The theme of this diploma work is to define of a business aim for a concrete small-sized enterprise and to transform it into a business plan. The first part is an entry to the sector of small and middle-sized enterprises; there are definitions of specific attributes of these enterprises, thein advantages and disadvantages, and their importance for an economy. In the sekond part is presented a ground of a theory for a business plan and SWOT analyse The next part is practical part of diplom work. In the practical part is suggested and work up the business plan of founding of small enterprises.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of insufficient business planning and good management of SMEs in Gabon have on SMEs’ to survive and grow. Thus, the study examined the relationship between business strategies and SMEs’ organisational sustainability in Libreville (Gabon).The study was a descriptive one which made use of positivist philosophy and adopted quantitative approach. As such a questionnaire which was designed from themes extracted from literature survey was used to gather data from a sample of 30 SMEs. The findings indicated that the lack of business strategy encountered in SMEs in Libreville lead partly to the failure or setbacks of the operation of the organisations. Most common reasons of the failure of SMEs were related to the absence of business plan, the lack of leadership, and lack of appropriate management system. The recommendations are to improve the SMEs in terms of good leadership, importance of business plan, management control system; strategic business management, organisation and employees performance. It further revealed that for the purpose of organisational sustainability, business strategies are regarded as critical aspects to consider for avoiding non-conformances while running businesses. The significance of the study is the framework to identify and optimise business strategies in order to promote successfully SMEs. The study shows the interest of owners of SMEs to set up appropriate business strategies.

Many of the most pressing global challenges today and in the future center around the scarcity of sustainable energy and water sources. The innovative microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology addresses both as it utilizes bacteria to convert wastewaters into electricity. Advancing this technology requires a better understanding of the optimal materials, designs and conditions involved. The micro-sized MFC was recently developed to serve this need by providing a rapid testing device requiring only a fraction of the materials. Further, development of micro-liter scale MFCs has expanded into potential applications such as remote and self-sustained power sources as well as on-chip energy generators. By using microfabrication, the fabrication and assembly of microsized MFCs is potentially inexpensive and mass produced. The objective of the work within this dissertation was to explore and optimize the micro-sized MFC to maximize power and current generation towards the goal of a usable and application-oriented device. Micro-sized MFCs were examined and developed using four parameters/themes considered most important in producing a high power generating, yet usable device: Anode- The use of nano-engineered carbon nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes and graphene, as anode as well as testing semiconductor industry standard anode contact area materials for enhanced current production. 5 Cathode- The introduction of a membrane-less air cathode to eliminate the need for continuous chemical refills and making the entire device mobile. Reactor design- The testing of four different reactor designs (1-75 μLs) with various features intended to increase sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and usability of the microsized MFC. Fuels- The utilization of real-world fuels, such as industrial wastewaters and saliva, to power micro-sized MFCs. The micro-sized MFC can be tailored to fit a variety of applications by varying these parameters. The device with the highest power production here was designed to be an inexpensive and robust power source in applications like point-of-care diagnostics in developing countries. This 25 μL graphene nanomaterial anode, air cathode device in an inexpensive flexible rubber architecture was powered by saliva and achieved 3.55 μW/cm2 and 35.2 W/m3. The continued optimization of MFC technology promises many interesting and innovative applications.

This work seeks to explore the critical success factors that influence the success of Indian small business owners in the Tshwane area. To achieve this, the objective of the study is to confirm whether there are significant differences between a successful and less successful group of business owners in terms of general management skills, personal characteristics and entrepreneurial orientation and financing of the business. Through an analysis of theoretical information and empirical results it is possible to facilitate a better understanding of how Indian entrepreneurs operating in small and medium enterprises sustain success, thus enabling learnings that contribute to the body of knowledge relating to entrepreneurship development in South Africa. From the literature it became clear that cultural dimensions have an impact on the entrepreneurial process. The arrival of Indians to South Africa has also contributed to the Indian culture. The characteristics that describe ethnic entrepreneurs and success factors attributed to their success is described. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are crucial for the development of any country as they offer benefits of economic growth and employment generation. The success factors to sustain SMEs are also described. Data was collected from respondents by means of a convenience sample using a structured questionnaire consisting of 28 questions. A total of 106 useable questionnaires were returned, which were then classified into a successful and less successful group, based on the criteria of annual turnover and employment growth. The classification process resulted in the successful group containing 38 respondents while the less successful group contained 49 respondents. The findings of the study indicate that there are no significant differences between the comparable groups in relation to management skills and finance factors. There are, however, significant differences relating to personal factors, such as the level of education, family support and experience. Finally, an important learning is that the Indian entrepreneurs in this study are similar to ethnic entrepreneurs reviewed in literature. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Addresses the issue dealing with marketing technical innovations. A practical conceptual framework which offers a systematic approach to overcoming barriers related to the marketing of technical innovations is presented. The framework is currently being field tested in several organizations and comprises three parts. The first part (integration) addresses the open system organizational structure necessary to facilitate the successful marketing of technical innovation. The second part (investigation) addresses the formulation of systematic marketing efforts and strategies targeted at the the different entities in the customer's organization. The third part (implementation) outlines a practical implementation approach.

No / In most countries, statistics show that 99% of businesses are classified as ?small businesses?. In the UK alone, 99.8% of businesses employ less than 250 staff and these companies contribute more than a half of the UK's turnover. This new textbook goes where other strategic management texts have not and focuses on these small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), rather than focussing on large corporations and the actions of their CEOs. The authors consider how managers of small firms perceive the processes associated with strategic management, what decisions and actions they adopt to ensure competitive advantage, how business strategies are formulated and implemented in SMEs, and what the strategic role of entrepreneurship within small businesses is. They also discuss how SMEs should act for maximum competitive advantage, and consider the ?gap? between ideal theory and practice. This unique textbook will be essential for students on Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Enterprise modules at undergraduate and Masters level, and will also be useful on core modules in Strategy, Business Policy and Strategic Management at all levels.

No / This paper investigates the international entrepreneurial behaviour of Mittelstand firms (German small and medium sized enterprises). Analysis of a survey of the international marketing strategies of Mittelstand firms revealed three clusters of firms, two that had below and one above average international activities. None of the clusters displayed born global type of internationalisation processes. However, this does not mean that they adopt passive approaches to internationalisation. The results suggest that Mittelstand firms engage in entrepreneurial behaviour that is proactive and innovative but which is cautious, sequential, and risk adverse. The implications of this analysis for future research in the area of international entrepreneurship are considered.

Yes / Entrepreneurship in small- and medium-sized enterprises are significant contributors to economic development. The purpose of this research is to examine the extent and motives for the use of informal training in Chinese SMEs. Using case studies, we found that informal training is widely used and generally accepted in Chinese SMEs. We also uncovered three separate categories on the motives for SMEs in adopting informal training based on the financial and time constraints they face, the perceived outcomes of training activities in terms of organisational performance, employee turnover, and the development of guanxi and positive team cohesion, as well as the attitudinal aspects of both managers and employees that influence their intentions in adopting a specific training approach. Our study contributes to the literature of HRM in Asia, and has important implications for the government and institutions in emerging countries to support entrepreneurship and SMEs.

Yes / Purpose All internal logistics systems contribute to the overall success of healthcare service delivery; laundry management (as a closed loop logistics system) is a critical system which facilitates patient recovery and rehabilitation. Studies indicate that applying efficiency measures/improvement tools in such systems, can deliver financial savings and strengthening of in-house competencies (Banerjea-Brodeur et al. 1998; Golden et al. 2008). This study focuses on the review and improvement of laundry management systems in a Thailand Hospital and the organizational culture underpinning this. This hospital was awarded the highest level of hospital accreditation (high level of quality and environmental compliance within this site). Despite this, problems existed at a very basic level with the laundry management, which can undermine patient dignity and respect and increase risk infection and health complications. This study contributes to the Thai healthcare agenda, a core mission of which is to “Develop efficient and equitable integrated health service system for both normal situation and emergency with emphasis on basic rights, specialized service and emergency medicine, surveillance system, disease prevention and control and health threats” (MOPH 2003). Research Approach The key research methods employed include literature review, in-depth interview, observation, documentation and content analysis. A mixed methods methodology was considered appropriate for this study for a number of reasons including a lack of previous insight into this system and the number of actors involved. To this end a triangulated view of the laundry management system was realized. Findings and Originality Delays in the provision of linen and patient clothing (1-4 days bottleneck) were adversely affected by unstructured laundry operations, insufficient personnel, poor job design and worn-out equipment. As a result of this analysis several solutions were steadily implemented which led to: (i) linen shortage was reduced by 12.12% - 28.48%, and (ii) the total cleaning time per cycle was reduced by 130 minutes (45.12%). The impact of the improvement practices in place were perceived to be undermined by cultural factors such as very high internal conflict, the new hospital Director with relatively low power, and limited budget allocated to purchasing linen. Research Impacts Very few studies have explored a closed-loop supply chain of hospital laundry management systems, fewer collected data from key users using a mixed methods methodology. Reverse Exchanges (RE), a new theoretical framework, was adopted to examine the laundry processes. This study attempts to this study fill these gaps. Although this research studied one district hospital; the practices can be greatly generalized; and the diagram of laundry operations and this research design can be replicated. Practical Impacts Improvement measures have been identified which directly impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of this operation. Whilst this is once case study site analysis, this can offer a positive contribution to the healthcare agenda within this country.

This Master Thesis is focused on the topic of internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The main goal of this thesis was to find out if the czech SMEs are able to participate in international trade, how can they achieve that and if the provided support of SMEs is sufficient. The theoretical part describes the term small and medium-sized enterprises, its specifics, significance and the evolution of the SME sector in Czech Republic. The theoretical part further deals with particular aspects of internationalization and with the quality of the provided support of SMEs in Czech Republic. The practical part was realized in the form of semistructured interview with a owner of Simplejohn, inc and the main goal of it was to verify the conclusions reached in the theoretical part.