays en développement, notamment en Afrique subsaharienne, sont confrontés au défi de réduire la pauvreté alors que peu d'entre eux ont réellement amorcé leur transition démographique. Les micro, petites et moyennes entreprises (MPME) sont un des principaux leviers de création d'emplois et de revenus. Cependant, elles font face à des obstacles importants, au premier lieu desquels le manque de financement.Depuis les années 1970, les institutions de microfinance (IMF) jouent un rôle central pour diminuer la contrainte financière qui affecte les populations exclues du financement bancaire. Dans cette thèse, nous utilisons des données sur des MPME clientes d'une IMF à Madagascar pour étudier trois aspects de la relation entre les IMF et leurs clients.Premièrement, nous nous intéressons à l'influence que peut avoir la contrainte financière sur le choix d'activités des micro-entrepreneurs. Nos résultats suggèrent que le manque de moyens financiers peut amener des individus à créer une activité dans un secteur différent de celui qu'ils souhaitaient initialement en raison de coûts d'entrée trop importants. Ce phénomène pourrait se traduire par une allocation sous-optimale des compétences entrepreneuriales. Dans notre second chapitre, nous suggérons que la stratégie de "montée en gamme" initiée par certaines IMF, c'est-à-dire le fait de proposer des crédits d'un montant de plus en plus élevé, peut conduire IMF et banques commerciales à entrer en concurrence pour attirer les MPME à plus fort potentiel. L'impact de cette stratégie demeure incertain selon qu'elle conduit les IMF à négliger les populations les plus pauvres et qu'elle détourne certains entrepreneurs du financement bancaire. Enfin, dans notre troisième chapitre, nous mettons en lumière le faible niveau d'éducation financière des entrepreneurs et ses éventuelles conséquences en termes de choix de prêteurs (entre IMF et banques).En conclusion, nos travaux soulignent le rôle que peut jouer la microfinance dans le développement des MPME, tout en suggérant certaines pistes pour optimiser son impact économique et social. / Developing countries, especially countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, are confronted with the need to reduce poverty while their populations are stillincreasing at high rates. Micro small and medium-sized enterprises hold the highest potential for job creation and income generation. However, lack of financing, among numerous other obstacles, significantly impedes their development.Microfinance institutions have played, and continue to play, a significant role in meeting the growing financing needs of MSEs excluded from the formal financial sector. In this dissertation, we attempt to illustrate some points to pay particular attention to in order to increase microfinance impacts. Firstly, we highlight that initial financial constraints may prevent entrepreneurs from investing in their first-choice sector and that ultimately, this misallocation of talent could be detrimental for growth. This result emphasizes the need for start-up financing, which is one of the riskiest and most critical aspects of running a business. Secondly, we draw attention on the fact that up-scaling strategies implemented by MFIs may lead to competition with banks. The net economic impact of up scaling strategies will depend on how much MFIs neglect the poorest clients (mission drift) and to what extent clients with the highest growth potential can in fact resort to commercial banks. Finally, we shed light on the fact that the lack of financial knowledge among entrepreneurs may actually skew their financing choices and ultimately prevent them from obtaining more affordable sources of financing.As a whole, MSEs need special attention to foster their growth and contribution to job creation. MFIs are a powerful tool to help MSEs meet growth objectives, but optimal development may require other forms of financial assistance and better suited funding.

A globalização dos mercados e a crescente competitividade internacional nas duas últimas décadas proporcionaram a entrada de empresas no mercado, dentre as quais estão as pequenas empresas. Notadamente reconhecidas por sua importância social e econômica, as pequenas empresas dos setores da indústria, do comércio e de serviços são, em termos numéricos, a grande maioria das empresas no Brasil. Dada a importância deste objeto de estudo, a presente pesquisa possui como objetivo geral explorar a relação entre a orientação para a inovação e os padrões de internacionalização de pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs). Para a concretização deste objetivo principal, três objetivos específicos são traçados, sendo estes o estudo das capacidades dinâmicas para a inovação de PMEs de base tecnológica brasileiras, o estudo do processo e dos padrões de internacionalização deste grupo de empresas e o estudo da relação entre estes dois objetivos específicos. As capacidades dinâmicas para a inovação direcionam o desenvolvimento de inovações tecnológicas, quais sejam, inovações em produtos, processos e serviços, e também sustentam o desenvolvimento de inovações não-tecnológicas, em outras palavras, as inovações de Marketing e organizacionais. As capacidades dinâmicas também impactam positivamente na competitividade das pequenas empresas nos mercados domésticos e internacionais. A fundamentação teórica desta pesquisa reside nas Teorias de Internacionalização, fundamentando-se nos Modelos de Internacionalização, e nas Teorias de Inovação, referindo-se às Capacidades Dinâmicas para a Inovação. Com o intuito de melhor compreender o objeto de pesquisa, para cada um dos temas existem tópicos que apresentam as PMEs. A diversidade setorial das empresas participantes da pesquisa contribuiu para a magnitude de resultados sobre as capacidades dinâmicas para a inovação de PMEs brasileiras, assim como para a identificação de seus padrões de internacionalização. A partir de um estudo qualitativo, as análises mostram que as PMEs brasileiras buscam se diferenciar através da inovação em seus mercados de atuação internacionais. Com relação aos padrões de internacionalização das PMEs brasileiras, estes se diferem, em alguns parâmetros, ao apresentado na literatura. Portanto, a análise das capacidades dinâmicas para a inovação mostra que as pequenas empresas brasileiras possuem elevado potencial para o desenvolvimento da inovação. Sobre a internacionalização, as PMEs do estudo apresentam padrões específicos de internacionalização, necessitando, assim, de aproximações em relação aos parâmetros apresentados na literatura. Como contribuições acadêmicas, a pesquisa apresenta a análise das capacidades dinâmicas para a inovação relacionadas ao padrão de internacionalização das PMEs brasileiras, apresentando variáveis emergentes aos temas de pesquisa. Por fim, como contribuições gerenciais, a análise dos casos permite verificar como as PMEs buscam se posicionar competitivamente nos mercados internacionais. / The globalization of markets and the growing international competitiveness in the last two decades have provided the entry of firms in the market, among which are small businesses. Notably recognized for their social and economic importance, small businesses from the industry, the commerce and the services sectors are, in numerical terms, the vast majority of companies in Brazil. Given the importance of this object of study, this research has as general objective to explore the relationship between the innovation orientation and the internationalization patterns of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). To achieve this general objective, three specific objectives are set, which are the study of dynamic capabilities for innovation of Brazilian technology-based SMEs, the study of the internationalization process and the internationalization patterns of this group of firms, and the relationship between these two specific objectives. The dynamic capabilities for innovation drive the development of technological innovations, namely, innovation in products, processes and services, and support the development of non-technological innovation, in other words, Marketing and organizational innovations. Dynamic capabilities also impact positively on the competitiveness of small businesses both in domestic and international markets. The theoretical basis of this research lies in the Internationalization Theories, based on the Internationalization Models, and in the Innovation Theories, referring to the Dynamic Capabilities for Innovation. In order to understand better the object of research, for each of the themes there are topics presenting the SMEs. The sectoral diversity of the survey participants companies contributed to the magnitude of results on the dynamic capabilities for innovation of Brazilian SMEs, thus as the identification of their international patterns. From a qualitative study, the analysis show that Brazilian SMEs seek to differentiate through innovation in their international operating markets. Regarding the patterns of internationalization of Brazilian SMEs, these differ in some parameters, as presented in the literature. Therefore, the analysis of dynamic capabilities for innovation presents that Brazilian SMEs have high potential for the development of innovation. About the internationalization, the SMEs of this study present specific international patterns, thus requiring approaches in relation to the parameters presented in the literature. As academic contributions, the research presents the analysis of dynamic capabilities for innovation related to the patterns of internationalization of Brazilian SMEs, with emerging variables to the research topics. Finally, as managerial contributions, the analysis of cases allows verifying SMEs seeking to position themselves competitively in international markets.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T18:40:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 21 / Nenhuma / O presente estudo tem como objetivo identificar os elementos e os resultados da formação das redes de cooperação para a socialização de conhecimento e desenvolvimento da inovação, nas PMEs associadas. Considerando que as PMEs possuem uma representatividade relevante no contexto econômico brasileiro, e que as mesmas enfrentam dificuldades dos mais variados tipos para sobreviver, crescer e inovar no mercado quando atuam de forma individual. Torna-se importante estudar se a formação de redes de cooperação contribuem para o desenvolvimento das PMEs, para tanto, adotou-se como referencial teórico os estudos sobre as redes de cooperação, conhecimento organizacional e inovação tecnológica. Para o alcance do objetivo proposto, realizou-se uma pesquisa por meio de duas fases complementares: na primeira fase, por meio de uma survey, objetivou-se entender o contexto das redes e mensurar os ganhos de conhecimento e inovação obtidos pelas PMEs após associarem-se em rede. Já na segunda fase da pesquisa, buscou-se através d / The present study aims to identify the elements and results of the formation of cooperation networks for the socialization of knowledge and development of innovation, at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) associated to them. Considering that SMEs have a relevant participation in the Brazilian economic context, and that they face several kinds of difficulties to survive, grow and innovate in the market when acting individually. The study if the formation and functioning of cooperation networks contribute to the development of such companies becomes important, hence, studies about this kind of networks, creation of organizational knowledge, and technological innovation were adopted as theoretical referential. To achieve the intended objective, a research through two stages was performed: in the first stage, through a survey, the objective was to understand the context of networks and to measure the knowledge and innovation gained by the SMEs after getting together as a net. At the second stage of the res

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T18:39:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rejane Gomes de Sousa.pdf: 2986940 bytes, checksum: e5f470e52ffd690a50aa1be202d04346 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-06 / The economic globalization impact has created the need to introduce accounting models that could standardize financial statements to be understood and used by different users in several parts of the world. The information symmetry lack -- where the same transaction could generate different information, depending on the country of origin -- undermined investors‟ and creditors‟ decisions, as there was nothing standards for decision making. In order to harmonize the International Accounting Practices, in 2000 the International Organization of Securities Commission (IOSCO) recommended that the capital market regulators in each country authorized multinational companies to submit their financial statements according to the International Accounting Standards. The International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) was responsible for the working up of international standards, that is, for the worldwide accepted Accounting Standard that is already in convergence process in more than 100 countries. In Brazil, the Law Amendment nº 6.404/76 led to the Law nº 11.638/07, bringing significant implications to companies required to follow the Law S/A. Among them, the Brazilian Securities Commission (CVM) should issue its norms according to the International Accounting Standards. Consequently, the Brazilian Accounting Standards undergone a gradual process of converging its accounting standards to the International Accounting Standards by means of a process coordinated by the Committee of Accounting Pronouncements (CPC). In 2009, the Technical Pronouncement PME - Accounting for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises - was approved by the CPC. This study aims at contributing to the preparation of small and medium-sized enterprises for meeting the market demands, thus making them more competitive. The objective is to identify the main changes of accounting information aligned with international standards. The study was carried out through a literature review applicable to the International Accounting Standard for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. The final remarks show that the convergence process brings challenges, as well as that one can have a higher quality and reliability by applying the standard accounting information / O impacto da globalização da economia gerou a necessidade de implantar modelos contábeis que padronizassem as demonstrações para que elas fossem compreendidas e utilizadas por diferentes usuários em diversos lugares do mundo. A falta de simetria nas informações, onde uma mesma transação poderia gerar informações diferentes, dependendo do seu país de origem, prejudicava as decisões de investidores e credores, visto que não havia padrões para tomada de decisão. Visando harmonizar as práticas contábeis internacionais, a International Organization of Securities Comission (IOSCO), no ano de 2000, recomendou que os órgãos reguladores de mercado de capitais, em cada pais, autorizassem as sociedades multinacionais a apresentar as suas demonstrações financeiras de acordo com as normas internacionais de contabilidade. O Internacional Accounting Standard Board (IASB) ficou responsável pela elaboração de normas internacionais, ou seja o padrão único de contabilidade aceito mundialmente, que já esta em processo de convergência em mais de 100 países. No Brasil, a alteração da Lei nº. 6.404/76 deu origem à Lei nº. 11.638/07, que trouxe implicações significativas para as empresas, obrigadas a seguir a Lei da S/A, entre elas, que a Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM) deveria expedir suas normas de acordo com os padrões internacionais de contabilidade, e gradativamente as normas contábeis brasileiras convergiram para as normas internacionais, por meio de um processo coordenado pelo Comitê de Pronunciamentos Contábeis (CPC). Em 2009, foi aprovado pelo CPC o Pronunciamento Técnico PME Contabilidade para Pequenas e Medias Empresas. Este trabalho busca contribuir para que as empresas de pequeno e médio porte se preparem para as exigências do mercado, tornando-as mais competitivas. O objetivo é verificar as principais mudanças trazidas nas informações contábeis alinhadas às normas internacionais. O estudo se dá por meio de revisão bibliográfica aplicável a norma internacional de contabilidade para Pequenas e Médias Empresas. Nas considerações finais é possível verificar que o processo de convergência traz desafios e, ao adotar as normas, o padrão de informações contábeis tem-se maior qualidade, aumentando a confiabilidade