Atualmente têm-se valorizado o aproveitamento das características das aglomerações, como os arranjos produtivos locais - APLs e a necessidade de cooperação entre as empresas. Neste contexto, a avaliação de desempenho em relação a um referencial externo e a identificação de melhores práticas, como proposto pelo benchmarking, pode ser de grande valia. Este trabalho apresenta o desenvolvimento de um sistema de informações para benchmarking com acesso via web e sua aplicação piloto. O trabalho de campo contou com a participação de 29 empresas de até médio porte, que fazem parte dos APLs de Ibitinga (confecções de bordados) e de Jaú (calçados femininos). A partir desta aplicação, discute-se a viabilidade operacional de tal sistema, os estímulos e resultados para as empresas usuárias e as relações de tal sistema com os agentes de governança dos APLs. A avaliação do processo de implementação, realizada essencialmente por meio de observações da pesquisadora (de caráter qualitativo), aponta para a necessidade de um mecanismo que possibilite a adesão e participação de um número elevado de empresas em um curto espaço de tempo ou com participação vinculada a outras iniciativas, a fim de que uma base robusta de dados seja criada, eliminando a principal razão para que as empresas percam o estímulo em participar. Outras alternativas de abordagem também são discutidas a fim de melhorar os benefícios deste sistema para empresas e para a governança, como a formação de grupos de empresas (mesmo de setores diferentes) interessados em trocar experiências em uma determinada área ou mesmo a troca de experiência entre instituições de governança. / Nowadays, the clustering approach and the development of joint actions have gained acceptance. In this scenario, performance assessment against an external reference and the identification of best practices, as proposed by benchmarking, can be very useful. This study presents the development of a web-based benchmarking information system and its pilot application. The fieldwork was developed with the participation of 29 small and medium-sized companies from the clusters of Ibitinga (garment for use in the house) and Jaú (female shoes). The objective is to discuss the operational viability of such system, the incentives and results for the users and the relationship of this system with the cluster governing agents. The assessment of the implementation (of qualitative features), points to the need of an organization that enables a high number of companies to participate in a short period of time, like binding the participation to other initiatives, in order to create a strong database, removing the main reason for the incentive missing. Other approaches are discussed aiming to increase the benefits to the companies and to the governing, e.g. experience exchange by groups of firms (even from different industrial sectors) interested in a specific area or by governing institutions.

O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar o comportamento empreendedor de proprietários de pequenas e médias empresas de software de forma a identificar os comportamentos e ações que podem melhorar o seu desempenho organizacional. O estudo foi realizado em uma rede de revendas de uma empresa nacional de software de gestão empresarial integrada (Enterprise Resource Planning - ERP), que tem mais de 100 empresas representantes no país. Essas revendas têm empresários com comportamentos distintos entre si, com grande diferença nos resultados finais e no seu desempenho individual. Este trabalho está baseado em uma revisão teórica sobre o comportamento empreendedor, o desempenho organizacional, pequenas e médias empresas do setor de tecnologia e empreendedorismo, visando maior compreensão acerca desses temas. Realizou-se um estudo descritivo, com aplicação de uma pesquisa quantitativa com os proprietários dessas empresas, por meio de um questionário estruturado e validado com base na literatura, que foi disponibilizado online para autopreenchimento. Os resultados obtidos indicam que os comportamentos empreendedores de autorrealização, planejamento, inovação, além do constructo agressividade empresarial, são de maior significância para um maior desempenho organizacional, bem como algumas das características sociodemográficas de seus proprietários, como tempo de empresa entre 5 e 15 anos e dentro da faixa etária entre 26 e 45 anos. O estudo apresenta propostas de treinamento, recrutamento e de gestão para os proprietários das revendas e para os gestores da empresa estudada, de forma a fortalecer alguns dos comportamentos empreendedores dos proprietários das revendas, em busca do aumento do seu desempenho organizacional. Esses resultados se aplicam apenas a esta pesquisa, pois a amostra não é probabilística e, portanto, não podem ser generalizados. / The present study aims to analyze the entrepreneurial behavior of owners of small and medium-sized enterprises software in order to identify behaviors and actions that can improve their organizational performance. The study was conducted in a resales network of a national company of Enterprise Resource Planning - ERP software, which has more than 100 companies representing the country. These resellers have entrepreneurs with different behaviors, with great difference in the final results and their individual performance. The work is based on a theoretical review about entrepreneurial behavior, organizational performance, small and medium-sized companies in the technology and entrepreneurship industry, aiming more understanding of these topics. A descriptive study was carried out, with the application of a quantitative survey with the owners of these companies, through a structured and validated questionnaire based on the literature, which was made available online. The results obtained indicate that the entrepreneurial behaviors of self-realization, planning, innovation, in addition to the entrepreneurial aggressiveness construct, are of greater significance for greater organizational performance, As well as some of the sociodemographic characteristics of its owners, such as company time between 5 and 15 years and within the age range between 26 and 45 years. The study presents proposals for training, recruitment and management for the owners of the resellers and for the managers of the company studied, in order to strengthen some of the entrepreneurial behaviors of the owners of the resellers, in search of the increase of their organizational performance. These results apply just for this research, because the sample is not probabilistic and cannot be generalized.

High-growth firms in Czechia: geographical and sectoral specifics Abstract This theses focuses on high-growth firms in Czechia, defined as firms with a predetermined year-on-year increase in turnover between years 2012 and 2015. First part is about putting high-growth firms to the context of selected theories of regional development and it also discuss factors of the firm's growth. Further the high-growth firms are analyzed with an emphasis on spatial, sectoral and other specifics. A part focused on revealing specific factors of business growth uwing qualitative methods is also included. The analysis shows that high- growth firms in Czechia are concentrated to metropolitan areas, and whole one third of them are based in Prague. High growth firms are concentrated to the manufacturing and retail and wholesale sectors. The work has suggested that individual companies may have different growth factors and and there is no one specific strategy for a successful firm growth. Keywords: High-growth firms, gazelles, economic geography, small and medium-sized enterprises

Les repreneurs non familiaux deviennent de plus en plus importants pour diverses raisons.Tout d’abord, les estimations indiquent qu’un nombre croissant de fondateurs de petites et moyennes entreprises sont en voie de quitter leurs entreprises. Ensuite, et de façon concommitante, un nombre croissant de repreneurs familiaux se désintéressent ou ne disposent pas de l’aptitude nécessaire pour reprendre l’entreprise familiale. En conséquence, il se développe un marché de l’investisseur constitué des repreneurs non familiaux potentiels, en situation de sélectionner l’entreprise qui rencontre le mieux leurs attentes. D’autre part, la nature de la composition des actifs de la firme a changé et les actifs immatériels représentent à présent l’un des aspects les plus déterminants dans le succès de la majorité des entreprises. Il est communément accepté que ces actifs sont principalement responsables de la valeur de l’entreprise et de sa croissance dans de nombreuses industries. Cependant, l’étude du lien entre ces actifs et la transmission de PME hors du cercle familiale a été négligée jusqu’à présent.L’objectif de cette étude est d’apporter un éclairage sur la pertinence perçue des actifs immatériels dans le cadre du processus de transmission de PME, et ce de la perspective du repreneur n’appartenant pas au cercle familial. Au sein de ce processus, l’accent est mis sur la phase de préparation, lors de laquelle les repreneurs non familiaux potentiels recherchent et analysent les firmes cibles prometteuses.Sur base d’une démarche scientifique reposant sur des approches mixtes, déployées de façon séquentielle, la présente recherche consiste en une enquête quantitative, administrée en ligne, et impliquant des associations de commerce allemandes ainsi qu’une série d’entretiens qualitatifs menés avec des repreneurs non familiaux de PME allemandes.Les résultats apportent une nouvelle perspective sur la transmission d’entreprise, plus spécifiquement au regard des processus de sélection utilisés par les repreneurs non familiaux. Ainsi, cette étude contribue au développement de la littérature de plusieurs manières. Tout d’abord, une approche alternative de traiter de la transmission de PME en adoptant la perspective des repreneurs non familiaux est proposée, en tenant compte de leur modusoperandi. Ensuite, la vue traditionnelle de la transmission d’entreprise est élargie en considérant les actifs immatériels comme étant des éléments décisifs dans la phase de préparation. Enfin, ces résultats sont résumés dans un cadre qui fournit un aperçu sur les actifs immatériels dans le cadre de la sélection d’entreprise.Au regard du nombre croissant de PME en attente de transmission vers de nouveaux propriétaires, il est fondamental de comprendre la pertinence des actifs immatériels dans la dynamique de la transmission d’entreprise (et en particulier, dans la transmission non familiale). Ceci peut ainsi supporter les professionnels (par exemple, propriétaires, repreneurs potentiels, conseillers) et faciliter le développement de mesures adéquates pour améliorer la qualité de la transmission d’entreprise. / Non-family successors are becoming more and more important because of different reasons. Firstly, forecasts show that an increasing number of founders of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are waiting to leave their firms. Secondly, at the same time an increasing number of family successors are uninterested in or ill-suited to company succession. Consequently, it can be talked about as an investor market bringing prospective non-family successors in a position to select the company that best matches their expectations.On the other hand, the nature of a firm's asset composition has changed and intangible assets are now seen to represent one of the crucial aspects determining company success in most companies. It is generally acknowledged that these assets are chiefly responsible for company value and growth in most industries. However, the link between them and non-family succession in SMEs has so far been neglected.The aim of this study is to shed light on the perceived relevance of intangible assets in the SME succession process from the non-family successor perspective. In the process, the focus is on the preparation stage where prospective non-family successors seek and analyse promising target firms.Acquired on the basis of a sequential mixed methods approach, the present body of research material consists of a quantitative web-survey involving German trade associations and a series of qualitative interviews conducted with non-family successors of German SMEs.The findings provide a new perspective on company succession, specifically in regard to selection processes used by non-family successors, and thus this study contributes to the literature in several ways. Firstly, an alternative approach to dealing with company succession in SMEs by adopting the perspective of non-family successors is proposed, taking their modus operandi into account. Secondly, the traditional view of company succession is enlarged by considering intangible assets as being the decisive elements in the preparation stage. Finally, the findings are summarised by proposing a framework which provides insights into critical intangible assets in terms of company selection.Given the increasing number of SMEs waiting to be transferred to new owners, an understanding of the relevance of intangible assets is fundamental to our understanding of the dynamics of company succession (and non-family succession in particular). This in turn may also help practitioners (e.g., incumbents, prospective successors and advisors) to facilitate the proposal of suitable measures to improve the quality of company succession.

The field of research study is Swedish SMEs that belong to plastic industry. In the time ofglobalization and high competition on the global market, the issues of innovationimplementation and processes that can increase effectiveness of innovative activities are oftendiscussed. The issue is essentially important for small and medium businesses, which due totheir size and specifications are more flexible and can easily implement innovations. Due tothe fact, that Swedish market is filled with small and medium enterprises and innovativeactivities are among the most current and attractive for discussion, the research on the matterof innovation is seen as important contribution and necessary study for the modern market.The study focuses on importance of communicative processes between managers andemployees on the matter of innovation and innovative activities. The general researchquestion focuses on studying whether managers and employees can influence innovations andinnovative activities through communication. The research focuses on studying SwedishSMEs, on the case of plastic industry. SMEs in Sweden are well known for innovativeactivities, however, the research attempts to discover whether such activities are effective andwhether communication between managers and employees “makes or breaks innovativeecosystem” (Estrin, 2009). The motivation behind this research is to find how communicativeactivities in Swedish SMEs influence innovative processes and find whether managers andemployees can influence effectively innovations through communication for the benefit of theorganization.

La littérature a porté une attention croissante à la Responsabilité Sociale des Entreprises (RSE) et à la gestion de la chaîne logistique (GCL). Cependant, peu de recherches ont été menées de la perspective de la PME. Ainsi, l’objectif de cette recherche est de mieux comprendre l’engagement de la PME dans des pratiques de responsabilité sociale au sein de sa chaîne logistique. Cette thèse, à travers trois articles, examine la question suivante : Comment la PME adopte-t-elle des pratiques RSE sous la pression des clients et des fournisseurs, et étend-t-elle ses pratiques RSE dans sa chaîne logistique ? Dans le premier chapitre, nous montrons en utilisant une approche de modélisation par équation structurelle et des données recueillies auprès de 273 PME, que les pressions institutionnelles exercées par les partenaires de la chaîne logistique influencent différemment le niveau de pratiques de RSE dans les PME. L’étude démontre notamment que les pressions coercitives n’ont pas d’influence significative sur les pratiques RSE, alors que les pressions mimétiques et normatives influencent de manière positive et significative le niveau des pratiques RSE. Par ailleurs, l’influence positive des pressions normatives sur les pratiques RSE est plus forte pour les PME situées en aval de leur chaîne logistique tandis que les PME situées en amont sont sensibles aux pressions mimétiques sur leurs pratiques environnementales, de ressources humaines et commerciales. Dans le deuxième chapitre, notre étude révèle à travers des études de cas de six triades de PME, que les PME utilisent des capacités de « co-évolution » ou de «contrôle réflexif» pour étendre la RSE au fournisseur de premier rang, tandis qu’elles utilisent la «délégation active», les capacités de «re-conceptualisation de la chaîne logistique» ou l'approche «don’t bother» pour étendre la RSE au fournisseur de second-rang. Enfin, le troisième chapitre indique à travers une revue systématique de la littérature que les PME peuvent jouer quatre rôles dans la mise en place de pratiques RSE dans la chaîne logistique : adoptant, bloqueur, générateur ou transmetteur. Nous avons également identifié les caractéristiques des PME et les facteurs de contingence liés aux différents rôles des PME. Par cette thèse, nous enrichissons la littérature en montrant la diversité des pressions auxquelles sont soumises les PME dans leur chaîne logistique, les mécanismes qu’elles utilisent pour étendre leurs pratiques RSE au-delà du fournisseur de premier-rang, et le rôle crucial qu’elles jouent dans la mise en place d’une chaîne logistique durable. / Recent years have seen a considerable increase in the literature concerning the separate areas of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Supply Chain Management (SCM). However, little scholarly attention has been paid on the link between the two from a small and-medium sized enterprise (SME) perspective Therefore, this research aims to provide a better understanding of the engagement of SMEs in CSR practices in their supply chains. This thesis, through three articles, investigates the following research question : How does the SME adopt CSR practices through suppliers and customers pressures and extend its practices in the supply chain ?In the first chapter, using a structural equation modeling approach and data collected from 273 SMEs, our findings indicate that institutional pressures exerted by supply chain partners influence differently the level of CSR practices in SMEs. Notably, the study demonstrates that coercive pressures have no significant influence on CSR practices, whereas mimetic and normative pressures influence positively and significantly the level of CSR practices. Furthermore, the positive influence of normative pressures on CSR practices is stronger for SMEs situated downstream in their supply chain, whereas SMEs in further upstream positions are those which are sensitive to mimetic pressures for their environmental, human resources and marketplace practices.In the second chapter, based on a multiple-case study examining six triadic relationships, our study reveals that SMEs use “co-evolving” or “reflexive control” capabilities to extend CSR to the SME first-tier supplier. The findings reveal that, in contrast, SMEs use “active delegation”, “supply chain re-conceptualization” capabilities or a “don’t bother” approach to extend CSR to the SME second-tier supplier.Finally, the third chapter indicates using a systematic literature review that SMEs can undertake four roles in implementing CSR in the supply chain. We also identify the SMEs characteristics and the contingency factors that are related to the different roles of SMEs.This thesis contributes to fill the gap in literature by demonstrating the variety of pressures SMEs face in their supply chain, the mechanisms they use to extend CSR beyond the first-tier supplier, and the crucial role they play in the development of a sustainable supply chain.

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.

This thesis is focused on the analysis of business conditions of small and medium-sized enterprises in Belgium. First chapter involves the definition of these companies, describes their weaknesses and strengths and importance in the European Union. Next part includes short information about Belgium and contains also the description of the local business environment. Third chapter aims at the characteristics of small and medium-sized companies in Belgium considering the total number of active companies, employment and other measures and analyzes in detail the system of the public support at the european, national and regional level. The last part compares the sector of SMEs in Belgium with the same category of enterprises in the Czech Republic.

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.