Small and Medium-sized enterprises represent the backbone of the economy and they play a crucial role in the development of regions. Promoting position of SMEs within the economy may be done through their financial support. The aim of this work is to depict the current SME environment in the European Union and to determine different levels where the companies may acquire funding. The European level process is analysed on two different real projects with the EU funding.

Introduktion: Studien behandlar små och medelstora företag (SMFs) inom fordonsindustrin. Kontexten berörs med hänsyn till att forskningsfronten saknar empiriska exempel avseende relationen mellan olika inbound open innovation aktiviteter och företagens innovationsprestation. Fenomenet inbound open innovation innebär att företag genom olika samverkansaktiviteter utnyttjar externa flöden av kunskap och teknologi, för att främja framkomsten av nya produkter och processer. Följaktligen utreder studien relationen mellan företagens innovationsprestation och aktiviteterna; (1) teknologisk rekognosering, (2) vertikal teknologisk kollaboration, (3) horisontell teknologisk kollaboration, (4) teknologisk anskaffning.   Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka relationen mellan fyra former av inbound open innovation aktiviteter och innovationsprestation i små och medelstora företag, inom fordonsindustrin. Insikterna från studien ämnar stärka de små och medelstora företagens konkurrenskraft på en globaliserad marknad. Studien ämnar även främja helhetsbilden av vilken effekt olika inbound open innovation aktiviteter har i praktiken.     Teori: Studien baseras på tidigare forskning och teorier avseende inbound open innovation i små och medelstora företag (SMFs).      Metod: Studien bedrivs via en kvantitativ metodansats. Ett själv-administrerat frågeformulär har distribuerats ut via mail till 370 stycken VD:s. Insamlad data har bearbetats i SPSS genom flertalet statistiska tester, vilket utmynnade i att studiens fyra hypoteser testades och utreddes.   Slutsats: Studiens resultat påvisar att SMFs inom fordonsindustrin kan förbättra sin innovationsprestation genom att bedriva aktiviteterna teknologisk rekognosering, vertikal teknologisk kollaboration samt horisontell teknologisk kollaboration. Aktiviteten teknologisk anskaffning befanns inte ha någon signifikant inverkan på innovationsprestationen. Studiens insikter kan stärka de små och medelstora företagens konkurrenskraft på en globaliserad marknad. Insikterna främjar även helhetsbilden avseende vilken effekt olika inbound open innovation aktiviteter har i praktiken. / Introduction: The study concerns small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the automotive industry. The context is touched because the research front lacks empirical examples of the relationship between different inbound open innovation activities and innovation performance. The phenomenon of inbound open innovation means that companies, through different collaborative activities, exploit external flows of knowledge and technology to promote the emergence of new products and processes. Consequently the study investigates the relationship between innovation performance and the activities; (1) technological scouting, (2) vertical technological collaboration, (3) horizontal technological collaboration, (4) technological acquisition.   Purpose: The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between four forms of inbound open innovation activities and innovation performance in small and medium-sized enterprises, in the automotive industry. The insights from the study aims to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs in a globalized market. The study also aims to promote the overall picture of the impact of different inbound open innovation activities in practice.   Theory: The study is based on previous research and theories regarding inbound open innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).   Method: The study is conducted through a quantitative methodology. A self-administered questionnaire has been distributed by mail to 370 CEOs. The collected data has been processed in SPSS through different statistical tests, which resulted in the study's four hypotheses being tested and investigated.   Conclusion: The studies result shows that SMEs in the automotive industry can improve their innovation performance by conducting the activities of technological scouting, vertical technological collaboration and horizontal technological collaboration. Technological acquisition was found to have no significant impact on innovation performance. The findings can promote the competitiveness of SMEs in a globalized market. The insights also promote the overall picture of the impact of different inbound open innovation activities in practice.

El objetivo principal del presente trabajo de investigación es el desarrollo de un modelo de mejora para el ciclo de vida del desarrollo de software de la empresa de estudio HOLINSYS, la cual pretende certificarse en la norma internacional ISO/IEC 29110. Siendo esta ISO, la primera orientada a mejorar la calidad de los proyectos de desarrollo de software de las pequeñas y medianas empresas, presentando los perfiles del ciclo de vida del desarrollo de software. / Trabajo de investigación

The goal of this thesis is to describe the possibilities of SMEs to finance their innovation activities. In the first chapter we specify and define SMEs, their advantages and disadvantages. We use statistical analysis to prove, how they contribute on the changes of selected macroeconomic measures. The second chapter deals with the different tools and ways to finance SMEs, as well as the main providers of institutional support for SMEs. The last chapter designs the Regional innovation fund as an institution providing seed and start-up financing.

I decided to describe Operational Programme Industry and Enterprise 2004--2006 as the basic document for the policy of economic and social cohesion (ESC) in the Czech productive and business sector. Operational Programme Industry and Enterprise elaborated a specific part of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2004 -- 2006 aimed at the economic development. Especially I described the programme aim which helped launch business plan of the natural persons and firms entering business for the first time or after a long period through provision of soft loan.

Thesis describes main development trends of retail industry and its network in the Czech Republic as well as changes in consumers' behaviour and in the position of Czech retailers on the basis of available statistical data and findings of surveys since 1993 to the present and near future.

Theoretical part provides with basic term about enterprises, special programs handled by Czech government and introduce providers of these programs. Theoretical part describes how to settle a business plan. Knowledge taken from theoretical part is used for settlement proposal of business plan and for application of one of special programs handled by Czech government.

The purpose of this master thesis is to define a market entry strategy into Denmark for a SME from Czech republic. The thesis includes a complex analysis of the danish entrepreneurial environment and defining a strategy how to enter the market. The thesis intends to be a useful guide for Czech SME's how to expand on this market.

The main objective of my diploma thesis is to reach the significance of small and medium-sized enterprises and make a statistical analysis of the specific program supporting small and medium-sized enterprises provided by the Czech Moravian Guarantee Bank with the emphasis on the labour market. The analysis indicated that small and medium-sized enterprises are significant players not only in the Czech economy, but also in other states in the world. Small and medium-sized enterprises make 99,23% of the whole business sector in the Czech Republic. They dominate in sectors such as trade, services, fishing, manufacturing and other labour-intensive industries. No less important role small and medium-sized enterprises play in providing jobs, for 59,9% of work force employed in the Czech Republic. Most of empirical studies claim that small and medium-sized enterprises are significant in job creation as well as in job destruction. The certain of jobs in small and medium-sized enterprises are really poor in comparison with the large companies. There are lots of supportive programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises which are concentrated on regional level as well as blanket character. Evaluation of the program supporting small and medium-sized enterprises provided by the Czech Moravian Guarantee Bank confirmed their significance role in job creation and also indicated their small part in job destruction.

This thesis concerns with problematic of FX risk management in a mid-sized export-oriented company. The theoretic part of the paper explains fundamental and origin of FX risk and summarizes process of its management with emphasis on specifics of mid-sized companies. Further, selected hedging techniques and instruments are introduced. With employment of available statistics and analysis, main advantages and disadvantages of hedging are demonstrated. For practical application of theory presented, real data from mid-sized company are used. After analyzing financial and accounting statements, concrete risks arising from exchange rate volatility are identified. Finally, concrete recommendations for the management are offered, which could lead to lowering FX exposure and reducing impact of changes in exchange rates on economy of the firm.