Title: Internal control in unlisted medium-sized manufacturing companies, A qualitative interview study on how medium-sized unlisted manufacturing companies work with internal control.                         Authors: Marc Neemeh Attaalla, Sajjad Ameen and Mojeb Abdul Majed Supervisor/ Tutor: Pia Nylinder, Martin HolgerssonDate: May 2021 Background and Problem discussion: Interna control in companies have become more relevant than ever in the recent decade. In US and Sweden, it is statutory to have an effective internal control in listed companies. The COSO- framework and an effective internal control is also well known among large companies. This created a curiosity to study how the internal control works in medium- sized companies that are not listed.    Purpose:The purpose of the study is to create a deeper understanding of how the unlisted medium-sized manufacturing companies work with internal control. Method:A qualitative interview study is the method that is used to fulfil the purpose of the research. The interviews were held with individuals in leading positions in seven different medium sized companies that were unlisted in the stock market. The interviews were conducted in themes based on COSO-frameworks five components.  Conclusion:All unlisted medium sized companies are working with the internal control. Companies are in large parts using COSO- frameworks five components unknowingly. We have also been able to identify similarities in difficulties regarding the interna control in the medium sized companies that have been studied.

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This thesis deals with an evaluation of a project which was financed from public funds. All of the theoretical bases were analyzed in detail focusing on a project management in a small and medium sized companies, management of soft projects and financing from EU funds. A practical part of this thesis is based on this theoretical knowledge. There is described and evaluated a project in a company Gravograf Ostrava, s.r.o. in the practical part. This project dealed with organizing retraining course called Commercial advertising designer - graphic designer and using cutting and engraving plotters. This project is described and evaluated from different points of view and includes suggestions to improve the processes within project management.

Die vorliegende Studie analysiert die Ergebnisse einer bundesweiten Unternehmensbefragung zum Finanzierungsverhalten deutscher KMU. Im Fokus stehen die Verfügbarkeit konkreter Finanzierungsinstrumente für KMU und deren Akzeptanz im Mittelstand. Dies soll die derzeitigen Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des heimischen Banken- und Finanzsystems verdeutlichen. Darüber hinaus werden verschiedene Aspekte des Innovationsverhaltens der befragten Unternehmen beleuchtet. Es zeigt sich, dass die Finanzierung aus erwirtschafteten Gewinnen einen überragenden Stellenwert besitzt. Zudem werden neben dem traditionell verankerten Bankdarlehen, vor allem kurzfristige, flexible, aber teure Kontokorrent- und Lieferantenkredite für Investitionszwecke genutzt. Alternative Finanzierungsinstrumente, wie Mezzanine, Beteiligungskapital sowie auch Kapitalmarktfinanzierungen haben bisher nur eine marginale Bedeutung erlangt. Als mögliche Ursachen hierfür sind mangelnde Kenntnisse und persönliche Vorbehalte auf Unternehmensseite, aber auch die grundsätzliche Nichteignung dieser Alternativen festzustellen. So liegt das nachgefragte Finanzierungsvolumen bei KMU häufig unter den Mindestgrenzen derartiger Kapitalgeber. Staatliche Förderinstrumente, welche vor allem von größeren mittelständischen Unternehmen in Anspruch genommen werden, können dabei nur einen Teilbeitrag leisten, um die Finanzierungsrestriktionen zu reduzieren. Im Bereich der Innovationsfinanzierung zeigt sich daher vor allem bei mittelgroßen Projekten ein besonderer Finanzierungsengpass. / This study analyzes the results of a nationwide survey on the corporate financing behavior of German SMEs. The availability of specific financial instruments for SMEs and their acceptance from an entrepreneurial perspective is investigated. Therefore, the current possibilities and limitations of the domestic banking and financial system are illustrated. Moreover, various aspects of the innovation behaviour of the companies are highlighted. It is shown that funding from earned profits has an outstanding importance. Furthermore, beside the traditional Bank loan, especially the short-term, flexible but also expensive overdraft and supplier credit are frequently used for investment purposes. Yet alternative financing capital such as mezzanine, private equity as well as capital market financing instruments had only a marginal importance. Possible reasons for these findings are on the one hand a lack of knowledge and personal reservations from the entrepreneurial perspective. On the other hand, a general unsuitability of these alternatives partially is noted, e.g. the funding volume from SMEs is often below the requested minimum limits of these alternatives. State subsidies, which are taken mainly from larger SMEs, can only make a partial contribution to reduce these financing constraints. Finally, a special funding shortfall is highlighted for medium-sized project´s in the field of innovation financing.

The world shipping freight market for the transportation of bulk cargo - liquid and dry - is characterised by the somewhat erratic and extreme fluctuations exhibited by many of the measures that can be used to describe the "state" of the market. Such 'measures' include the spot freight rates - the cost to the shipper of chartering a unit of shipping capacity 'on the spot' (that is, not reserving the vessel in advance), - the proportion of chartered tonnage at any time taken on a period (time) basis as opposed to a voyage (single) basis, and the rate at which orders for new vessels reach the shipyards. These factors are extremely variable, and have exhibited a similar form of behaviour for a large number of years. This present thesis describes an attempt to investigate the behaviour of the freight market (bulk cargo); the aim of the investigation being to identify the structure of the market system and to construct a System Dynamics model which describes the complex relationships in the market and which can be used to explore questions relating to present or future market behaviour. The construction of such a model is described, together with an exhaustive chapter on the analysis of the model, covering loop-analysis, the behaviour of the model under various test inputs, and the senstivity of the model to significant changes in parameter values. The final chapter considers the use of the model, and, in particular, describes its use in an investigation of the feasibility or desirability of introducing tonnagestabilization schemes into the market. Such schemes aim to prevent the freight rates from falling to unacceptably low values, by implementing a scheme whereby tonnage is withdrawn from operation and laid-up: the decrease in the supply of tonnage then has a positive influence on the freight rates. It is concluded that the problems involved in designing such schemes preclude the schemes from implementation. The appendices cover the various data used in the determination of market relationships, as well as the computer listing, in Fortran, of the market model. Also included in an appendix is a description of the application of System Dynamics to a hypothetical company. The tcompany model' allows for the examination of chartering policies and lay-up policies under a variety of conditions of market demand.

In der Arbeit werden verschiedene Ansätze zur Erfassung von Unternehmenskultur betrachtet. Darauf aufbauend wird ein eigenes Messinstrument entwickelt, mit dem der Zusammenhang von Aspekten der Unternehmenskultur und des Unternehmenserfolgs erklärt werden soll. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird im Besonderen ein kurzer Überblick über die Operationalisierung und das Untersuchungsdesign gegeben.

The main aim of the thesis (diploma work) was to analyse the current situation in (running) small and medium-size businesses in the region of South Bohemia and to uncover the possibilities of any further development and innovation, and to suggest suitable aid(support) programmes for SMB in South Bohemia. Implicit partial aims were: - characterization of the region of South Bohemia, including SWOT analysis; - evaluation of the importance of of the technology centres and their up-to-now findings and experience

In der Arbeit werden verschiedene Ansätze zur Erfassung von Unternehmenskultur betrachtet. Darauf aufbauend wird ein eigenes Messinstrument entwickelt, mit dem der Zusammenhang von Aspekten der Unternehmenskultur und des Unternehmenserfolgs erklärt werden soll. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird im Besonderen ein kurzer Überblick über die Operationalisierung und das Untersuchungsdesign gegeben.

The world shipping freight market for the transportation of bulk cargo - liquid and dry - is characterised by the somewhat erratic and extreme fluctuations exhibited by many of the measures that can be used to describe the "state" of the market. Such 'measures' include the spot freight rates - the cost to the shipper of chartering a unit of shipping capacity 'on the spot' (that is, not reserving the vessel in advance), - the proportion of chartered tonnage at any time taken on a period (time) basis as opposed to a voyage (single) basis, and the rate at which orders for new vessels reach the shipyards. These factors are extremely variable, and have exhibited a similar form of behaviour for a large number of years. This present thesis describes an attempt to investigate the behaviour of the freight market (bulk cargo); the aim of the investigation being to identify the structure of the market system and to construct a System Dynamics model which describes the complex relationships in the market and which can be used to explore questions relating to present or future market behaviour. The construction of such a model is described, together with an exhaustive chapter on the analysis of the model, covering loop-analysis, the behaviour of the model under various test inputs, and the senstivity of the model to significant changes in parameter values. The final chapter considers the use of the model, and, in particular, describes its use in an investigation of the feasibility or desirability of introducing tonnagestabilization schemes into the market. Such schemes aim to prevent the freight rates from falling to unacceptably low values, by implementing a scheme whereby tonnage is withdrawn from operation and laid-up: the decrease in the supply of tonnage then has a positive influence on the freight rates. It is concluded that the problems involved in designing such schemes preclude the schemes from implementation. The appendices cover the various data used in the determination of market relationships, as well as the computer listing, in Fortran, of the market model. Also included in an appendix is a description of the application of System Dynamics to a hypothetical company. The tcompany model' allows for the examination of chartering policies and lay-up policies under a variety of conditions of market demand.

Purpose - This thesis addresses the lack of research on Performance Management (PM) in Hidden Champions (HCs) due to development and implementation of a HC tailored PM system (PMS) in Action Research Design (AR). A HC tailored strategy map and PMS framework were elaborated to improve the financial and non-financial performance of the HC. Design/methodology/approach - A longitudinal case study with two AR cycles were performed to develop the HC tailored strategy map and framework for the PMS including their implementation using mixed methods data collection. A validated HC tailored strategy map and framework for the PMS implementation are presented. Findings - Findings show significantly increased financial and non-financial performance of the HC. The revenue of the case company increased by 11.6%, the return on revenue increased 3% up to 17%, customer satisfaction grew, throughput times shortened and leadership competencies improved. Findings further show that AR is an effective procedure for HC tailored PMS design and implementation. Research limitations and practical implications - The findings are based on one case study and needs to be tested in other HCs. Findings should be of interest to scholars in the field of PM, as well as practitioners improving financial and non-financial performance. Originality/value -This thesis contributes to knowledge of PM in HCs, and AR, as it provides a validated HC strategy map and framework for HC tailored PMS implementation in a HC. It provides an approach for practitioners to improve financial and non-financial performance in HCs.