Even though the legal minimum wage is not a new thing (it was first set in 1912 in the state of Massachusetts in the USA), we first come across the stipulation of a minimum wage in an amendment to Act No. 65/1965 Coll. of the Labour Code from 1990. The specific level of minimum wage and the conditions for applying it were then set by government resolution in February 1991. Since then the level of minimum wage has been valorised many times (in January 2006 the valorisation of minimum wage was the thirteenth time the minimum wage had been changed). The submitted dissertation deals with selected impacts of the minimum wage on firms, with special consideration to small and medium-sized enterprises (up to 250 employees). Attention is focused both on the demand side of the labour market (acceptance of legal level of minimum wage by firms), as well as on the supply side (effect of the legal level of minimum wage on willingness and motivation of the unemployed to supply their labour on the labour market). The work is focused on the following fundamental areas: detailed mapping of the effect of the minimum wage on firms and employment in economic theory and in contrast to theories for the results of empirical research, identification of the position of minimum wage in wage distribution in the Czech Republic (secondary research), acceptance of minimum wage by small and medium-sized firms in Southern Moravia County (primary research) and willingness of the unemployed to work for the minimum wage (primary research). An integral part of the work is the setting up of aids for the needs of a firm for enrolment and taking on of new employees - decision trees that provide information to the firm on the external labour market.

Tato disertacni prace je venovana tematu malych a strednich podniku v Syrii: Analyza - Management - Dovoz a Vyvoz. Syrsky trh je mezinarodnimu obchodovani pomerne otevreny. Obchodni smlouvy byly podepsany jiz s nekolika zememi. V rijnu 2004 Syrie podepsala take smlouvu o spolupraci s evropskou unii. Tato prace popisuje a analyzuje male a stredni podniky v Syrii pro pot.eby mezinarodniho obchodu i Syrskeho trhu. Ziskane vysledky jsou zpracovany a na jejich zaklade jsou stanovena doporuceni pro firmy hodlajici dovazet ci vyvazet do /ze Syrie.

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An entrepreneurial exit achieved through sale is the goal for many entrepreneurs and is often portrayed as a finish line. In reality, however, it marks the starting point of a business transfer process that can span several years. This study examines business transfers from a process perspective within the context of entrepreneurial small and medium-sized enterprises and from the entrepreneur's point of view. This is an area that is still considered unexplored and is referred to as entrepreneurial transfer in this study. The aim of the study is to contribute valuable empirical evidence to develop the subject, shed light on the area within the context of entrepreneurial small and medium-sized enterprises, and encourage further research. Six entrepreneurs have been interviewed in a semi-structured interview study, and the empirical data has been analyzed phenomenographically. The study identifies several patterns in how the process of entrepreneurial transfers occurs according to the entrepreneur, as well as how the entrepreneur perceives the process to be influenced by factors related to business transfers and small and medium-sized enterprises. The study provides valuable knowledge for both researchers and entrepreneurs by highlighting deficiencies and identifying gaps in existing research, serving as a basis for entrepreneurs to make informed decisions regarding an entrepreneurial transfer. / En entreprenöriell exit via försäljning är en målsättning för många entreprenörer och framställs ofta som ett målsnöre. I verkligheten är detta dock startskottet för en företagsöverlåtelse som kan vara i flera år. Denna studie undersöker företagsöverlåtelser ur ett processperspektiv i kontexten för entreprenöriella små och medelstora företag och ur entreprenörens perspektiv. Detta är ett område som ännu är att anses outforskat och i denna studie benämns som entreprenöriell överlåtelse.  Studien syftar till att bidra med värdefull empiri för att utveckla ämnet, belysa området i kontexten för entreprenöriella små och medelstora företag och uppmana till vidare forskning. Sex entreprenörer har intervjuats i en semistrukturerad intervjustudie och det empiriska underlaget har analyserats fenomenografiskt. Studien identifierar ett antal mönster för hur processen för entreprenöriella överlåtelser sker enligt entreprenören samt hur entreprenören anser processen påverkas av faktorer kopplade till företagsöverlåtelser och små och medelstora företag. Därtill bidrar den med värdefull kunskap för både forskare och entreprenörer genom att belysa brister och identifiera hål i befintlig forskning samt agera underlag för entreprenörer att ta informerade beslut inför en entreprenöriell överlåtelse.

Purpose – To find out what factors hinder and promote SMEs to practice sustainable business. Methodology – Qualitative case study based on interviews and archival data. Findings – This research resulted in five different propositions. 1. Corporate reputation plays a role in contributing to  SMEs’ sustainable practices. 2. The scarce resources of SMEs induce difficulties to maintain a balance between short-term financial goals and long-term sustainability goals, which hinders SMEs to undertake sustainable practices. 3. The scarce resources of SMEs induce internal misalignments in expectations between different stakeholders, which hinders SMEs to undertake sustainable practices. 4. Affiliations and social networks of top managers play a role in contributing to their SMEs’ sustainable practices. played a vital role in promoting the sustainability practices of their SMEs. 5. Less diversity in the top management team hinders SMEs’ sustainable practices. Contributions - This thesis enhances understanding of the factors influencing the implementation of sustainable practices in SMEs from a manager's perspective, filling a knowledge gap in the financial sector. It also provides insights into the complex relationship between subsidiaries and headquarters, highlighting the dynamic balance between sustainability, financial goals, and directives from the headquarters.

I dagens samhälle ser vi att kvantiteten av kriser ökar. Små och medelstora företag är den kategori av företag som drabbas värst och därav har intresset för entreprenöriell resiliens inom forskning ökat. Kunskapen kring entreprenöriell resiliens i små och medelstora företag är fragmenterad och illa definierad. Syftet med denna studie är att utveckla förståelsen om entreprenöriell resiliens genom att studera de aktiviteter små och medelstora företag inom detaljhandeln i Skaraborg genomför på grund av en finansiell konjunkturnedgång. Studien ämnar bidra med förståelse och förklaring av de aktiviteter företag arbetar med för att skapa entreprenöriell resiliens i små och medelstora företag inför och under en finansiell konjunkturnedgång. Studien har genomförts genom ostrukturerade intervjuer med företagsledare i små och medelstora företag inom detaljhandeln. Studien visar vikten av både preventivt och adaptivt arbete för att stärka motståndskraften i små och medelstora företag inför och under en konjunkturnedgång. Studien belyser också vikten av erfarenhet och lärande inom organisationen vilket utgör en grund för företagens arbete med entreprenöriell resiliens. Studien indikerar hur erfarenhet av tidigare hantering av konjunkturnedgångar påverkar dagens aktiviteter i företaget. Undersökningens resultat visar att entreprenöriell resiliens är en ständigt pågående process. / In today's society, we observe an increasing number of crises. Small and medium-sized enterprises are the business category most adversely affected, which is why interest in researching entrepreneurial resilience has grown. However, knowledge about entrepreneurial resilience in small and medium-sized enterprise remains fragmented and poorly defined. The purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of entrepreneurial resilience by studying the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises within the retail sector in Skaraborg due to a financial economic downturn. The study aims to contribute to our comprehension and explanation of the strategies employed by companies to foster entrepreneurial resilience before and during such downturns. The study employed unstructured interviews with business leaders from small and medium-sized enterprises in the retail sector. The findings underscore the significance of both preventive and adaptive measures in strengthening the resilience of enterprises prior to and during economic downturns. Additionally, the study emphasizes the value of experience and organizational learning as foundations for companies' efforts to cultivate entrepreneurial resilience. The study indicates that past experiences of managing economic downturns influence present-day activities within companies. The survey results demonstrate that entrepreneurial resilience is an ongoing process.

The ongoing semiconductor shortage impacts organizations throughout the supply chain operationally and financially. Limited material for a sudden increase in demand during the Covid-19 pandemic led to a heightened supplier power and result in the prioritization of customers. Companies like the test-bench producer for the automobile industry Loccioni face thereby the challenges of being a relatively small and thereby almost invisible company in the automotive supply chain. The purpose of this master thesis is to research what pre- and post-disruptive strategies mitigate the negative impact of supply disruptions for organizations with small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) character in the context of the semiconductor shortage. Additionally, it aims to understand the supplier-buyer power shift during such events and how supply chain trends like lean management contribute to the vulnerability of organizations to such risks. To answer the research question, a qualitative case study was conducted with the high-tech manufacturer Loccioni. Data was collected through a period of ethnography and un-/semi-structured interviews and assessed through thematic analysis. The developed conceptual framework provides a wholesome guidelinefor SMEs or SME alike companies on how to incorporate reactive risk management by considering the whole disruption cycle (pre- and postdisruptive) to mitigate impacts caused by the semiconductor shortage or similar crisis. The findings of this case study show that it is important to lower dependencies on single suppliers and strive for a flexible working culture to encourage turning challenges into opportunities and being decisive during disruptive events. Following a lean approach with a just-in-time strategy is considered a high risk when not having an evolved supply risk monitoring and analyzing system implemented. Therefore, proactive risk-mitigating approaches, such as safety buffers, building few but close relationships and engaging in cooperative activities, are encouraged. Also, even though the resources of SMEs are limited, is alertness towards supply chain risks considered crucial requiring activities like supplier audits and a well supporting IT infrastructure. During disruption, crucial quick and flexible reactions are enabled by agile project management and entrepreneurial efforts fostered by the company culture. Keeping a balance between being too flexible and structured is mandatory to act efficiently. It is important to create a database and safety stock of the critical material and adjust procurement strategies by multi-sourcing and increased escalation efforts. Internally and externally combined efforts can be key to optimizing operations, sourcing the shortage materials and finding alternative technologies to substitute. Strategic collaborations with supply chain partners, exploitationof customer relationships and continuous communication are crucial for smaller enterprises to maintain customer satisfaction. However, there is no single solution for every organization, but rather suggestions which need to be adjusted and evaluated against a company’s business strategy and competitive advantage.

The purpose of this thesis it to determine an optimal loan limit strategy. The optimality conditions are formulated in two different ways to account for two different objectives: maximizing the total profit and maximizing the approval rate. These objectives have been formulated as mathematical models and solved using linear programming. Moreover, the effects of changes to model constraints have been analyzed. The project was conducted in collaboration with Froda Företagslån, a digital lending platform that provides loans to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. / Denna uppsats syftar till utveckla en optimal kreditlimitstrategi, vilket kan formuleras på olika sätt beroende på vad kreditgivarens huvudsakliga mål är. I detta fall undersöks vilka limiter som bör sättas när målet är att maximera vinsten samt när målet är att maximera antalet lån som godkänns och betalas ut. Ovanstående har sedan formulerats som matematiska modeller som sedan löses med hjälp av linjär programmering. Vidare har effekterna av förändring hos modellens parametrar analyserats. Projektet bedrevs i samarbete med Froda Företagslån, en digital långivare som inriktar sig mot Små och Medelstora Företag.

The subject of internationalization of Born Global small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that start cross-border business operations shortly after the company’s foundation has received growing scholarly attention in the last decades. Although the research of the influence of the market knowledge - information a firm has about a specific foreign market, on internationalization decisions was developing rapidly to account for the challenges of the established internationalization theories, multi-factor comprehensive analysis of the influence of all the interlinked factors of the market knowledge remains overlooked by research. Therefore, the main purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the understanding of the impact of foreign market knowledge on the decisions of business-to-business (B2B) Born Global SMEs regarding when, where to, and how to internationalize, and concerning the ways of operating in the foreign market(s). To fulfill the purpose of the paper, the authors carried out a qualitative multiple case study with six Born Global SMEs working in the deep tech industry which has started international operations up to one year after the establishment. Fieldwork consisted of 14 virtual interviews with the Marketing Managers and Founders of the firms. The results of this study show that the process through which the studied B2B Born Global SMEs internationalize is very similar among all companies: it starts between a few weeks up to one year after the inception of the company, and it follows a typical progressive process (first, the firms have one of their employees or external representatives physically going to the foreign market of interest; then establish the partnerships with local companies; later appoint a local representative to the market, and lastly establish a subsidiary company). Next, the research illustrates that the studied Born Global SMEs acquire foreign market knowledge from external parties by the method of grafting. Furthermore, the study also concluded that there are three groups of factors of the foreign market, which are categorized based on the firms’ perception of the factors’ influence on decisions of B2B Born Global SMEs about when, where to, and how to internationalize. These groups are: important (economic opportunities, networks, political context), disregarded (language, culture, and legal regulations) and overlooked (political context, legal regulations, and language) factors. Lastly, such foreign market knowledge factors were found to influence the decisions of B2B Born Global SMEs’ about ways of operations in the foreign market(s): political situation, economic opportunities, and legal regulation impact the companies’ decisions about operations in the foreign market(s).

The use of external providers for the provision of information and communication technology (ICT) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is expected to increase. At the end of the 1990s the concept of Application Service Provision (ASP) and Application Service Providers (ASPs) was introduced. This is described as one way for SMEs to provide themselves with software applications. However, it can be stated that the concept has not taken off. This study examines what reasons influence the decision-making when deciding to use or not use ASP. The research question is: How do SMEs decide on using an Application Service Provider for the provision and maintenance of ICT? In order to answer the question decision-making processes in SMEs have been investigated in an interpretive case study. This study consisted of mainly semi-structured interviews that were done with three different ASPs and customers related to them. It also consisted of a questionnaire to the customers of one of the service providers. The analysis was then made as a withincase analysis, consisting of detailed write-ups for each site. The interviews and a literature survey of the ASP concept and theories that have been used to explain the ASP decision-making process generated seven constructs. From the presented and discussed theories, models and proposed constructs seven propositions were formulated. These propositions were used for the analysis and presentation of the findings in the study. The main conclusion of the study is the disparate view of what affects the adoption or non-adoption of the ASP concept. The service providers express the decision as a wish from the prospective customer to decrease costs and increase the predictability of costs. The customers on the other hand express it as a wish to increase accessibility; the cost perspective is found to be secondary.