This study investigated Zambia's current financial inclusion state with specific reference to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It also sought to determine the relationship between the age of the owner of MSME, size, literacy, gender, age, the period of operations, asymmetrical information, and financial inclusion in Zambia. The data collected from 70 respondents comprising MSMEs owners were analysed using multiple regression, correlation analysis and descriptive statistics. The research employed dependent variables, notably access, availability, and financial services, as the dependent variable. In contrast, independent variables included the size of MSME, literacy level, income level of the owner of MSME, the period of operations and asymmetrical information. On the one hand, the empirical findings indicate a positive relationship between usage and availability of financial services, and 'MSME's age of owner, size, literacy, gender, age, operation period, asymmetrical information in Zambia. On the other hand, findings, however, also show a negative relationship between gender and financial inclusion access. Whilst a positive relationship with the remaining independent variables. Accordingly, the study concluded that financial inclusion is evident in Zambia among MSMEs. However, the primary issue is that most MSMEs do not have access to formal funding from formal financial institutions. Therefore, the study calls for policies to be put in place to help MSMEs have access to formal financing. In addition, it also proposes formalising 'women's informal sector, financial literacy roadshows for women in the informal sector, training women in digital skills to enable them to have better access to financial services and giving financial institutions targets to onboard women-led MSMEs.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The researcher attempted to assess the effectiveness of Bank of Agriculture (BOA) microloan scheme on job creation among micro and small enterprises. This is in view of the unprecedented rise in the unemployment rate in Nigeria and the widely perceived belief that among other policies, harnessing the financial capacity of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) may possibly dictate the pace of the country’s achievement of job creation. Despite a wide array of studies on MSME growth, only a handful of rigorous studies are available to provide evidence of the effect of finance on labour market outcomes in the sector, as well as on the use of more relevant assessment techniques on the performance of public policies and interventions related to MSME financing. Through the use of mixed methods including questionnaire administration, key informant interviews, focused group discussions and desk research, this research undertook a theory of change-based assessment of Bank of Agriculture microfinance scheme, to assess the extent to which the scheme is effective in contributing to the achievement of the MSME Policy’s fundamental objective of job creation. Descriptive statistics using frequency tables and graphs as well as OECD COTE (Coherence, Objectives, Targets and Evaluation) Framework for policy formulation were applied as methods of analysis. The findings show a fundamental flaw in relation to the lack of strategic alignment of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) operations with the MSME Policy. The Bank is seen to be operating in a silo as the strategic direction the MSME tilt does not seem to derive from the overall MSME Policy. BOA is also not seen to be positioned to engage the practice of performance measurement and reporting generally and in particular of the fundamental objective of job creation, as stipulated in the MSME Financing Policy of government. It was also revealed that a majority of enterprises that took BOA microloans loans were not able to create jobs as many of them were operating as “survivalists”. Although the BOA microloan scheme is potentially capable of supporting targeted growth-oriented microenterprises in specific trades to create jobs, given the attractive concessional terms, the Bank is not achieving this objective in its present state and form neither is it seen to be positioned to do so due to several supply and demand side factors. An ongoing reform process in the Bank during this research period may be able to address part of this concern if more strategic steps are taken to surmount the constraints. Furthermore, BOA does not have a functional performance measurement framework and monitoring and evaluation system that can be used as the basis for measuring goal attainment such as the goal of job creation, especially in relation to the outcomes of the provision of financial services to the MSME sector. For BOA to be successful and truly developmental in focus especially in relation to its contribution to the strategic objective of job creation, the study therefore recommended the key thrust of a new framework for addressing the current unemployment situation to include an effective alignment of macro, meso (sectoral) and micro policies. At the (micro) institutional level, it is recommended that BOA should: • improve its governance and management system as well as the integration of development impact considerations and measurement; • create innovative financing products for growth-oriented microenterprises especially through cluster financing and cluster-based development; • increase wholesale lending through the provision of on-lending products to performing microfinance institutions (MFIs); • engage the services of BDS organisations to source for credible clients and build clients’ entrepreneurial capacity including assisting them to access markets. In line with the need to integrate development impact considerations and measurement into its entire operations, the researcher designed a monitoring and evaluation framework that can enhance the tracking of the attainment of job creation policy goal in BOA microloan scheme. In this vein, the institution is to adopt formal “lessons learnt” mechanisms to integrate evaluation findings into future activities and “put development back into development banking” (Smallridge, 2017). At the meso level in the study context, horizontal cooperation is recommended where all relevant institutions are aligned and the impact of various policy measures on entrepreneurship and job creation are taken into account. Lastly, an employment – sensitive macro-economic framework must pursue: the relaxation of monetary and credit conditions that are supportive of employment creation in the economy; fiscal prudence in the context of exploiting fiscal space to accommodate investments with high employment potentials; use of legislative mechanisms for ensuring full and effective implementation of annual budgets, program and projects at all levels and development and effective use of computerised Labour Market Information System (LMIS) for Nigeria.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o papel das micro, pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) italianas e brasileiras nos processos de integração européia e no Mercosul, respectivamente. A pesquisa revelou profundas diferenças no papel desempenhado por essas empresas em cada bloco e no tratamento dispensado ao seu desenvolvimento. O estudo constatou que na União Européia e, particularmente, na Itália, houve grande valorização das PMEs, com a preocupação de criar um ambiente empresarial favorável à sua competitividade. No Mercosul e no Brasil, ao contrário, essas empresas não foram objeto de políticas com tal objetivo. O trabalho realizou uma descrição das PMEs de ambos países – a partir de três dimensões: o financiamento, a informação/inovação e o poder político – e de seus vínculos com os respectivos blocos. O método de estudo de caso foi escolhido por considerá-lo o mais apropriado para caracterizar as particulares relações das micro, pequenas e médias empresas italianas e brasileiras com os dois blocos econômicos, europeu e mercosulino. / This work aims to analyze the italian and brazilian micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) role in the european and Mercosur processes of integration, respectively. The research has revealed deep differences with respect to the role played for these enterprises in each bloc, and to the treatment given by those blocs to them, in order to SMEs development. The study has verified that in the European Union and, particularly, in Italy, there was a great SMEs valorization with the concern to creating an entrepreneurial environment favourable to their competitivity. In Mercosur and in Brazil, by contrast, those enterprises have not been object of politics with such goal. The work has carried out a decription of the both countries SMEs – through three dimensions: the financing, the information/innovation, and the political power – and their bonds with the respective blocs. The study case method has been chosen for being considerated the most appropriate to characterize the particular relations of italian and brazilian micro, small and medium enterprises with the two economic blocs, the european and the mercosur ones.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o papel das micro, pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) italianas e brasileiras nos processos de integração européia e no Mercosul, respectivamente. A pesquisa revelou profundas diferenças no papel desempenhado por essas empresas em cada bloco e no tratamento dispensado ao seu desenvolvimento. O estudo constatou que na União Européia e, particularmente, na Itália, houve grande valorização das PMEs, com a preocupação de criar um ambiente empresarial favorável à sua competitividade. No Mercosul e no Brasil, ao contrário, essas empresas não foram objeto de políticas com tal objetivo. O trabalho realizou uma descrição das PMEs de ambos países – a partir de três dimensões: o financiamento, a informação/inovação e o poder político – e de seus vínculos com os respectivos blocos. O método de estudo de caso foi escolhido por considerá-lo o mais apropriado para caracterizar as particulares relações das micro, pequenas e médias empresas italianas e brasileiras com os dois blocos econômicos, europeu e mercosulino. / This work aims to analyze the italian and brazilian micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) role in the european and Mercosur processes of integration, respectively. The research has revealed deep differences with respect to the role played for these enterprises in each bloc, and to the treatment given by those blocs to them, in order to SMEs development. The study has verified that in the European Union and, particularly, in Italy, there was a great SMEs valorization with the concern to creating an entrepreneurial environment favourable to their competitivity. In Mercosur and in Brazil, by contrast, those enterprises have not been object of politics with such goal. The work has carried out a decription of the both countries SMEs – through three dimensions: the financing, the information/innovation, and the political power – and their bonds with the respective blocs. The study case method has been chosen for being considerated the most appropriate to characterize the particular relations of italian and brazilian micro, small and medium enterprises with the two economic blocs, the european and the mercosur ones.

Submitted by FRANCISCA JEANNE SIDRIM DE FIGUEIREDO (jeanne.sidrim@urca.br) on 2017-10-07T20:22:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE FRANCISCA JEANNE S FIGUEIREDO_VERSAO FINAL_DIRETRIZES PARA IMPLANTACAO DE LEAN SIX SIGMA EM MICRO (1).pdf: 5107459 bytes, checksum: d4f1df9726496b6c7b43eaefd9b1aa41 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Monique Sasaki (sayumi_sasaki@hotmail.com) on 2017-10-09T17:57:12Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 figueiredo_fjs_dr_guara.pdf: 5107459 bytes, checksum: d4f1df9726496b6c7b43eaefd9b1aa41 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-09T17:57:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 figueiredo_fjs_dr_guara.pdf: 5107459 bytes, checksum: d4f1df9726496b6c7b43eaefd9b1aa41 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Lean Six Sigma (LSS) é uma estratégia de melhoria contínua usada para aumentar a eficiência e eficácia dos processos produtivos a partir da eliminação de desperdícios e redução da sua variabilidade. Embora existam pesquisas sobre esta metodologia em empresas do setor manufatureiro, poucos estudos são direcionados para a sua aplicação no setor calçadista. Pelo exposto, o objetivo deste trabalho consiste em diretrizes para implementação do LSS em Micro, Pequenas e Médias Empresas (MPME’s) de calçados. Para direcionar a realização de oito estudos de casos em MPME’s calçadistas foram identificados na literatura cientifica os princípios do LSS e verificada a sua aplicação na realidade das empresas estudadas. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados para estes estudos de caso foram entrevistas semiestruturadas com gestores e colaboradores, análise documental e visita in loco. Na análise dos casos foi identificado que as empresas, embora não utilizem o LSS, possuem práticas que podem facilitar sua implementação, assim como há dificuldades que precisam ser superadas para que implementação possa ocorrer de forma eficaz. Tais possibilidades e dificuldades se constituíram como a base das diretrizes elaboradas para implementação do LSS em MPME’s. Os princípios do LSS verificados nas MPME’s de calçados foram: desenvolver e manter uma filosofia de longo prazo, focar no cliente, desenvolver líderes, desenvolver pessoas e equipes profissionais, desafiar e respeitar a rede de parceiros e fornecedores, criar a cultura da melhoria contínua, utilizar ferramentas do LSS, utilizar sistemas puxados (JIT), focar na perfeição de produtos, processos e serviços, eliminar desperdícios e reduzir variabilidade. Esta pesquisa contribui para preencher a lacuna na literatura em relação à propostas de implementação do LSS em MPME’s de calçados (contribuição científica) e permite aos empresários do setor identificar práticas que favoreçam a melhoria da gestão dos processos de suas empresas (contribuição aplicada). / Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a continuous improvement methodology used to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of production processes by eliminating waste and reducing its variability. Although there are researches on this methodology in companies of the manufacturing sector, few studies are directed to its application in the footwear sector. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to propose guidelines for the implementation of LSS in micro, small and medium enterprises of footwear. In order to direct the accomplishment of eight case studies in footwear MSMEs, the principles of LSS were identified in the scientific literature, verified in the reality of the companies studied. The instruments of data collection for these case studies were semi-structured interviews with managers and collaborators, documentary analysis and on-site visit. In the analysis of the cases it was identified that the companies, although they do not use the LSS, have practices that can facilitate their implementation. As well as there are difficulties that need to be overcome so that implementation can take place effectively. These possibilities and difficulties were the basis of the guidelines developed for the implementation of LSS in MSMEs. The LSS principles found in MSMEs for footwear were: to develop and maintain a long-term philosophy, focus on the customer, develop leaders, develop people and professional teams, challenge and respect the network of partners and suppliers, create a culture of continuous improvement, Use LSS tools, pull systems (JIT), focus on the perfection of products, processes and services, eliminate waste and reduce variability. This research contributes to fill the gap in the literature regarding the lack of proposals for the implementation of LSS in MSMEs of footwear (scientific contribution) and allows entrepreneurs in the industry to identify practices that favor the improvement of the management of their companies' processes (applied contribution). / CAPES: 9183/2012

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o papel das micro, pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) italianas e brasileiras nos processos de integração européia e no Mercosul, respectivamente. A pesquisa revelou profundas diferenças no papel desempenhado por essas empresas em cada bloco e no tratamento dispensado ao seu desenvolvimento. O estudo constatou que na União Européia e, particularmente, na Itália, houve grande valorização das PMEs, com a preocupação de criar um ambiente empresarial favorável à sua competitividade. No Mercosul e no Brasil, ao contrário, essas empresas não foram objeto de políticas com tal objetivo. O trabalho realizou uma descrição das PMEs de ambos países – a partir de três dimensões: o financiamento, a informação/inovação e o poder político – e de seus vínculos com os respectivos blocos. O método de estudo de caso foi escolhido por considerá-lo o mais apropriado para caracterizar as particulares relações das micro, pequenas e médias empresas italianas e brasileiras com os dois blocos econômicos, europeu e mercosulino. / This work aims to analyze the italian and brazilian micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) role in the european and Mercosur processes of integration, respectively. The research has revealed deep differences with respect to the role played for these enterprises in each bloc, and to the treatment given by those blocs to them, in order to SMEs development. The study has verified that in the European Union and, particularly, in Italy, there was a great SMEs valorization with the concern to creating an entrepreneurial environment favourable to their competitivity. In Mercosur and in Brazil, by contrast, those enterprises have not been object of politics with such goal. The work has carried out a decription of the both countries SMEs – through three dimensions: the financing, the information/innovation, and the political power – and their bonds with the respective blocs. The study case method has been chosen for being considerated the most appropriate to characterize the particular relations of italian and brazilian micro, small and medium enterprises with the two economic blocs, the european and the mercosur ones.

<p>This study extends the existing literature on how social networks enhance the performance and sustainability of small enterprises. More specifically, the study isolates and investigates the mechanisms through which social capital helps with the growth and survival of MSMEs. The evidence presented in this study strongly suggests that an indigenous social network widely practiced in Ethiopia, the &ldquo / iqqub&rdquo / , contributes significantly to the start-up, survival and development of urban MSMEs.</p>

<p>This study extends the existing literature on how social networks enhance the performance and sustainability of small enterprises. More specifically, the study isolates and investigates the mechanisms through which social capital helps with the growth and survival of MSMEs. The evidence presented in this study strongly suggests that an indigenous social network widely practiced in Ethiopia, the &ldquo / iqqub&rdquo / , contributes significantly to the start-up, survival and development of urban MSMEs.</p>

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study extends the existing literature on how social networks enhance the performance and sustainability of small enterprises. More specifically, the study isolates and investigates the mechanisms through which social capital helps with the growth and survival of MSMEs. The evidence presented in this study strongly suggests that an indigenous social network widely practiced in Ethiopia, the "iqqub", contributes significantly to the start-up, survival and development of urban MSMEs. / South Africa